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21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard from France was one of the breakout stars on the ATP Tour in 2024. He won his maiden title on the pro tour in front of his home crowd at the Lyon Open, reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, won his second title in Basel, and peaked at No. 30 in the rankings.
Meptshi Perricard's ascent isn't surprising, given his family's athletic background. His father, Ghislain Mpetshi-Kalongo, was a footballer back in the day and used to play as a defender. Born in Kinshasa, Congo, he eventually settled in France. ASOA Valence and FC Bourg-Peronnas were some of the clubs he played for in the early 2000s.
Meptshi Perricard's two sisters also share his family's love for sports. His sister Ariane used to play basketball, while the youngest sibling in the family, Daphnee, is also a tennis player.
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That leaves Mpetshi Perricard's mother, Sylvie Perricard, as an outlier in the family. However, the young Frenchman adores his mother and cites her as his biggest inspiration. He moved from the comfort of his family home to a different city to train with the French Tennis Federation and pursue his goal of becoming a top player.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on his mother: "My mom is my biggest hero"
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's Wimbledon 2024 run thrust him into the spotlight. He upset Sebastian Korda in a five-set thriller in the first round. Following his win, he touched upon several topics in an interview and reiterated how his mom is his biggest hero.
"My mom, she text me but I didn't answer for a moment so she will be mad at me tonight. But my mom is a hero because she support me since the beginning, when I left home to go train at a centre in France far from Lyon, so she support me during the tough moments, and yeah, she is always there for me, so I'm very happy to be her son," - Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on his mother.
After an impressive start to his career on the ATP Tour, Mpetshi Perricard will aim to back up his success from last year in 2025. He started the new season with a semifinal showing in singles and doubles at the Brisbane International. He will now debut at the Australian Open and will face compatriot Gael Monfils in the first round on Tuesday (January 14).
