Nick Kyrgios makes bold prediction on big-serving French star poised ‘to do some damage’ after breakthrough year
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is leading the serve-bot revival. The 21-year-old Frenchman is clocking up big speeds on his serve and dumped fellow big server Nick Kyrigos out of the tournament on his way to the semifinals in Brisbane. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard celebartes after his win over Nick Kyrigos After 36 aces , Mpetshi Perricard defeated Kyrgios 7-6(7-2), 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-3) with the rising star digging deep to get the edge over the Australian, who was making his much-anticipated return. Kyrgios was playing his first tour-level singles match since his wrist surgery in September 2023 and played at a decent level as he claimed the second set. Speaking after the match, Mpetshi Perricard, was full of praise for the Australian, saying in his press conference: “I tried my best during the match but for sure he is going to be back in the next few months. “He did some good things during the match and was very confident with a good serve.” Kyrgios also gave praise to the Frenchman – who was beaten by America’s Riley Opelka in the last four – and hailed his breakthrough. “He probably had the best year of his career last year,” the Australian said. The young Frenchman won ATP’s Most Improved Player in 2024 and Kyrgios singled out one area in particular that has put the rest of the ATP Tour on notice. “He’s going to do some damage, for sure. He’s going to have a long career. He’s got an easy action on his serve,” Krygios added “There were no real dips in speed or anything like that… But yeah, props to him. He’s a hell of a player. Kyrgios went on to make a bold claim as he rated the 21-year-old’s serve as the biggest he has ever played over some big names. John Isner holds the record for most aces in history with 14,470 “I have played [Ivo] Karlovic, [John] Isner, [Milos] Raonic, all the big servers, and he’s got the biggest serve by far. Yeah, that was interesting. And it sucked.” Mpetshi Perricard, at just 21, won two ATP titles last year in Lyon and Basel as he climbed up to 30th in the world. Such sucesss was helped by his 532 aces in 2024, which puts him eigth on the 2024 aces list despite playing just 28 matches. If the Frenchman continues on at this rate he is well within reach of entering the list of players who have the most aces of all-time. John Isner tops the rankings with 14,470 aces, Ivo Karlovic is second with 13,728 and Roger Federer is third with 11,478. The presence of massive servers on tour has faded in recent years but the likes of Mpetshi Perricard, and the comebacks of Opelka and Kyrigos, are giving the big hitters a renaissance.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is leading the serve-bot revival.
The 21-year-old Frenchman is clocking up big speeds on his serve and dumped fellow big server Nick Kyrigos out of the tournament on his way to the semifinals in Brisbane.
After 36 aces , Mpetshi Perricard defeated Kyrgios 7-6(7-2), 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-3) with the rising star digging deep to get the edge over the Australian, who was making his much-anticipated return.
Kyrgios was playing his first tour-level singles match since his wrist surgery in September 2023 and played at a decent level as he claimed the second set.
Speaking after the match, Mpetshi Perricard, was full of praise for the Australian, saying in his press conference: “I tried my best during the match but for sure he is going to be back in the next few months.
“He did some good things during the match and was very confident with a good serve.”
Kyrgios also gave praise to the Frenchman – who was beaten by America’s Riley Opelka in the last four – and hailed his breakthrough.
“He probably had the best year of his career last year,” the Australian said.
The young Frenchman won ATP’s Most Improved Player in 2024 and Kyrgios singled out one area in particular that has put the rest of the ATP Tour on notice.
“He’s going to do some damage, for sure. He’s going to have a long career. He’s got an easy action on his serve,” Krygios added
“There were no real dips in speed or anything like that… But yeah, props to him. He’s a hell of a player.
Kyrgios went on to make a bold claim as he rated the 21-year-old’s serve as the biggest he has ever played over some big names.
“I have played [Ivo] Karlovic, [John] Isner, [Milos] Raonic, all the big servers, and he’s got the biggest serve by far. Yeah, that was interesting. And it sucked.”
Mpetshi Perricard, at just 21, won two ATP titles last year in Lyon and Basel as he climbed up to 30th in the world.
Such sucesss was helped by his 532 aces in 2024, which puts him eigth on the 2024 aces list despite playing just 28 matches.
If the Frenchman continues on at this rate he is well within reach of entering the list of players who have the most aces of all-time.
John Isner tops the rankings with 14,470 aces, Ivo Karlovic is second with 13,728 and Roger Federer is third with 11,478.
The presence of massive servers on tour has faded in recent years but the likes of Mpetshi Perricard, and the comebacks of Opelka and Kyrigos, are giving the big hitters a renaissance.
