Wimbledon star reveals 'intense' Roger Federer encounter that left him too shy to speak

After upsetting Sebastian Korda on his Wimbledon debut as a lucky loser last year, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will be hoping to take out another top American when he meets No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz on Monday.

The big-serving 6ft 8" Frenchman has been learning from the best when it comes to playing on grass, watching videos of eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer. But, as he told Express Sport, Mpetshi Perricard has yet to ask the retired Swiss star for any advice after getting "shy" during their first meeting just a few weeks ago.

Federer isn't the only player Mpetshi Perricard has been studying. The super-tall 21-year-old has also watched fellow giants Kevin Anderson and John Isner, but he prefers to learn from the Big Three.

"I watched Kevin Anderson, he reached a final. John Isner, he's a big one. So, yeah, it's kind of an inspiration for me because we have some similar stuff in the game and I'm watching them," the world No. 36 told Express Sport ahead of his second Wimbledon.

"But to be honest, I'm watching more Djokovic, Roger, Rafa, those kinds of guys. But for sure, for me, for my game, I think it's an example to watch the big guys.

"I mean, Roger is a different player than the two other guys. He's going more to the net, he was attacking every short ball, and of course, sometimes I'm watching him to do some serve and volley or some return volleys.

"Of course, I'm watching this more Roger than Rafa and Novak, but I'm watching them for the style, for the rallies, and to enjoy."

Even though he won Federer's home tournament, the Swiss Indoors Basel, last year, Mpetshi Perricard hasn't worked up the courage to get some pointers from the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

The pair met at the recent French Open, where Federer jetted in to be part of Rafael Nadal's emotional ceremony on day one of the tournament. And Mpetshi Perricard was surprised that the former No. 1 knew of his success.

He continued: "I saw him for the first time in Roland Garros, after my first round. It was the first time I met him, I was a little bit shy to say, to ask him something.

"He congratulated me for [winning] Basel, because he wasn't there. I did not know that he knew that I won his home tournament. But yeah, I mean, it was short but intense, and maybe in the future I will have more confidence to ask him something."

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Mpetshi Perricard may not be asking for advice, but he's dishing it out. The Frenchman isn't the only tennis player in his family. His younger sister, 16-year-old Daphnee, recently received a wildcard into French Open qualifying, winning one match before going out in the second round.

She then entered the junior girls' tournament, again losing in round two. And the two-time ATP Tour title winner has been a sounding board for Daphnee.

"I gave her some advice during the French Open because I know that for French players, the French Open is an important tournament, and in front of the home crowd and everything, family, friends," he said.

"I gave her some tips to be confident on court, to play in, it doesn't matter if you won or if you lost, it's just a matter of having some pleasure to be happy on the court and to be confident to build your game. She won the first one, and she said it was because of me. I said, 'No, I wasn't on the court, I didn't hold your racket, so it's all you'."