Interactive Forum October 2024: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricord Forehand

[John Yandell]

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricord Forehand

Last month we saw Gio’s amazing serve. Now look at his forehand. What do you think?

Who wants to try for a detailed explanation on that backswing?

[hybridfh]

Not sure how to describe the backswing, but wow pretty extreme grip and quite noisy swing with a somewhat small clean hitting zone. I think forehands like this can work great at times, but are liable to break down (as Gio's did on match point to Wawrinka).

[stroke]

I would say he has a very similar forehand technique to Fritz. Very compact, his hitting hand stays well below his shoulder on the takeback, very small loop, western grip. It is quite a weapon.

[jimlosaltos]

Cross posting: after a regression the last couple of months, Gio is into the finals in Basel vs Ben Shelton.

Hit 17 aces today vs Holger Rune in 2 sets, a good returner, following 27 aces yesterday vs Denis Shapovalov in 17 games/ 3 sets.

So, Gio is averaging more than an ace per game. That's like the public courts where the older brother gives his sibling a 15-love handicap <g>

[seano]

Big win for Gio against Shelton in the finals of Swiss open in Basel

[jimlosaltos]

Gio's big forehand is more important to his game than I realized.

Per the Match Charting Project Gio hits a lower percentage of backhands than most anyone on tour now other than Jack Draper.
Most "Serve Bots" fail to protect their backhands.

* ATP average 44% of groundstrokes are backhands.
* Gio hits 35.5%
* Draper 32.5%
* Opelka 45.6%
* Isner 44.3%
* Ben Shelton 37.6%

[jeffreycounts]

I would say he has a very similar forehand technique to Fritz. Very compact, his hitting hand stays well below his shoulder on the takeback, very small loop, western grip. It is quite a weapon.

I saw him play in DC. His forehand is massive.

[doctorhl]

Like his backhand, you have to be really strong and have long levers to use such a small loop.