Iga Świątek’s sudden move with coach Francisco Roig has left a bad taste in Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s mouth. Roig had picked up a stint with the French tennis player before their abrupt split. Mpetshi Perricard has now unmasked the questionable nature of their breakup.
Francisco Roig Left Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to Coach Iga Świątek
Roig, best known for his 18-year-long collaboration with Rafael Nadal, coached a few young players after quitting the Spanish legend’s team in 2022. He guided Matteo Berrettini to three titles from 2023 to 2024 and more recently mentored Emma Raducanu. The British-Spanish pair began their partnership in August 2025, but the player ultimately decided to part ways by the end of January 2026, citing technical differences.
At Indian Wells, the Spanish coach was spotted training Mpetshi Perricard, who split from his longtime mentor Emmanuel Planque in February. On April 2, however, Świątek announced that she had hired Roig.
During his recent interview with L’Équipe, Mpetshi Perricard explained how the move transpired. “With Francisco, it was supposed to last at least until the grass-court season, but after Miami, he decided to stop. It had gone really well, though. We were supposed to meet up for a week of training in Spain.”
The 22-year-old indicated that Roig blindsided him by conveying the separation to his agent. “My agent told me. He didn’t tell me directly. I thought I trusted his words, trusted what he could bring to the table. To ruin all that so quickly, I think it’s a shame.
“It’s a tough, ruthless world. I’d never seen anything like it. It was very surprising, and I was disappointed. But it will be a learning experience. I prefer to find the positive in these things rather than the negative. I’ll become stronger, even in life,” he continued. “We were just starting out, there wasn’t any particular connection, and it was harder to part ways with Manu (Planque).”
Mpetshi Perricard also questioned whether Świątek’s decision was as sudden as it appeared. “It took me a good half-day to process it. Was it my fault?” Actually, not at all. I had nothing to do with it, with the videos that came out so quickly (with Świątek). But personally, I don’t think this project was done in 24 hours.”
MORE: Iga Świątek Spotted Training With Rafael Nadal Shortly After Hiring Francisco Roig
Rumors on Roig’s potential addition to Iga Świątek’s team started swirling just days after she and Wim Fissette parted ways. It was also speculated that Rafael Nadal was involved in the hiring process – a claim neither denied nor acknowledged by the Pole. Since the announcement, Świątek has commenced her training block with Roig at Nadal’s academy in Spain.
