Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard burst into the top 30 in 2024 on the back of a thunderous serve, but momentum soon faded. Rankings slipped, results wavered, and now a first-round Australian Open loss to Sebastian Baez left him world No. 55. Just as revival beckoned, a self-inflicted eye injury cruelly forced another setback. 

The Frenchman was trailing Arthur Gea 5-3 in the first set of the Open Occitanie in Montpellier. Gea was serving at 30-0 and dictating play. Mpetshi Perricard rushed forward, stretching to reach a difficult backhand volley under pressure.

Gea fired a sharp passing shot down the line. In a freak accident, the ball clipped the frame of Mpetshi Perricard’s racket. It then ricocheted straight into his eye, causing immediate and visible pain on court.

Mpetshi Perricard collapsed to his knees and clutched his face. The point ended, but concern replaced competition instantly. It was clear he had unintentionally injured himself, rarely and alarmingly.

Play was stopped as medical staff rushed to assist him. He received treatment courtside for several minutes. The crowd watched silently as the severity of the incident became apparent.

The 22-year-old eventually returned to the court. However, he managed to play only one more point. Unable to continue, he retired from the match after losing the first set.

The final score was recorded as 6-3 following his retirement. Gea, visibly affected by the incident, spoke afterward: “It’s never easy to see a friend injured. It’s never easy to see this.” 

Despite the setback, Mpetshi Perricard remains entered in the doubles main draw. He is partnering with Stan Wawrinka, with their first match scheduled for Tuesday, February 3. If there are no complications, they are set to face Hendrik Jebens and Ray Ho.

For Gea, the match continued a promising rise. The wildcard entrant impressed after a strong Australian Open run, including a win over Jiri Lehecka. He faces third seed Tomas Machac next. 

And such unfortunate self-inflicted incidents have happened before and often make headlines.

Rafael Nadal’s nose is bloodied after an accidental racket strike at the US Open

Back in 2022, a similar incident to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s injury occurred involving Rafael Nadal at the US Open. The moment shocked fans and briefly halted one of the sport’s biggest stars on the game’s grandest stage.

Nadal accidentally struck himself with his own racket during his second-round match. The racket ricocheted off the court on his follow-through and cut the bridge of his nose, leaving him bloodied and visibly shaken.

The Spaniard immediately grimaced and dropped his racket. He placed one hand on his face and then both hands on his head. It was a bizarre and briefly frightening scene inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

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Play was stopped for roughly five minutes as Nadal received medical attention. The incident happened during the fourth set, disrupting the rhythm of what would become a commanding comeback performance.

Despite the scare, Nadal recovered and completed a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Fabio Fognini. After the match, he described the moment as a “shock” and admitted he felt “a little bit out of the world.”

When asked how he was feeling, Nadal explained honestly: “Well, just a little bit dizzy at the beginning.” 

Another similar episode occurred in 2021 at the Qatar Open. Doubles specialist Tim Puetz was forced to retire after suffering a freak eye injury during his match.

Puetz’s racket bounced off the ground while he was attempting to return serve. The handle struck his face, affecting his vision and making it impossible for him to continue.

These rare but alarming moments show how unpredictable tennis can be. Even a single shot or rebound can cause serious harm and lead to unfortunate endings on the court.