Richard Gasquet

Infobox Tennis player
playername= Richard Gasquet


nickname = "Richie", "Richou", "Baby Federer"
country = FRA
residence = Neuchâtel, Switzerland
datebirth = Birth date and age|1986|6|18
placebirth = Béziers, France
height = height|m=1.85
weight = convert|75|kg|lb st|abbr=on
turnedpro = 2002
plays = Right-handed; one-handed backhand
careerprizemoney = $3,757,629
singlesrecord = 160–104
singlestitles = 5
highestsinglesranking = No. 7 (July 9, 2007)
AustralianOpenresult = 4th (2007, 2008)
FrenchOpenresult = 3rd (2005)
Wimbledonresult = SF (2007)
USOpenresult = 4th (2005, 2006)
doublesrecord = 37–23
doublestitles = 2
highestdoublesranking = 45 (April 7, 2008)
updated= October 6, 2008

Richard Gasquet (pronounced|RICH-ard gas-ku-ET)(born 18 June, 1986) is a French tennis player. He reached a career high of World Number 7 in July, 2007 after making it to the semi-finals of Wimbledon 2007, defeating American Andy Roddick in 5 sets, 4–6, 4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 8–6. Later that year, Gasquet qualified for the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup.

Career

Early years

Gasquet was born in Béziers in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. He is the only child in the family. He began playing tennis at the age of 4 under the guidance of his father, Francis, who ran a tennis club, the TC Sérignan, along with his mother Maryse. He appeared on the cover of French Tennis Magazine aged only 9, and was touted as an extremely promising prospect even at such an early age. He was coached by his father during his junior career, and by Tarik Benhabilès for a short period. Since 2004, he has been coached by ex-professional tennis player Éric Deblicker.

He made his debut on the ATP tour in April, 2002, at the Tennis Masters Series tournament at Monte Carlo where he received a wildcard into qualifying and became the youngest player ever to qualify for a Tennis Masters event. At the age of 15 years, 10 months, he defeated Argentina's Franco Squillari in the first round of that tournament to become the youngest player to win a tour-level main draw match since Tommy Ho at Rye Brook in 1988.

Gasquet made his Grand Slam tournament debut at the 2002 French Open at the age of 15 years, 11 months, nine days. He was the second-youngest player ever to compete in the main draw there. Despite his lack of experience, he managed to take a set off the eventual champion Albert Costa in the first round. Gasquet finished 2002 as the no. 1 junior in the world and was named World Junior Champion, having won the junior titles at the French Open and the US Open. He was also the youngest player to finish in year-end ATP top 200.

Gasquet finished 2003 as the youngest player to finish a year inside the ATP top 100. In 2004, he reached his first ATP tournament final at Metz, but lost to fellow countryman Jérôme Haehnel 7–6, 6–4. He also won the mixed doubles trophy at the French Open that year, partnering Tatiana Golovin.

2005

Gasquet missed the first seven weeks of the 2005 season due to chickenpox. Upon his recovery he won back to back challenger titles in March. In April, riding the momentum of a 10 match winning streak, Gasquet reached the semifinals of the Masters Series tournament at Monte Carlo, handing world number one Roger Federer a shock 6–7, 6–2, 7–6 defeat in the quarterfinal. He saved 3 match points before closing it out in a 10-8 tiebreak. As a result, he became the youngest French player ever to defeat a world number one. However, the eventual champion Rafael Nadal got the better of him in the semi beating Gasquet 6–7, 6–4, 6–3.

Fresh off of his huge win over Federer and having just demolished Paradorn Srichaphan in straight sets, the rising teen lost against Andre Agassi 6–2, 6–3 at Rome's Masters tennis tournament, possibly due to being overawed at playing one of his childhood heroes. A month later, he reached the final of the Hamburg Masters, where, this time, he was defeated by Roger Federer in 3 sets.

In May, he won his first ever Grand Slam singles match at Roland Garros. On June 18, his 19th birthday, he won his first ATP title, defeating Max Mirnyi in the final of the grass court tournament at Nottingham, England. He then made his Davis Cup debut against Russia in July where he won his first rubber against Igor Andreev but lost his second against Nikolay Davydenko.

Gasquet had to miss the last 2 months of the season because of an elbow injury. He finished the year as French number 1 for the first time.

2006

In 2006, Gasquet had a slow start after a first round defeat to Tommy Haas at the Australian Open. He later avenged this defeat in the Davis Cup 1st round tie against Germany where he beat Haas in 5 sets. However he lost both his singles rubbers in the quarter-final tie versus Russia, and suffered an abdominal injury in that tie which left him out of action for a month. Having struggled to find any form after his comeback during the clay season, Gasquet went out in the 2nd round of the French Open to David Nalbandian, 6–2, 3–6, 7–5 6–0.

Following on from a disappointing opening half to his season, in the space of 3 weeks he successfully defended his title at Nottingham, lost in a first round meeting with Roger Federer at Wimbledon, and won his 2nd title of the year, on clay, in Gstaad. Gasquet's form continued to improve heading towards the US Open, as he reached the final of the Masters Seriers event in Toronto, again being halted by Federer, in 3 sets 2–6, 6–3, 6–2. He reached the fourth round of the US Open for the 2nd year in a row where he lost to Lleyton Hewitt in 5 sets.

In October he won his 3rd title of the year, this time on indoor carpet, in Lyon, completing his achievement of reaching finals on all four surfaces during the year. His season ended when he withdrew in the third round of the Paris Masters due to illness.He ended the year as French number 1 for the second straight year.

2007

Gasquet's 2007 started with a quarterfinal in Adelaide, followed by a semifinal in Sydney. He went on to reach the fourth round of the 2007 Australian Open, losing to Tommy Robredo in 4 sets. At the Monte Carlo Masters Series tournament, he notched up his first win over a top 10 opponent of the year, winning his 3rd round match over Ivan Ljubičić, ranked 8 at the time. However he then lost his quarter-final to twice former Monte Carlo champion Juan Carlos Ferrero. Gasquet reached his first final of the season two weeks later, at Estoril, but the up and coming Serbian player Novak Đoković got the better of him in 3 sets.

He reached the doubles final of the 2007 Monte Carlo Masters with Nicolas Mahut, where the French team lost to Bob and Mike Bryan. Despite losing in round 2 of the 2007 French Open to Kristof Vliegen, he rose two spots to a career high #11.

Gasquet then made his first grand slam semi-final at Wimbledon. He beat fellow Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on his way to a quarter-final showdown with Andy Roddick. In one of the great Wimbledon quarter-finals, Gasquet recovered from a sluggish start and a deficit of two sets and a break in the third, to upset the two-time finalist by a scoreline of 4–6, 4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 8–6. Gasquet managed to score an amazing 93 winners, many of which were with his almost 'trademark' backhand down the line.

He lost in the semifinals to Roger Federer (who beat him in the first round of the same event the previous year), 7–5, 6–3, 6–4. He made his top 10 debut, at #7, as a result. The following week in Gstaad, as defending champion, he defeated Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo and avenged his Roland Garros loss to Kristof Vliegen, but lost in the quarters to Igor Andreev 7–5 6–2. He bowed out at the 2007 U.S Open because of a virus. Gasquet returned to action in Mumbai, India winning his 5th career ATP title beating Olivier Rochus in the final. He followed this up by reaching the final of the Tokyo ATP tournament, losing to David Ferrer in straight sets.

He then took a few weeks break and then went to play in 2007 Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon where he was defending champion. He lost to fellow frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who he beat at Wimbledon) in the 3rd round in straight sets.

At the 2007 Paris Masters, Gasquet defeated Tsonga after his loss at Lyon in the second round and sixth seed James Blake in the third round 6–4, 6–4. He beat Andy Murray in the quarterfinals, 6–3, 0–6, 6–4 to reach the semifinals, where he was stopped by David Nalbandian in straight sets. With his performance in Paris, Gasquet qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup, clinching 8th place.

At the Tennis Masters Cup, Gasquet was defeated by Rafael Nadal 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, in his first round-robin match. He then defeated Novak Ðoković 6–4, 6–2, but lost to David Ferrer, 6–1, 6–1. Gasquet failed to qualify for the semifinals, finishing in third place in his group.

2008

Gasquet started out the year as the top seed of the Sydney Medibank International but made an early second round exist to eventual champion Dmitry Tursunov, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Gasquet played with compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the doubles final of the Sydney Medibank International, scoring a major upset over world number one duo Bob and Mike Bryan (4–6, 6–4, 11-9). The French combination came back from two match points down to win the championship and deny the Bryan brothers ever winning the tournament.

(6–4, 6–7, 7–6, 6–3).

At his next two tournaments, the Open 13 at Marseille, France, and the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, Gasquet suffered second round defeats to Robin Soderling (Sweden) 6-4, 3-6, 2-6; and Igor Andreev (Russia) 3-6, 4-6. At the ATP Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells, California, Gasquet avenged his loss to Robin Soderling in the first round 6-3, 6-2. However, in the fourth round, he lost in straight sets to James Blake (U.S.A.) 4-6, 2-6.

At the ATP Masters Series tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida, he lost his opening round match to Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-7(5). And at the U.S.A. v. France World Group Quaterfinal Davis Cup match, Gasquet lost in three sets to American James Blake 7-6(4), 4-6, 4-6 in his opening round match. Then in a controversial move, he later told French Davis Cup Captain, Guy Forget that he was opting out of his key match against Andy Roddick (U.S.A.) in their reverse singles matchup.

After winning his first round match at the Monte Carlo Masters tournament, Gasquet's poor form continued as he lost his second round match to Sam Querrey (U.S.A.) 6-2, 4-6, 3-6; and then both of his opening round matches at the ATP Masters Series events in Rome and Hamburg to Luis Horna (Peru) 4-6, 1-6; and to Andreas Seppi (Italy) 3-6, 2-6; respectively.

With a string of disappointing results behind him, Gasquet admitted to feeling burned out, in dire need of a concerted rest from tennis and admitted a reluctance to play the French Open, the year's second Grand Slam. However he changed coaches immediately ahead of the French Open, and then later decided to pull out of his first round match against Florent Serra, (France) citing a left knee injury problem.

Gasquet, later announced his decision to not take part in the upcoming Summer Olympic games in Beijing, preferring instead to prepare for the US Open which begins at the end of the summer hardcourt season in August. He joins fellow world top 10 player Andy Roddick, American Mardy Fish and former top 10 player Tommy Haas of Germany, a silver medalist in 2000 at the Sydney Olympic Games, who have all opted out of this year's Olympic games.

At the new tennis rankings posted on June 9, 2008, Gasquet fell one place from world number 9 to world number 10 in the world.

Gasquet began the grass court season at the The Artois Championships at Queen's Club, London where he defeated Mario Ancic of Croatia 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the second round, and Italian Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-3 in the third round. However in his quarterfinal match he fell to David Nalbandian of Argentina 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3). This was Gasquet's first Quarterfinal appearance in a tournament this year.

At the Ordina Open in Den Bosch, Netherlands Gasquet was the second seed and defeated Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the first round but then lost his second round match to Frenchman Marc Gicquel 7-5, 7-6 (6).

At the Wimbledon Championships, Gasquet was the eight seed and defeated American Mardy Fish in the first round 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. In his next two matches he defeated a pair of his French compatriots, beating Sebastian Grosjean 6-2, 6-2 ret. in the second round; and Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-3 in the third round. He went out to Britain's Andy Murray in the fourth round 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, 6-4; despite being two sets up and serving for the match at 5-4 in the third.

At the new tennis rankings posted on Monday, July 07, 2008, Gasquet fell five places from world number 10 to world number 15, making it the first time in nine months since his ranking fell outside the top 10, and the lowest he has been ranked since April '07.

At the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, Gasquet was the second seed and reached his first ATP tour semifinal and final of the year when he defeated Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 in the first round; and then defeated Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-3, 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals. Gasquet beat sixth-seeded Argentine Agustin Calleri in the semifinals 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3; to reach his first final of the year [http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=AmySpEw0ol9ygO3achDLetk4v7YF?slug=txstuttgarttennis&prov=st&type=lgns] . Favourite to win the tournament, Gasquet suffered a surprise defeat in the finals to Argentine teenager Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5.

As of Monday 14 July 2008, Gasquet improved his ranking to four places at world number 11. His ranking dropped to world number 12 one week later.

Gasquet overcame compatriot and friend Michael Llodra in the first round of the Canada Masters, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. He defeated Russian qualifier Alexandre Kudryavtsev in straight sets, 7-5 6-3. He advanced to the quarter finals after defeating 5th seeded David Ferrer, 6-3 6-3. He then lost to Rafael Nadal in three sets, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1. Gasquet also played doubles with training partner Nicolas Mahut against Andy Murray and Jamie Murray, losing 7-6, 6-2.

Gasquet began with a first round win over Frenchman Michael Llodra in Cincinnati Masters, after Llodra retired, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0. He then lost in the second round to Dmitry Tursunov in straight sets, 7-6(8), 6-0.

Gasquet made an early first round exit from US Open, losing against Tommy Haas 6-7 6-4 5-7 7-5 6-2.

Playing style

Gasquet is noted for his powerful and precise one-handed backhand, his flair and shot-making ability and is also known for his speed around the court. He is an all-court player. Gasquet's one-handed backhand features a high take back, utilising gravity, coils up (very low to the ground), and slowly unwinds, and unleashes one of the best backhands on the ATP tour. His backhand is very similar to Jean-Michel Séguin's. However, his forehand can be considered a weak shot. He is capable of hitting big winners with his forehand, but in general, his rally forehand lacks consistent depth.

Gasquet has earned much praise for his "natural talent." [ [http://www.atptennis.com/5/en/deuce/january2008/gasquet.asp 'Baby Federer' Shakes Off Growing Pains] ] One of the accolades he has received is recognition of his ability to play all-round complete tennis. During a Davis cup match against Marat Safin British TV presenter Barry Cowan described him as "naturally more talented than Federer."Many, including Peter Fleming, have sung similar praises of the Frenchman.

Equipment

Gasquet uses the Head Liquidmetal Instinct racquet painted as MicroGEL Extreme Pro, and wears clothing by Lacoste. His shoe of choice is Asics. He also has Laguardere Tags on his sleeves.

Masters Series singles finals

Runner-ups (2)

ingles (5)

Performance timeline

"To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only after a tournament or the player's participation in the tournament has concluded. Davis Cup matches are included in the statistics. This table is current through to the end of the Tennis Masters Cup 2007."

A = did not participate in the tournament.

LQ = lost in the qualifying draw.

SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.

References

External links

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* [http://steveghelper.com/MatchResults.php?players=Gasquet&weeks=12 Gasquet Recent Match Results]
* [http://steveghelper.com/RankingHistory.php?player=Gasquet Gasquet World Ranking History]
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* [http://www.richardgasquet.net Official website of Richard Gasquet]
* [http://www.tennisinsight.com/playerid107.htm Profile, Results and Statistics]

Persondata
NAME = Gasquet, Richard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = French tennis player
DATE OF BIRTH = 18 June, 1986
PLACE OF BIRTH = Béziers, France
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =