Richard Gasquet’s Final Farewell: Bidding Adieu to Tennis’ French Artiste
Roland Garros, the clay-court major, will be the final tournament for 38-year-old Richard Gasquet. The French tennis player has had an illustrious career, and his last appearance at Roland Garros will be his 22nd.
According to the ATP Tour, Gasquet’s career has been marked by his artistic game, which has created unthinkable angles with his one-handed backhand and aggressive forehand. As noted by the publication, “His backhand turned into one of the most feared shots in the sport and no matter how the Frenchman performs this Roland Garros — after which he will retire — his game will be remembered for generations to come.”
Tennis photographer Corinne Dubreuil recalls working a junior tournament in Blois in July 1995, where she first saw Gasquet in action. As reported by the ATP Tour, Dubreuil stated, “My colleague came to me and said ‘Corinne, Corinne, you have to come to Court 3 and see this little guy… He’s so amazing. He has a one-handed backhand. Crazy, crazy.” The ATP Tour reports that Dubreuil took some photos of the young player and was impressed, along with her colleague.
The ATP Tour reports that in early 1996, Dubreuil visited Gasquet in Sérignan, located in the south of France, to photograph him at home and document him playing tennis and at the beach. The publication notes that she took a famous portrait of Gasquet sitting in his bedroom with posters of the ATP Tour’s biggest stars surrounding him, including Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
As quoted by the ATP Tour, the February 1996 edition of Tennis Magazine featured a striking cover with Gasquet winding up to unleash a one-handed backhand, with the headline reading: “Le champion que la France attend?” or “The champion that France is waiting for?” The publication reports that this was a massive amount of pressure for a nine-year-old, but Gasquet went on to become one of the best players in the history of French tennis.
The ATP Tour reports that Gasquet won the prestigious Les Petits As international junior tournament in France in 1999 and became the No. 1 junior in the world as a 16-year-old three years later. According to the publication, his first major splash came earlier that year when he won his ATP Tour debut at the 2002 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters as a 15-year-old, defeating former World No. 11 Franco Squillari.
Squillari was quoted by the ATP Tour as saying, “My crosscourt forehand was my best shot and I thought before [the match] I would do my best with his backhand and his backhand was unbelievable… He [did not make] a mistake more than three hours from his backhand.” The ATP Tour reports that Gasquet became known for his artistic game, creating unthinkable angles with his one-handed backhand and playing aggressively with his forehand.
According to the ATP Tour, Gasquet first broke into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings on 29 September 2023, shortly after his 17th birthday. The publication reports that from 18 April 2005 through 14 January 2024, he spent nearly 19 consecutive years inside the Top 100.
The ATP Tour notes that Gasquet has earned 609 tour-level wins, more than any Frenchman on record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. As reported by the publication, two years ago, after earning his 600th win, Gasquet joked, “Of course I’m the worst by far!”
A three-time major semi-finalist and a three-time ATP Masters 1000 finalist, Gasquet’s career was marked by competing against the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. As noted by the ATP Tour, all six of his losses in those critical matches came against one of those three players.
Squillari was quoted by the publication as saying, “He was very close in the beginning of his career with Nadal… But unfortunately, Nadal was one of the best of four or five players on Tour in history. That was not good news for Richard.”
Gasquet recently appeared on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, where he joked that he would be seeded Top 10 if there was a non-major list. As reported by the ATP Tour, Gasquet stated, “Zero chance [of winning Roland Garros]. But if there is a non-major [list] as you do, I think I would be seeded, I would be Top 10.”
The ATP Tour reports that Gasquet will set a new Open-Era record for main-draw appearances in Roland Garros by competing in the tournament this year. As quoted by the publication, Gasquet stated, “It’s the end, maybe the last match of your career. Hard to say… It’s special, but I’m happy to do this, I’m happy to play here one last time.”
In conclusion, Richard Gasquet’s final farewell to tennis will be at Roland Garros, a tournament that has been a significant part of his career. As reported by the ATP Tour, Gasquet’s legacy will be remembered for generations to come, with his artistic game and one-handed backhand making him one of the most beloved players in the sport.
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