Richard Gasquet

[Damian]

In the next round, the Aussie will face a stiff challenge in Frenchman Richard Gasquet. The No. 8 seed has defeated Kyrgios in five of seven previous FedEx ATP Head2Head clashes. However, they have not competed against one another since Roland Garros two and a half years ago.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ky ... -wednesday

[Damian]

But Anderson was too strong in the third set, winning 50 per cent of return points to move through to the last eight, where he will face No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet, who withstood an onslaught of 22 aces to oust Aussie Nick Kyrgios 7-6(4), 7-6(1).

"I knew he has one of the best serves in the world so I needed to have a lot of concentration on my return, even on my serve. I didn't do bad mistakes, so that's why I was able to win that match," Gasquet said. "Mentally I was tough. I played well, I returned well, I put a lot of balls inside the court and that's what made the difference, especially in the tie-break."

Gasquet leads Anderson 6-4 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. The Frenchman, who lifted the trophy at this year's Libema Open, is into his seventh tour-level quarter-final of the year.

"[He's] a very experienced player. One of the best backhands in the game. He's always a tough opponent," Anderson said. "The key is to not allow him to settle too much. He plays great defence and just watching the match, he's serving very well, too. It's always tough."

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/an ... 8-thursday

[Lleyton]

[Lleyton]

[Damian]

[Lleyton]

[Damian]

Read & Watch: King Of Tokyo Tie-breaks Gasquet Ousts Anderson

Spoiler:

The 2007 finalist will next challenge home favourite Nishikori

Richard Gasquet is showing form reminiscent of his time in the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings this week in Tokyo, with no performance more impressive than his 7-6(6), 7-6(4) victory over No. 2 seed Kevin Anderson on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018.

“It was a great match, I played well. It was really intense, every single point. I played my best level. You need to play very good when you are facing Kevin,” Gasquet said. “I played two incredible tie-breaks, that’s why I think I won the match. I’m very happy with the way I played.”

There was plenty on the line for Anderson, who began the week in eighth in the ATP Race To London, as the South African is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. But Gasquet was strong on his first serve — winning 80 per cent of those points — and was aggressive under pressure in the tie-breaks to seal his one-hour, 56-minute victory.


Gasquet has now won five of his six sets this week in Tokyo in tie-breaks to reach the last four at the event for the first time since 2008.

“I don’t know exactly why. Sometimes it just happens,” Gasquet said of his tie-break prowess so far this tournament. “Of course I’m playing well, I’m serving well. I played five great tie-breaks, that’s why I’ve won the matches. The court is very fast, of course you have to be ready for it. Four tie-breaks in a row, it’s crazy.”

The Frenchman has already captured one title this season at ‘s-Hertogenbosch. And if he should go on to lift the trophy here for the first time, Gasquet is projected to reenter the Top 20 for the first time since March 2017.

“I’m playing well. I’m free of injuries. I can play well, I can practise, that’s why I’m playing this level. Of course I’m winning tough tie-breaks this week. That’s great for me. Of course i’m serving well. I’m not making bad mistakes and I was offensive at the end of the match to close it.”

You May Also Like: Read & Watch: Nishikori Impressive In Win Over #NextGenATP Star Tsitsipas
Next up for Gasquet is home favourite Kei Nishikori, who is pursuing his third triumph in Tokyo. While the Japanese has been in strong form, advancing to the semi-finals at the US Open and the Moselle Open as well, Gasquet has won seven of their nine FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.

“He’s one of the best players in the world, no doubt about it,” Gasquet said. “I know him. I know he’s playing great. I have nothing to lose, it will be a great match for me. I’ll have to play at my best level.”


Watch Live

More Stories Like This In: Tokyo Match Report 2018 Richard Gasquet

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ga ... 018-friday

[DUN I LOVE]

Nie taki najgorszy sezon blondyna.

W Tokio wygrał 3 mecze i przekroczył tym samym granicę 30 wygranych spotkań w 2018 (31-20).

[Damian]

Richard Gasquet recovered from a slow start to book his place in the second round, beating Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 1-6, 6-2, 6-1. The 2017 quarter-finalist, who won just 5 of 15 service points in the first set, converted four of five break points to eventually cruise into the second round after 89 minutes. Gasquet now leads the Hamburg runner-up 2-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series and will face China Open finalist Juan Martin del Potro for a spot in the third round.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/th ... 18-tuesday

[Damian]

Inaugural Champion: Gasquet returns to Antwerp after winning the inaugural title in 2016. The Frenchman has won 15 tour-level titles. He ended a 20-month championship drought by winning at ’s-Hertogenbosch in June, and showed more signs of good form in Tokyo, where he advanced to the semi-finals.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/an ... ing-report

[Barty]

Former Champion Gasquet Up And Running In Antwerp

Spoiler:

Simon drops two games en route to 30th win of 2018
Making his first appearance since lifting the trophy in 2016, Richard Gasquet made a winning return to the European Open on Wednesday, defeating Czech Jiri Vesely 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

The 2016 champion, now 5-0 at the Belgian tournament, landed 11 aces and won 72 per cent of service points to defeat Vesely for the second time in as many FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings. Gasquet is searching for his second tour-level trophy of the season after winning his 15th title at the Libema Open in June (d. Chardy).

Gasquet will face Jan-Lennard Struff for a place in the semi-finals. The German reached his fourth tour-level quarter-final of the season, after navigating a final-set tie-break, to beat Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(3). Both Struff and Lopez served 20 aces in the one-hour, 34-minute contest.

You May Also Like: New Surroundings, Same Game: Urban Tennis Hits Antwerp
Gilles Simon notched his 30th tour-level win of the season, beating Mackenzie McDonald 6-1, 6-1 in 63 minutes. The 33-year-old Frenchman, who has won titles in Pune and Metz this season, won 19 of 23 first-serve points and saved both break points he faced to set a quarter-final clash with second seed Diego Schwartzman or Cameron Norrie.

British qualifier Norrie advanced to the second round after a 6-3, 6-2 win over Marcel Granollers of Spain. Lucky loser Salvatore Caruso also reached the second round, beating Yuki Bhambri 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-1 in two hours and 19 minutes.

Did You Know?
French players have won both previous editions of the European Open. After Gasquet's title run in 2016, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Diego Schwartzman to lift the 2017 trophy.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ra ... -wednesday

[Damian]

[Lleyton]

Gasquet Saves MP To Reach Antwerp SF

Spoiler:

Schwartzman, Monfils also through to the last four in Belgium

Fourth seed Richard Gasquet saved one match point at 7/8 in the deciding set tie-break of a 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(9) victory over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff on Friday at the European Open.

The 32-year-old continues his strong season, advancing to his sixth tour-level semi-final of the year. Earlier this month, the Frenchman made the last four at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018, another indoor hard-court event, where he lost to in-form Kei Nishikori. The Libema Open champion, who owns 15 ATP World Tour trophies, is trying to capture two titles in the same season for the fifth time in his career.

Gasquet first held two match point chances at 6-5 in the third set, but finally converted his eighth match point — and his sixth of the tie-break — to complete his 34th match win of the season. He next plays Briton Kyle Edmund, who advanced when qualifier Ilya Ivashka withdrew due to a left thigh injury. Edmund has won two of the pair's three FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, and he is pursuing his maiden ATP World Tour title.

Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman is one match win away from reaching the Antwerp final for the third straight year. The second seed came through a match of nine service breaks to beat fifth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 36 minutes. Schwartzman will next face Frenchman Gael Monfils, who ousted Canadian Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 6-4.

Monfils was fresh off a victory against compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. And in the quarter-finals, he maintained that momentum, striking 10 aces and saving the two break points he faced en route to a one-hour, 35-minute triumph. Schwartzman beat the Frenchman earlier this year at the Rio Open presented by Claro, where he eventually claimed the biggest title of his career. Monfils, who was victorious at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in January, will try to avenge that quarter-final defeat to reach his second tour-level final of 2018.

Demoliner/Gonzalez Advance To Doubles Final
Marcelo Demoliner and Santiago Gonzalez, winners of the Turkish Airlines Antalya Open title in June (d. Arends/Middelkoop), booked a place in the final by beating Spanish brothers Gerard Granollers and Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-4 in 59 minutes. They await the winners of second-seeded Frenchmen Nicholas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin and fourth seeds Divij Sharan and Artem Sitak.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ed ... 018-friday

[Lleyton]

[grzes430]

[DUN I LOVE]

Nieźle wygląda Gasquet.

---

Francuzi - najwięcej wygranych meczów:

1. Richard Gasquet - 520
2. Yannick Noah - 482
3. Fabrice Santoro - 470
4. Gilles Simon - 450
5. Gael Monfils - 438
6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 431

[arti]

In the evening session, home favourite Richard Gasquet broke #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov three times en route to a 6-4, 7-6(3) win. Gasquet will next play 16th seed and defending champion Jack Sock.

“[Shapovalov] is hitting the ball very hard. So it's very tough to play against him. So I needed to play very offensive, especially my return on his second serve was important for me. So I tried to push a lot and to keep my serve,” Gasquet said. “I felt more confident after winning the first set, and I fought a lot in the second set... It's a great victory for me because I know in the future he will be a great player for sure. No doubt about it. He will be one of the best.”

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/kh ... 018-monday

[Żilu]

[arti]

Did You Know?
This is the first week since October 2006 to feature no Frenchmen inside the Top 25 of the ATP Rankings. French No. 1 Richard Gasquet, who lifted his 15th tour-level trophy at the Libema Open in June, is currently ranked No. 28.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ra ... 18-tuesday

[Damian]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3bWd9d ... r4kIJDYNXA[/youtube]