Mpetshi Perricard sets title decider with Shelton in Basel

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard continued his breakout season as he stunned Holger Rune to reach the title match in Basel.

The 21-year-old Frenchman beat Holger Rune 7-6(6), 6-4  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.

“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.

“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.”

He will next meet 22-year-old Ben Shelton, after the American defeated 20-year-old Arthur Fils.

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.