Mpetshi Perricard, Defeated by Thompson in Rome: "I Should Have Been More Lucid"
Jordan Thompson remains Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's nemesis. Despite all his efforts, the Frenchman suffered his fifth consecutive defeat against the Australian.
This time, the world No. 36 managed to take a set off his opponent for the first time, but Thompson was more solid in the crucial moments to secure the win and advance to the second round (3-6, 6-3, 7-6).
After this latest setback, Mpetshi Perricard—who has now lost six matches in a row (three of them against Thompson) since his walkover victory over Fabian Marozsan in the second round at Indian Wells—analyzed what went wrong against the Australian in comments reported by *L’Équipe*.
"It’s a painful defeat. I fought hard throughout the match. There were good moments and some not-so-good ones. Thompson returns very well, especially on the backhand, and that’s what troubles me the most in his game.
"I missed a crucial forehand in the tiebreak, but that’s tennis—I should have been more lucid. Last year, I played a lot of matches. This year, I’ve only played Grand Slams, Masters 1000, and ATP 500 events, so the level in the first round isn’t the same.
"I don’t know yet if I’ll play before Roland-Garros. That’s something to think about. Tomorrow, I’ll get back to training, but I’m not sure if I’ll compete in a tournament next week," Mpetshi Perricard said.
Rome 
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 