His best Grand Slam performance came at the 1988 French Open, where he reached the quarter-finals, beating Alberto Mancini, Tore Meinecke, Patrik Kühnen and Stefan Edberg on the way, before being knocked out by Andre Agassi.

In 1988, already seeded 14 by age eighteen, he reached the final of the Italian Open, where he battled Ivan Lendl in five grueling sets.

Later that year, he followed up his clay-court success at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals with wins over Alberto Mancini, Tore Meinecke, Patrik Kühnen and Stefan Edberg, before losing to Andre Agassi.

At the 1988 US Open, John McEnroe expressed outrage at being seeded lower than Pérez Roldán, who had not yet won a match on hard courts.

He has alleged suffering extensive physical, mental and financial abuse during his tennis career from his coach and father Raúl Pérez Roldán.