05/18/25

Victory, Variety, and 26 Aces: The Rise of Mpetshi Perricard




Bordeaux, May 18, 2025 – The 16th edition of the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux came to a close on Sunday, May 18, 2025, after an intense week of clay-court action at the historic Villa Primrose. The tournament reached its peak with the singles and doubles finals, played out in front of an enthusiastic and packed crowd.

This final day capped off a thrilling week filled with emotion and high-level performances, further cementing the tournament’s reputation as a springboard for rising stars on the international tennis scene.

The doubles final delivered an exciting showdown between the No. 4 seeds, Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler, and the seasoned duo of Yuki Bhambri and Robert Galloway, seeded No. 2.

In a tight, tactical battle, Cabral and Miedler showcased excellent chemistry and an aggressive playing style that allowed them to gain the upper hand. Displaying strong net play and nerves of steel in the key moments, the pair took the opening set thanks to a flawless tiebreak performance, dominating it 7-1.

The second set picked up right where the first left off, with both pairs battling fiercely and neither managing to break through on serve. Late in the set, a turning point came when Robert Galloway suffered a painful fall, injuring his right wrist. Despite the setback, the American showed grit by continuing to play through the pain.

Once again demonstrating mental resilience, Cabral and Miedler held their nerve in a second tie-break, which they controlled with authority, sealing the match 7-2.

This straight-sets victory crowns their impressive run on the Challenger circuit, marking their fourth consecutive final as a team.

Warmly applauded by the Villa Primrose crowd, the duo walks away with a significant win in a highly competitive field, underlining both their strong chemistry and their growing reputation as a rising force on clay.



The SCC France Centre Court at Villa Primrose came alive for a high-stakes final featuring France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili, a former Top 20 player and a fierce competitor on clay.

In a charged atmosphere and sweltering heat (with temperatures hitting 29°C), the two players engaged in a gripping battle, full of twists, intensity, and raw emotion.



The match started one-sided. Riding a flawless start, Mpetshi broke serve right out of the gate and quickly surged ahead 3-0, then 5-2 in under 30 minutes. Mobile, rock-solid on both wings, and tactically inspired, the Frenchman gave Basilashvili no breathing room, confidently wrapping up the first set 6-3. He returned difficult balls with remarkable ease and impressed with his variety—drop shots, counter-drops, and sudden changes of pace.

The second set was a tighter affair. Both players held serve in a grueling physical exchange, with Mpetshi continuing to dominate behind his serve - firing 11 aces in this set alone. At 5-5 after 1 hour and 11 minutes, the battle intensified. Despite a flurry of unforced errors, Basilashvili raised his level at the right time, pushing the Frenchman into a tie-break. There, the Georgian held firm and edged it 7-6, handing Mpetshi his first set loss of the tournament.

But the young french player was far from discouraged. He immediately bounced back in the decider, breaking to go up 2-0. Basilashvili, leaning on his experience, clawed back to 2-2, capitalizing on a brief mental dip from Mpetshi, who found himself more on the defensive. Yet the Frenchman dug deep, saving several critical points and regaining the lead at 5-4. In a nerve-wracking tenth game, he earned three match points - but couldn’t convert.

Basilashvili leveled at 5-5. The intensity reached its peak; every rally turned into a battle. Ultimately, Mpetshi forced an error from the Georgian to edge ahead 6-5 and finally closed out the match on his fourth match point.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard triumphed at the end of a spectacular showdown, winning 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 to claim the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux 2025 title after 2 hours and 15 minutes of breathtaking tennis.



With 26 aces, a dominant serve, and a composed attitude, Mpetshi Perricard captured one of the biggest titles of his young career. He follows in the footsteps of Ugo Humbert and his friend and fellow Frenchman Arthur Fils, the 2024 champion in Bordeaux.

For the third year in a row, the BNP Paribas Primrose trophy stays in French hands—an emphatic symbol of the country’s emerging tennis generation. This symbolic hat-trick highlights the momentum of a bold new wave, ready to shine on the sport’s biggest stages.

By winning this Challenger 175 against such a seasoned opponent, Mpetshi reached a key milestone in his development. With Roland-Garros just days away, this victory couldn’t have come at a better time to fuel his growing confidence.

The Bordeaux crowd, thoroughly won over by his performance, gave him a long and heartfelt ovation after this unforgettable final.

All eyes now turn to the 2026 edition: after Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils, and now Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, fans are eager to see which rising star will write the next chapter in the Bordeaux tournament’s storied legacy.

Check out the full BNP Paribas Primrose main draw:



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About the BNP Paribas Primrose Tournament

Founded in 1897, Villa Primrose has become a Bordeaux institution, not only for its sporting legacy but also for its prominent social and economic network. The club carries the tradition of French tennis excellence. Since 2008, the BNP Paribas Primrose has been a headline event on the French Challenger circuit. Perfectly positioned in the clay-court season and renowned for its warm hospitality and unique ambiance, the tournament boasts a winner’s list as prestigious as the club’s history—featuring names like Gasquet, Humbert, Benneteau, Monfils, Fils, Murray, and Wawrinka. In 2022, the tournament ascended to the newly created ATP Challenger 175 category, the highest tier on the Challenger Tour.

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