In the face of the Wild Cards controversy, Mpetshi Perricard keeps a low profile: "I don't know if I deserved it".
This Tuesday, Roland-Garros published the list of players who have received an invitation. The long-awaited announcement caused quite a stir.
Indeed, a number of high-profile players were not invited (Dominic Thiem, Diego Schwartzman, Simona Halep, Emma Raducanu). Among these players, it was Dominic Thiem's non-invitation in particular that caused a stir.
As a reminder, the Austrian, winner of the US Open and two-time finalist in Paris, announced his retirement at the end of the season. As a result, many fans and followers expected him to receive an invitation to the French Open. This will not be the case.
Among the lucky Frenchmen chosen by the organization is Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (123rd). The 20-year-old Frenchman, used to playing on the secondary circuit, has made an interesting start to the season. Ranked above 200th in the world at the start of the year, Mpetshi Perricard has already won three titles, all in Challenger events (Nottingham, Morelos, Acapulco).
Entering this week's Challenger 175 in Bordeaux, where he made it through the first round, beating compatriot Constant Lestienne (7-6, 6-2), the Frenchman talked about his choice of the Paris Grand Slam.
As he continues to close in on the world's top 100, the 2m02 player explained that he didn't know if he deserved the privilege: "I don't know if I deserved it, I'm not the one making the choices. I'm out there to play, to win matches and tournaments. It's the federation, it's the tournament management who make the choices and who chose me. Now there's only one thing I can do, and that's thank them."
Asked about his short-term objectives, he explains that he feels capable of performing well at Porte d'Auteuil: "Right now, I need to concentrate. I've got Bordeaux, maybe Lyon next week, and Roland Garros, so I'm going to give it my all. Last year, I came very close to winning the first time at Roland Garros. It was a painful match that stayed with me for a long time. But this year, I'm feeling much better, I'm going to play better at Roland Garros."
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