Wimbledon breakout stars 'texting on Snapchat' as lucky loser seeks history at SW19

As French sporting fans anxiously await Tuesday’s Euros clash with Spain, they can take solace in the success their players are enjoying at Wimbledon.

Rising stars Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard have both reached the last 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time. And the young Frenchmen have a great relationship off the court, messaging on Snapchat to keep up with each other’s progress.

They will both play on Monday as Perricard bids to become the first lucky loser in Open Era history to reach the quarter-final at SW19.

French men’s tennis is enjoying a resurgence after the heyday of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon. Fils, 19, and Perricard, 20, are both in with a shot of reaching the quarter-final when they play their respective matches on Monday.

The young friends have enjoyed similar career paths. Last year, Fils won his maiden tour title in Lyon as a wildcard. And a few weeks ago, Mpetshi Perricard did the exact same thing. While they have had trouble watching one another’s matches at Wimbledon, they have been inseparable outside of the court.

“We are always texting. We see each other every day,” Fils said of their friendship after advancing when Hubert Hurkacz retired on Thursday. “We are going out dinner almost every day. So we are super close friends from 10 years old. We know each other since we are 10 years [old].”

Standing at 6’8 tall, Mpetshi Perricard is known for his huge serve and hit 51 aces in his debut match at Wimbledon. And Fils has learned how to return the massive shot over time.

Asked whether he taught the world No. 58 how to serve, he joked: “He teach me how to return.” Mpetshi Perricard also touched on their friendship after his second-round match as he admitted he had been unable to watch Fils’ match.

“Not yet. We just text on Snapchat, but nothing else,” he explained. Fils will surely be cheering Mpetshi Perricard on from afar when the 20-year-old bids to become the first lucky loser to reach the quarter-final at Wimbledon. He is already the first since 1995 to make it to the fourth round.