Mpetshi Perricard Pays Tribute to Gasquet: "He Was One of the Players We Wanted to Skip School Early to Watch"

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard begins his clay-court season in Monte-Carlo this Sunday against Jordan Thompson.

The principality’s tournament unveiled Richard Gasquet in 2002, when he became the youngest player to win a match in a Masters 1000 event.

Mpetshi Perricard made sure to honor him: "Richard was and still is a great player. When I was young, he was one of my idols.

When we watched Roland-Garros, he was one of the players we wanted to leave school early to go see. It’s a bit sad to see he’ll be stopping in a few weeks.

If he could stay on the tour for life, just to see his backhand over and over, we’d be happy. It’s truly something that fascinates me.

This (Saturday) morning, when I see him hitting backhands, I still pause my own play to watch—it’s that beautiful. I hope he enjoys these last matches.

Richard is playing his last Monte-Carlo, and I’m playing my first! That’s when I realize the gap between us, and I hope when he has time, I can talk with him.

He’s someone who has so much to teach us about tennis."