Spoiler:
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard won’t soon forget the dramatic way in which he earned his first Roland Garros victory.
The 21-year-old Frenchman fed off the energy of a lively home crowd to notch a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-4 triumph over Zizou Bergs on Monday. Mpetshi Perricard trailed 0/5 in the second-set tie-break, but reeled off seven consecutive points to move ahead under the roof of Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“At 0/5, I tried to make it back little by little,” said Mpetshi Perricard. “I tried to go point by point, then at 5/5, 6/5, with the whole crowd behind me I felt [great]. It was a tough match, physically, so I will do my best to be ready for Wednesday.”
It All Adds Up
With score level at one set apiece, Mpetshi Perricard was on the brink of falling to a 1-2 deficit. But from 0/5 in the tie-break, the 6’8” Lyon-native promptly fired two aces to keep his hopes alive. Bergs then showed signs of tension with a sloppy forehand unforced error before the Frenchman stretched for a stunning pass to reclaim the mini-break for 4/5.
The 31st-seeded Mpetshi Perricard then found two mighty serves, which were both backed up by forehand winners to earn a set point, on which Bergs hit a double fault. It marked the end of an absorbing tie-break and sparked raucous cheers, which were amplified due to the atmosphere under the closed roof.
Mpetshi Perricard failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the fourth set, but regrouped to break in the ensuing game to seal victory. He fired 12 aces, according to Infosys Stats, during the three-hour, 18-minute first-round clash, and will next face Damir Dzumhur.
The 21-year-old Frenchman fed off the energy of a lively home crowd to notch a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-4 triumph over Zizou Bergs on Monday. Mpetshi Perricard trailed 0/5 in the second-set tie-break, but reeled off seven consecutive points to move ahead under the roof of Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“At 0/5, I tried to make it back little by little,” said Mpetshi Perricard. “I tried to go point by point, then at 5/5, 6/5, with the whole crowd behind me I felt [great]. It was a tough match, physically, so I will do my best to be ready for Wednesday.”
It All Adds Up
With score level at one set apiece, Mpetshi Perricard was on the brink of falling to a 1-2 deficit. But from 0/5 in the tie-break, the 6’8” Lyon-native promptly fired two aces to keep his hopes alive. Bergs then showed signs of tension with a sloppy forehand unforced error before the Frenchman stretched for a stunning pass to reclaim the mini-break for 4/5.
The 31st-seeded Mpetshi Perricard then found two mighty serves, which were both backed up by forehand winners to earn a set point, on which Bergs hit a double fault. It marked the end of an absorbing tie-break and sparked raucous cheers, which were amplified due to the atmosphere under the closed roof.
Mpetshi Perricard failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the fourth set, but regrouped to break in the ensuing game to seal victory. He fired 12 aces, according to Infosys Stats, during the three-hour, 18-minute first-round clash, and will next face Damir Dzumhur.