Two dynamic 21-year-olds will clash in the China Open's first round on Friday, as Carlos Alcaraz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vie for a spot in the last 16.
Alcaraz, the second seed, is aiming for his first major final since the Paris 2024 Olympics, but his towering French rival, who has turned heads throughout 2024, won’t make it easy in Beijing.
Since his shocking second-round exit at the U.S. Open against Botic van de Zandschulp, Alcaraz has bounced back on the international stage, despite admitting that his mental state was less than optimal post-Flushing Meadows.
Alcaraz showcased his skills for Spain, leading the way to a smooth qualification for the Davis Cup Finals knockout stage.
He cruised past France's Ugo Humbert in his comeback match and secured victory against Tomas Machac, who retired with the match tied at a set apiece.
The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion then donned blue to represent Team Europe at the 2024 Laver Cup, where he dominated the U.S.' Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton in straight sets during singles play.
He also partnered with Casper Ruud to defeat Shelton and Frances Tiafoe in doubles action.
Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev faced a tough opening doubles defeat against Fritz and Shelton but that setback was quickly overshadowed by Alcaraz's impressive victory over Fritz, which propelled Team Europe to the crucial 13-point mark, dethroning Team World after a two-year reign in the Laver Cup.
As the 21-year-old heads to the Far East, he has secured his spot in the ATP Tour Finals alongside Jannik Sinner and Zverev. However, like many of his peers, he has expressed concerns about the grueling schedule, stating, "They are going to kill us," and admitting to experiencing a significant lack of motivation before some tournaments.
It remains to be seen whether Alcaraz can muster the mental strength for his second China Open campaign, having fallen in the semifinals to eventual champion Sinner during his debut last year. However, motivation should be abundant for his rising opponent, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Born just two months after the former world No. 1, Perricard has experienced a remarkable ascent on the ATP Tour in 2024, breaking into the world’s top 50 over the summer and currently sitting at No. 51. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 8 inches, he is one of the tallest players on the circuit. Perricard made his Wimbledon and U.S. Open main draw debuts this year, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon as a lucky loser and unleashing an astonishing 51 aces against Sebastian Korda in their first-round matchup.
Before his remarkable run on the British lawns, Perricard first tasted top-level stardom by clinching the Lyon Open in May. However, his journey at the U.S. Open ended early when he was defeated by Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets, and he most recently fell to Yannick Hanfmann in the Chengdu last 16.
In that match against Hanfmann, the Frenchman unleashed an impressive 22 aces, but it wasn’t enough to secure victory.
Now, he faces an even greater challenge against Alcaraz, as they battle for the opportunity to meet either Miomir Kecmanovic or Tallon Griekspoor in the second round.
As both players are still in the early stages of their professional careers, Alcaraz and Perricard will face each other at the top level for the first time on Friday, pitting the Spaniard's two-handed backhand against the Frenchman's elegant one-handed style.
However, Perricard has competed in just 18 top-level matches this season, securing 10 victories. In contrast, Alcaraz boasts an impressive record of 43 wins out of 52 matches, yielding a remarkable win percentage of 82.7%.