'Buy the dip': Courier and Roddick bullish on Mpetshi Perricard despite losing streak

Jim Courier and Andy Roddick discussed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's potential and whether he will soon be a contender for the biggest titles, while the Frenchman is on a 6-match losing streak and has a mere 6-8 record so far this season.

The 21-year-old was touted as the Newcomer of the Year in 2024 after winning two titles: the ATP 250 Lyon Open and the ATP 500 Basel Open. Mpetshi Perricard has particularly stood out for his impressive serve, which exceeds 200 km/h on both first and second serves.

In the recent episode of the Tennis Channel podcast, Jim Courier and Andy Roddick commented on ‘GMP’s’ potential: “He is going to run hot and cold. You wonder if it’s like the second time through the line-up thing that we talk about in baseball,” said 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick. “Are people getting a read on his serve? It’s obviously tougher to hit those 125mph half first serve, half second serves on clay as opposed to indoors.”

“He has taken his lumps a little bit. He obviously was in qualies for Grand Slams last summer. I think we forget about that,” the former world No. 1 added. “He had a heck of a run there, but this is a tough match up for him. Jordan Thompson is so savvy, he can stay back, he can come in. He is well-versed. He can hit those chip returns and be speedy around the court.”

The 4-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier compared Mpetshi's adverse moment to a stock market crash. “You guys remember liberation day when the tariffs were announced and the stock market just went into a nosedive?,” he said. “I would buy the dip, because I would go long on his future. This guy is going to bother people. Clay is not going to be his best surface. It could still be a decent surface though.

“Just ask John Isner. A little more time on the ball. He needs a little more time on tour. I think Andy is right about second time through the line up,” he added. “Now all the coaches on tour are a little more tuned in to how you might be able to get to him. I think this guy is going to be very good, I just think it’s going to take him a little bit longer. A lot of smart people bought the dip and that’s what I would be doing if I was an Mpetshi Perricard fan right now.”

The Frenchman reached 500 aces in his first 29 professional matches, which is more than 17 aces on average per match. He achieved this even faster than some of the best servers of recent times like John Isner (31 matches), Milos Raonic (32 matches), or Nick Kyrgios (33 matches).

“Sometimes these big guys, it takes them a little bit longer to put it all together. There is a lot of length in those levers they have got to organise,” Courier concluded.