From the five matches against Sebastián Báez to the drama in Montpellier: Mpetshi Perricard's nightmare day

Just days after Carlos Alcaraz cemented his dominance at the Australian Open, the international circuit resumed its schedule with the indoor European tour. The Montpellier Open Occitanie, an ATP 250 tournament, began with promises of unexpected moves and notable performances. However, what no one expected was that the event would be marked by an incident as strange as it was unfortunate, leaving one of the main players out of competition within minutes.

Melbourne chases Mpetshi Perricard to Montpellier

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (ranked 57th in the world) arrived at the French venue after a promising 2026 season. The Franco-Congolese player had reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane and Auckland, showing strength on fast surfaces. His time at Melbourne Park, however, was shorter: he fell in five sets to Sebastián Báez in a match as unpredictable as it was entertaining, where the Argentine player won a long battle.

With that recent experience behind him, Mpetshi Perricard arrived in Montpellier seeking redemption. The surface of the French tournament—fast and indoor—seemed perfect for his offensive style of play. Additionally, his credentials on such courts were solid: he had ATP titles won in 2024 in Lyon and Basel, both under roofs with characteristic speed.

The accident that cut short expectations

On the central court Patrice Dominguez, during the evening session, Mpetshi Perricard faced Frenchman Arthur Gea (ranked 168th). The match showed early signs of control by the more experienced player: Gea had achieved a break and was leading the first set 5-3 with a 30-0 advantage.

It was at that moment of relative advantage when the unexpected happened. Mpetshi Perricard moved to the net aiming to finish the point with a volley, but his shot was imprecise. The ball hit directly on his left eye, causing immediate pain that forced him to stop the match. Although the tournament medical staff applied anti-inflammatory drops, the damage was already done. After just 38 minutes of play, the 22-year-old Lyon native had to withdraw, watching the opportunity that Montpellier represented slip away.

Fortune favors Arthur Gea

On the other side of the net, Arthur Gea experienced the opposite side of the coin. The Frenchman, who entered the tournament via a wild card (organizers’ invitation), unexpectedly advanced to the second round. His next opponent will be Czech Tomas Machac (ranked 28th in the world), the tournament’s third seed.

Gea’s credentials before Montpellier were not insignificant. At the Australian Open, he reached the second round from the qualifying stage, where he surprised Czech Jiri Lehecka (19th) before falling in five sets to Stan Wawrinka. His ability to compete in high-level tournaments was demonstrated by that performance in Melbourne.

The broader context: A decisive week for tennis

The Montpellier tournament, with a prize pool of 612,000 euros, is shaping up as the only ATP event taking place this week. Its main favorite is Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who arrives as a strong contender for the title.

Meanwhile, the tennis world is also focused on the first-round eliminations of the Davis Cup. Argentina, in particular, will play this weekend against South Korea in Busan, in a match that will demand the focus of its best players—including Sebastián Báez, who not long ago shared the court with Mpetshi Perricard at the Australian Indian Wells—.

For Mpetshi Perricard, the misfortune in Montpellier represents a missed opportunity on a surface that favored him. His offensive potential will remain intact, but he will have to wait for new chances to prove that the outcome against Báez in Melbourne was simply another chapter in his ongoing career development.