HQ – Gael Monfils v Richard Gasquet – ATP 250 Metz 2009 – SF

Gasquet Online video Ranking: 4 / five

NOT TO BE

After a fantastic win against Janko Tipsarevic in the third round, Richard Gasquet must have entered his encounter with fifth seed Ferrer with confidence high, but it wasn’t to be for the aspiring Frenchman.

Gasquet was playing some of the best tennis of his career in the Tipsarevic match, with just 8 unforced errors all game, compared to his 33 winners. And his groundstrokes were so good that he actually won 74% of his second serve points – actually 3% higher than his win percentage on first serve. Either way, he dominated the first two sets, and his dejected Serbian opponent had virtually given up by the time the third set appeared.

With this stunning performance under his belt, you would be forgiven for thinking he could at least take a set or two off the hard-working Ferrer in his fourth round tie. Instead, he found most of the groundstrokes that would be giving Tipsarevic a problem being scrambled back by the Spaniard, who rarely gives up on anything. Gasquet even managed to up his first serve percentage, getting a very respectable 71% in, but still only winning half the points on either of his serves. In contrast, Ferrer was keeping the pressure on when serving to his opponent, winning 83% of his first serve points, and converting 7 out of 9 break points. The match finished 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 to Ferrer, and it shows just how good his battling approach is against opponents whose confidence isn’t unshakeable – which means virtually everyone below him in the rankings.

Gasquet will be pleased he caused the upset against 10^th seed Tipsarevic to get to the stage he did though, and if he can play the way he did in that match on a regular basis, he will quickly be reclaiming his spot in the top ten.

Richard Gasquet – slow motion (1)

Gasquet Video clip Ranking: 5 / five

Gasquet Ready for the Hopman Challenge

French tennis player Richard Gasquet has landed in Australia ahead of the Hyundai Hopman Cup tie against China where he will partner Marion Bartoli as part of the second seeded French team. The world number 19 immediately went to court to have a hit-up in Perth in order to get acquainted with the conditions. Gasquet had an hour long session with local player and world number 86 Matt Ebden and it was a good session for both the players as they are both looking for practice before the start of the summer.

The Frenchman reached a career high ranking of number 7 after going on a brilliant run in 2007 during which he won the hard court title in Mumbai, India and reached the semi finals and quarter finals stages of Wimbledon and the Australian Open respectively. But frequent injuries meant that he could not keep up the momentum that he had and finished the 2009 season at a lowly 52^nd place. But since then, Richard Gasquet has come back to the court a lot fitter, stronger and wiser and he believes that he is good condition to earn the first ever Hopman Cup win for his country along with Marion Bartoli.

Currently ranked 19^th in the world, the 25 year old says that he still has age on his side and that is always a good thing in tennis these days because the younger players are extremely fit and one has to compete with them at every level.

Although Richard Gasquet is not in the top 10 at the moment, he believes that a few good results will get him there and he is hoping that he can finish the year off with at least one major title to his name and a decent position in the ATP rankings.

Richard Gasquet amazing backhand return winner vs Andy Murray.

Gasquet Video clip Rating: / 5

Richard Gasquet’s Amazing Game

Gasquet Video clip Rating: 5 / five