Mpetshi Perricard serves past Rune in Basel, continuing SF success for young stars

Youth was served on Saturday at the Swiss Indoors Basel. Specifically, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard served 17 aces as he continued his breakout season with a 7-6(6), 6-4 upset of Holger Rune. 

The Frenchman beat his fellow 21-year-old to improve to 4-1 against Top 20 players in the PIF ATP Rankings and advance to his biggest career final at the ATP 500. He will next meet 22-year-old Ben Shelton, after the American defeated 20-year-old Arthur Fils.

"It's amazing to be in the final. I played a good match today. It was difficult against Holger, but I found the key to win this match," said Mpetshi Perricard. "Inside of me there was a lot of emotion, but I tried to calm it down. It's nice to be in the final and I hope to get the win."

After beginning the season outside the Top 200, the Frenchman is up to No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week, setting him up for a career high. He entered the week at No. 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

PIF ATP Rankings: Biggest Movers Into The Top 50 (2024)

The youthful last four in Basel marked the first time an ATP Tour event featured four semi-finalists born in the 2000s. It is also the second semi-final lineup with four players younger than 23, with the previous instance six years ago in Washington courtesy of Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev.

Saturday's youth movement also extended to Vienna, where Jack Draper beat Lorenzo Musetti in a matchup of 22-year-olds.

This guy is going places ?️@MpetshiG's magical run in Basel just got even better as the young French star reaches his FIRST 500-level final!#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/YmNK8yqyx0

In the Basel semi-finals, Mpetshi Perricard never faced a break point and won 87 per cent (33/38) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. After an opening set without a break chance for either man, the first 13 points of the tie-break went to the server. Mpetshi Perricard saved a set point at 5/6 before snatching the tie-break with its first mini-break.

The Frenchman capitalised on a a loose Rune service game to break at the start of set two and showed no signs of tension as he cruised through his next five service games to seal the victory. Now with 87 aces in his four Basel wins, Mpetshi Perricard has not lost a service game game in the tournament. He's also won four of his five tie-breaks on the week, including a third-set tie-break against Denis Shapovalov in the quarters.

After winning his first Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup against Rune, Mpetshi Perricard will bid to improve to 2-0 against Shelton in the final.

"It's always 50/50 when you step on the court. Yeah, I won [against him], but one time and it was on grass," the Frenchman said, referencing his Queen's Club win earlier this year. "Now it's a different match. We are in the final, it's going to be tough.

"There is a lot of emotion because both of us want to get the title. I will try my best, he will try his best, but at the end there is only one winner. It's going to be fun."

[NEWSLETTER FORM]