In a match that kept fans on edge until the final tiebreak, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard defeated Luca Nardi 6-3, 7-6(4) in the second round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Friday. The Frenchman's powerful serve and steady baseline play proved too much for the young Italian, who had earlier scraped through against Sebastian Ofner. Perricard, ranked just outside the top 30, showed why he's been turning heads this season—his ace count hit 12, sealing a spot in the third round against Taylor Fritz.
Indeed, this victory comes at a good time for Perricard, who's had a rollercoaster 2025 after bursting onto the scene last year. Remember his run at the Miami Masters? Or more recently, that straight-sets win over Alexander Bublik in the first round of the Hamburg Open back in May. Bublik, the unpredictable Kazakh with his flashy shots, fell 6-4, 7-5, right after both had claimed Challenger titles in Bordeaux and Turin respectively. It was a reminder of how these rising talents can disrupt the tour's hierarchy. Perricard and Bublik's head-to-head now stands at 2-1 in the Frenchman's favor, including a three-setter in Stockholm last fall.
However, Nardi wasn't going down without a fight. The 22-year-old, fresh off a solid qualifying run, pushed Perricard hard in the second set, saving break points and forcing errors. Yet, in the tiebreak, Nardi's unforced mistakes—five in that frame alone—cost him dearly. For Nardi, it's another close call in a season of near-misses; he's climbed into the top 100 but still seeks that breakthrough win against higher seeds. Perricard, meanwhile, moves on, his confidence visibly boosted after a tough stretch post-Wimbledon.
Moreover, with Fritz waiting—a top-10 player in red-hot form—this Shanghai draw is stacking up as one of the tournament's most intriguing paths. Bublik, out early here after a first-round exit, watches from afar, perhaps plotting his next wildcard moment.
As these young guns keep challenging the old guard, one wonders how long before they redefine the ATP landscape entirely.