Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Rebukes Francisco Roig Over Sudden Departure to Join Iga Swiatek Following Miami Open Loss

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard hits out at Francisco Roig for a lack of communication before joining Iga Swiatek’s team. Read the exclusive details.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 4:01 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

A Breakdown in Professional Communication

The coaching landscape has been unsettled by a sharp public critique from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard regarding the exit of his former mentor, Francisco Roig. The Frenchman revealed that their planned collaboration, which was intended to last at least through the grass court season, was terminated with immediate effect following the Miami Open. Mpetshi Perricard expressed particular frustration that the news was delivered by his agent rather than by Roig himself, especially as the pair had been scheduled to meet for an intensive training week in Spain. While acknowledging the ruthless nature of professional sports, the player described the lack of direct communication as a surprising and shameful departure from standard professional conduct.

Disappointing Results and Immediate Pivot

The brief partnership between Mpetshi Perricard and Roig struggled to gain traction during its short duration in March. Their collaboration resulted in consecutive opening-round defeats, first at Indian Wells to Kamil Majchrzak and subsequently at the Miami Open to Camilo Ugo Carabelli. These setbacks appears to have accelerated Roig's decision to shift his focus elsewhere. Within days of the Miami defeat, world number one Iga Swiatek confirmed she had hired the Spanish veteran, who previously spent nearly two decades as part of Rafael Nadal’s coaching staff. The swiftness of the transition has led Mpetshi Perricard to suggest that the new arrangement was likely in development well before his own partnership was dissolved.

The Swift Transition to the Swiatek Camp

The timing of the split became even more apparent when footage quickly emerged of Swiatek training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca under Roig's supervision. Swiatek’s decision to hire the Spaniard followed her own professional shake-up, including a split from her long-time coach Wim Fissette and a string of unexpected losses. For Mpetshi Perricard, seeing his former coach move so rapidly into a high-profile role with the women's world number one confirmed his suspicions regarding the planning behind the move. Despite the sting of the rejection, the Frenchman noted that the brief duration of their work meant a deep personal bond had not yet formed, making the processing of the split slightly easier.