Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Thursday January 2, 2025 at 8:15 a.m.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will play the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane, after his victory in straight sets over Frances Tiafoe. He will face the Czech Jakub Mensik for a place in the last four.
What a great start to the season for Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard! The young Frenchman will play a quarter-final at the ATP 250 in Brisbane, after beating Nick Kyrgios and Frances Tiafoe in quick succession. Opposed this Thursday to the American 18th in the world, whom he had beaten in three sets at the Rolex Paris Masters a few weeks ago, the French giant did it again, but this time in two sets. He won 6-4, 7-6 in 1h33. As always, Mpetshi Perricard was able to rely on his excellent service. He signed 20 aces and saved the two break points his opponent got. The Frenchman, who had missed a 4-2 ball on Tiafoe's throw-in a little earlier, finally won the first set by breaking at the best moment, at 5-4, on his first opportunity. It was at 1-1 in the second set that the American obtained his only two break points of the game. But Mpetshi Perricard saved them. At 6-5, the Lyonnais obtained a set point on his opponent's serve, but missed it, and it was finally in the decisive game that he won the victory, winning it 7-4 . Not only did he qualify for the quarter-finals, but he also secured top seed status at the Australian Open! And to think that he was still 205th in the world a year ago…
Et maintenant, Mensik!
In the quarters, the 21-year-old Frenchman will face a player two years his junior, Jakub Mensik. The Czech (48th) defeated the Serbian Dusan Lajovic (81st) with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in 1h05. He won the first set by breaking at 3-2 then unfolded in the second, with breaks at 1-1 and 4-2, to offer himself a first confrontation on the ATP circuit against Mpetshi Perricard (who beat him at the Poznan clay court Challenger in 2023). Also note this Thursday, before the clash of the day between Novak Djokovic and Gaël Monfils, the victory of the American Reilly Opelka (293rd) against the Italian Matteo Arnaldi (37th) in two tie-breaks: 11-9 then 7-4.
