“My friends helped me enormously”: Mpetshi Perricard opens up about depression after falling outside the top 100
ATP
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has gone from being one of the ATP Tour's biggest breakthrough stories to facing the most difficult period of his young career. The Frenchman, who won the ATP Most Improved Player of the Year award in 2024, is set to fall to around No. 145 in the world rankings after a run of eight consecutive defeats, with his recent struggles extending well beyond his results on court.
The 23-year-old has not won a match since the qualifying rounds at Queen's in June. His latest setback came in Brussels, where he lost to Switzerland's Rémy Bertola, ranked No. 227, in the first round of qualifying. That followed a defeat at the Roanne Challenger against Étienne Donnet, who was ranked No. 817, underlining the extent of his difficulties.
Mpetshi Perricard's 2026 record stands at 8-18, a disappointing return for a player who reached a career-high ranking of No. 29 in February 2025. He has recorded no victories in Grand Slam main draws this season and managed just one win at Masters 1000 level, defeating Jacob Fearnley in Rome. His serve remains a major weapon, but it has not been enough to prevent his slide.
In an interview with L'Équipe, the Frenchman spoke openly about the mental toll of recent months. He described a period marked by lost motivation, time away from tennis and a struggle to find the mindset required to compete. His account offers a more personal explanation of a decline that has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Mpetshi Perricard opens up about depression and burnout
Despite his struggles, Mpetshi Perricard believes his serve remains the one dependable part of his game. Everything else, he admitted, has been difficult to manage, both on the court and away from it. Speaking to L'Équipe, he explained that rebuilding his confidence will be a lengthy process.
“Nothing is going right apart from my serve. These past few months have certainly been difficult," the former world No. 29 said. "There have been a lot of negative things, both in my game and outside it. I'm trying to put the pieces back together little by little, but it isn't easy. It's going to take a long time.”
The Frenchman said the mental difficulties were already affecting him after Wimbledon. He did not train when he returned from London and took an extended break before travelling to North America for the summer hard-court swing. Although he felt obliged to compete, he admitted that he did not have the right mindset and would not have made the trip if the decision had been entirely his.
The situation deteriorated further after the US Open. Mpetshi Perricard stopped watching tennis, played only once every two or three days and found himself without a coach.
He subsequently travelled to Dubai but spent his time at home rather than following his usual professional routine.
“It comes down to a little depression, burnout," Mpetshi Perricard added. "My friends were there for me and helped me, because not all the ideas I was having were very good. They helped me enormously during a period when things were really not going well at all."
From two ATP titles to a difficult road back
The contrast with Mpetshi Perricard's 2024 breakthrough is considerable. He won his first ATP Tour title in Lyon before claiming the Swiss Indoors Basel trophy, an ATP 500 event. Those results helped him climb from outside the top 200 to No. 30 and earned him recognition from his fellow players as the ATP's Most Improved Player of the Year. He subsequently reached No. 29 in February 2025.
His physical attributes and serve helped establish that rapid rise. Standing 2.01 metres tall, Mpetshi Perricard has produced some of the fastest serves in the sport, including a 246 km/h delivery at Wimbledon in 2025. His best Grand Slam result remains the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2024, but this season he has struggled to reproduce the consistency that once made him one of the tour's most promising young players.
For now, he knows that ending the losing streak will not necessarily resolve everything. He described his current situation as a steep, prolonged climb and stressed that a change in mindset will be essential.
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His immediate challenge is to rebuild his confidence while accepting that progress may take time. “It's a difficult slope, a steep one, and for now it's a long one, but I have to persevere. It's not easy. I need to change my mindset. It's hard, really hard. I think things will work out, but it will take time,” he said in the interview with L'Équipe.
Mpetshi Perricard's fall in the rankings reflects a difficult season, but his own account makes clear that the problem is not simply a lack of wins. After reaching the top 30 and collecting two major ATP titles, he is now trying to recover his motivation as well as his form. His return to the level he once reached may take time, and he has acknowledged that openly.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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