Two-time ATP champion set to tumble down the rankings and leave the top 50 after defeat to Joao Fonseca

Follow us on Google Discover

Joao Fonseca picked up his first ATP win since the US Open at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

The Brazilian wonderkid hadn’t won a match at an ATP-sanctioned tournament since he beat Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the US Open 58 days ago.

To the surprise of many, Fonseca didn’t travel to Asia and instead chose to rest and recover in preparation for the European indoor hard-court season.

He made his return in Brussels, but lost his opening match to Botic van de Zandschulp, 5-7, 6-7.

Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Heading over to Basel for the Swiss Indoors, he took on the defending champion in his tournament debut.

Securing the win, he condemned his opponent to a first-round exit and a tumble down the rankings…

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard set for top-50 exit after Joao Fonseca defeat

2024 Swiss Indoors champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has endured a difficult season, but looked to have found some form in Brussels last week, reaching the semifinals.

Unfortunately for the Frenchman, he couldn’t carry that momentum forward to Basel, as he lost to Fonseca in straight sets, 6-7, 3-6.

Mpetshi Perricard’s serve was as good as ever, but it wasn’t enough to get him over the line, as he lost his first career meeting with the young Brazilian.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s serving stats vs Joao Fonseca

• Aces – 13
• Double faults – 0
• First serve % – 77%
• Win % on First serve – 65%
• Win % on Second serve – 80%
• Service points won – 45

With the defeat, the world number 33 will drop over 20 places in the ATP rankings.

Rank Name Country Points 51 Jenson Brooksby USA 1,017 52 Miomir Kecmanovic Serbia 1,001 53 Sebastian Korda USA 970 54 Marton Fucsovics Hungary 969 55 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard France 965 56 Reilly Opelka USA 960 57 Benjamin Bonzi France 930 58 Tomas Martin Etcheverry Argentina 930 59 Valentin Royer France 922 60 Adrian Mannarino France 917

Snapshot of the Live ATP Rankings

Seeing him fall down the rankings won’t come as too much of a surprise to those who have watched Mpetshi Perricard play this year, as he continues to struggle.

Just 12 months ago, Mpetshi Perricard was being praised by Andy Roddick, who suggested he could ‘change tennis’ with his serve, so what’s gone wrong for the Frenchman?

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has one of the weakest returns in tennis

Everyone is well aware of Mpetshi Perricard’s serving prowess, as he currently ranks 1st on the ATP Tour for ‘Serve Rating’ over the past 12 months.

His ‘Return Rating’ tells a different story, however, as he sits in 86th place.

The numbers he is producing just won’t cut it against the best players in the men’s game…

Player Return Rating (Rank) Return Rating % 1st Serve return points won % 2nd Serve return points won % Return games won % Break points converted Jannik Sinner 1 170.8 33.4% 58.5% 33.3% 45.6% Carlos Alcaraz 2 164.9 34.9% 53.9% 31.7% 44.4% Novak Djokovic 9 153.5 31.4% 53.2% 26.5% 42.4% Alexander Zverev 20 145.0 30.3% 51.1% 22.8% 40.8% Taylor Fritz 38 137.0 25.9% 51.1% 18.6% 41.4% Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 86 98.8 20.7% 35.8% 8.1% 34.2%

Comparing Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s ‘Return Rating’ to the ATP top five

If he wants to add to his tally of two ATP titles and return to the world’s top 50, it’s not difficult to pinpoint the area of his game that Mpetshi Perricard needs to work on.

Photo by EMILE WINDAL/Belga/AFP via Getty Images

He does, however, still have two more chances to pick up points before the end of 2025, as he now heads home to France.

Mpetshi Perricard will compete at the Paris Masters next week, looking to improve upon his second-round defeat last year.

Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

He’ll then wrap up his 2025 campaign at the ATP 250 event in Metz.

Things aren’t looking great for Mpetshi Perricard right now, but with his dominant serve, it would be unwise to overlook him as a contender on indoor hard courts.

Only time will tell if Mpetshi Perricard can return to winning ways when the Paris Masters begin on Monday, October 27.