Pete Sampras had a better serve than 6-foot-8 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, says Boris Becker

Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker believes American tennis legend Pete Sampras had a superior serve compared to French prospect Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Becker frequently shares his intriguing insights online.

Although Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's 16-12 win-loss record last season fell short of capturing his full potential, he demonstrated considerable promise by securing two tour-level titles (Lyon and Basel) and advancing to the fourth round of the Wimbledon Championships as a lucky loser. However, what has increasingly troubled his opponents of late is his powerful serve, which recently earned him a significant milestone.

The 21-year-old concluded 2024 with the highest shot-quality score for serving. According to Tennis Data Innovations in collaboration with TennisViz (via ATP Tour), Perricard's serve achieved an impressive Shot Quality rating of 9.5, surpassing Alexander Zverev, who ranked second with a score of 8.87.

A fan page on X, titled "The Big Three," asserted that Perricard possesses the greatest serve in history, citing its mechanics and effectiveness as supporting evidence.

However, German tennis legend Boris Becker disagreed with the fan page's claim and responded with a skeptical question.

"Are you really sure about that ?!?" He asked.

A fan responded to Becker on X by sharing a GIF of 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras winking. Becker reposted it and added:

"For example…"

Sampras is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players and servers ever. He relied on a dominant, precise, and dependable serve to wear down his opponents. His remarkable strength, pinpoint accuracy, and ability to deliver crucial serves earned him the nickname "Pistol Pete."

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"Pete Sampras never won it": When Boris Becker backed Rafael Nadal comparing him to the American and other legends

Boris Becker at an event - Image Source: Getty

Rafael Nadal faced a challenging draw at the 2024 French Open, beginning his campaign against Alexander Zverev. In May, German legend Boris Becker, speaking with CNN, expressed that Nadal should feel no shame if he falls short of securing the title this year. The 56-year-old highlighted the achievements of several tennis icons, including Pete Sampras, who never managed to claim a French Open crown.

"You win it five times, that’s a lot,” tennis great Boris Becker told CNN. “You win it 10 times, it’s impossible. Nadal’s won it 14 times. I don’t know any other record in any other sport that equals that," he said.

At the time, Nadal was enduring a slump in form, leading to widespread speculation that the Spaniard's career was in limbo and that his retirement might be imminent.

“Borg won it six times, which at the time was unheard [of], but [Pete] Sampras never won it, Edberg never won it, Becker never won it. So there’s no shame in not winning the French Open,” Becker added.

Nadal ultimately suffered a first-round defeat to Zverev, falling 3-6, 6-7, 3-6, marking his final appearance at the tournament he had won a record 14 times. The Spaniard bid farewell to the sport following Spain's elimination from the Davis Cup knockouts in November.