Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s campaign at the Open Occitanie in Montpellier ended abruptly on Monday after the French rising star suffered a freak eye injury during his first-round match.
The 22-year-old was facing fellow wild card Arthur Gea on Court Patrice Dominguez when the incident occurred late in the opening set. With Gea serving at 5-3, 30-0, Mpetshi Perricard moved forward to finish a point at the net. As he attempted a backhand volley, the ball struck the frame of his racquet and rebounded directly into his left eye.
Mpetshi Perricard immediately fell to the court in pain, prompting medical staff to rush onto the scene. He received treatment and left the court briefly for further assessment.
When he returned, his left eye was visibly red and swollen, and he struggled to keep it open. Although play resumed, he was clearly hampered and soon lost the first set. After consulting with his team, he decided to retire from the match at 6-3, allowing Gea to progress to the second round.
World No. 168 Gea will now face third seed Tomas Machac in the next round.
The incident recalled a similar accident involving David Goffin in 2018, when the Belgian player suffered an eye injury after a ball deflected off his racquet during a match in Rotterdam. Goffin later withdrew from several tournaments despite avoiding permanent damage.
Mpetshi Perricard had made a promising start to the season, reaching the quarterfinals in both Auckland and Brisbane, before suffering a five-set defeat at the Australian Open. The setback in Montpellier adds another challenge to his early 2026 campaign.
His next scheduled tournament is the BNP Paribas Open, which begins on March 4. Further medical updates are expected in the coming days, with hopes that the injury is not serious and that he can return to competition soon.
