Mpetshi Perricard rides sizzling serve to upset Shelton and win Swiss Indoors

Mpetshi Perricard rides sizzling serve to upset Shelton and win Swiss Indoors | iNFOnews.ca
France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard returns a ball to United States's Ben Shelton during the final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard completed a perfect week on serve by upsetting American Ben Shelton to win the Swiss Indoors on Sunday.

The French player, who is ranked No. 50, prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (4) against the sixth-seeded Shelton to become the lowest-ranked champion since the tournament became a tour-level event in 1975.

Mpetshi Perricard did not drop serve all week in Basel, winning all 60 of his service games and having to fend off just three break points — all in his quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov.

He also served up 22 aces against Shelton on his way to taking his first ATP 500 trophy.

“It’s amazing to win a tournament like that. A 500 for the first time for me,” Mpetshi Perricard said. “I just can be happy with myself, with what I did today and the past five days.

Mpetshi Perricard rides sizzling serve to upset Shelton and win Swiss Indoors | iNFOnews.ca
United States’s Ben Shelton returns a ball to France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during the final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)

“It’s amazing to win here … (before this) it was a tough month for me, but it’s always good when the victories are there.”

Mpetshi Perricard started the year ranked 200, won several challenger titles and his first ATP-level title in Lyon in May.

The 21-year-old will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 31 on Monday.

Shelton’s run this week has guaranteed the American’s return to the top 20 from No. 23.

Mpetshi Perricard rides sizzling serve to upset Shelton and win Swiss Indoors | iNFOnews.ca
France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard returns a ball to United States’s Ben Shelton during the final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)
Mpetshi Perricard rides sizzling serve to upset Shelton and win Swiss Indoors | iNFOnews.ca
United States’s Ben Shelton returns a ball to France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during the final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles