Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Suffers a Bizarre Eye Injury Before Retiring at Montpellier
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is scheduled to play in Rotterdam, but may withdraw.
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Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard suffered a bizarre eye injury (via ATP Tour)
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Tennis is usually a game of calculated angles, raw power, and endurance. But every once in a while, it reminds everyone that luck plays a massive role. That’s the hard lesson Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard learned this week in France. It wasn’t a twisted ankle or a strained shoulder that took him out of the Montpellier Open; it was a complete fluke.
The 22-year-old French star found himself in a nightmare scenario during his first-round match, forced to retire after a ball ricocheted off his racket and struck him directly in the eye. It was one of those moments that makes the entire stadium go quiet, shifting the mood from competitive tension to genuine concern in a split second.
The incident happened during what should have been a standard battle between two countrymen. Perricard was facing fellow Frenchman Arthur Gea. The match was already proving difficult, with Gea leading 5–3 in the first set. Perricard was fighting to stay in the set, moving in for a volley, a standard play for a guy with his reach.
But the ball took a wicked deflection off the frame of his racket. Instead of sailing over the net or going wide, it shot backward and slammed into his eye.
The medical staff rushed to the court immediately. While Perricard tried to shake it off, vision isn’t something you can compromise on in professional sports. After losing the set, the realization set in that he couldn’t continue.
A rough start to 2026 for the French giant
This injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is currently stuck in a bit of a rut. Standing at 6’7”, he has one of the most dangerous serves on tour, and he’s already bagged two ATP titles. The potential is undeniably there.
However, the 2026 season hasn’t been kind to him so far. He came into Montpellier fresh off a stinging first-round exit at the Australian Open in Melbourne. He needed this tournament to get some rhythm back. Instead, this retirement marks his third consecutive match loss.
Slumps happen to every player, but for a young talent trying to cement his place in the rankings, these early-season points are crucial. Losing momentum in February can sometimes make the transition to the clay courts in spring much harder.
He was expected to use Montpellier as a launchpad to regain his confidence. Instead, he’s leaving with a black eye and more questions than answers.
Will Mpetshi Perricard be ready for Rotterdam?
The tennis calendar is relentless. Perricard is currently on the entry list for the ATP 500 in Rotterdam, a prestigious tournament where the competition is fierce.
He is listed as the top seed for the qualifying rounds in Rotterdam. Medical clearance will be the deciding factor. If he has to pull out of Rotterdam, he risks sliding further down the rankings and losing valuable match practice against top-tier opponents like Alexander Zverev, who is headlining that draw.
Right now, the ball is literally in the doctors’ court. Fans and analysts are sending plenty of support his way on social media, recognizing that this was just a stroke of terrible luck. No one wants to see a match end because of an injury, especially one as bizarre as this.
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