Inscrit le: Apr 05, 2005 Messages: 1551 Localisation: New York City
Posté le: 18.06.2005, 17:41:02 Sujet du message:
Gasquet marks birthday with title
by the BBC
Fourth seed Richard Gasquet marked his 19th birthday with his first ATP tour title as he beat Max Mirnyi 6-2 6-3 in the Nottingham Open final.
The Frenchman took charge with an early break of serve and never looked back.
Mirnyi, however, was troubled by a hand injury, but Gasquet did not let breaks for treatment upset his concentration.
Clay-court specialist Gasquet said: "It is great for me to prove I can play on the surface and now I believe I can go a long way at Wimbledon next week."
Inscrit le: Apr 05, 2005 Messages: 1551 Localisation: New York City
Posté le: 18.06.2005, 17:41:56 Sujet du message:
Gasquet Triumphs on 19th Birthday
---From the ATP Site
French prodigy Richard Gasquet celebrated his 19 th birthday in style on Saturday, capturing his first career ATP title at the 10tele.com Open in Nottingham. Gasquet, competing in his third career final (Metz 2004, Hamburg 2005) defeated No.8 seed Max Mirnyi 6-2, 6-3, in 1 hour, 3 minutes.
Gasquet improved with each match this week and looked at ease on the grass as he tamed Mirnyi’s powerful serve and volley game with relative ease, breaking his opponent three times throughout the match and never facing a break point. The Frenchman only lost one point on his serve in the second set.
Gasquet fired four aces during the match and becomes the youngest ever winner of the 10tele.com Open.
The win completes a remarkable week for Gasquet who will overtake Sebastien Grosjean and become the No.1 French player in the INDESIT ATP Entry Rankings when Monday’s standings are released.
Nottingham was also where Grosjean captured his first career title, back in 2000. At the time, Grosjean was coached by Gasquet’s current coach Eric Deblicker.
Gasquet joins Cedric Pioline (1999) and Grosjean (2000) as the only Frenchmen to have won this title.
Gasquet earns 35 INDESIT ATP 2005 Race points and € 44,100. En route to the title he defeated Tomas Zib, Jonathan Marray, defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan, Taylor Dent and Mirnyi.
Gasquet improves to an impressive 20-5 at ATP level this year and continues to shine in 2005. The 19-year-old also captured two Challenger titles, in Barletta (d. Di Mauro) and Napoli (d. Starace), Italy.
Gasquet made his ATP debut in 2002 AMS Hamburg when, at 15 years, 10 months, he became the youngest player ever to qualify for an ATP Masters Series event. He defeated Franco Squillari to become the youngest player to win an ATP match since Tommy Ho at Rye Brooke, N.Y. in August 1988.
Mirnyi, particularly gracious in defeat, orchestrated a rendition of “Happy Birthday” in his on-court speech following his loss as a packed crowd joined in.
Mirnyi is now 23-15 in 2005 and is now 0-2 in ATP finals in 2005 (Memphis, l. to Carlsen). He was bidding for his second career ATP title (Rotterdam 2003).
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WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID:
Gasquet: “I’m so happy to have won my first tournament. It’s a very special moment for me, especially to win on my birthday.
“I’m getting used to grass more and more and starting to play as well on grass as I was on clay. It’s great for me to win my first title on grass, I didn’t think I could do that at the start of the week. It’s very satisfying to know that I can play as well on grass as on clay.”
“I feel great before Wimbledon. It’s great to be the No.1 in France and I’ll go to Wimbledon with a lot of confidence. I’ll give it my best and we’ll see what happens.
Mirnyi: “Getting to the finals is a positive and getting a lot of grass court matches is always great. At the same time I’m happy for our new upcoming player Richard Gasquet to come and win this title on his birthday. I’ll analyze and move on, next week is another week and I’ll look to improve on this week.”
On Wimbledon next: “I like that I’ve played a good amount of matches in the last two weeks. Wimbledon is a new tournament starting on Monday and I have to do everything it takes to win my first round match in order to be able to continue further into the draw. I feel I’m as well prepared as in the past and maybe better so we’ll see.”
Inscrit le: Apr 05, 2005 Messages: 1551 Localisation: New York City
Posté le: 18.06.2005, 17:43:29 Sujet du message:
Birthday Boy Gasquet Claims Title
--Nottinghmam Site
France is this afternoon celebrating its third winner of The 10tele.com Open title after 19 year-old Richard Gasquet, the No.4 seed won the first ATP title of his career on the grass courts of The City of Nottingham Tennis Centre.
Gasquet, who turned 19 today, now follows in the footsteps of his fellow countryman, Sebastien Grosjean, who five years ago also won the first grass court title of his career in Nottingham. In 1999, the Cedric Pioline defeated Kevin Ullyett (Zimbabwe) to become the first French winner of the tournament.
Currently ranked 27th in the world and as the 27th seed for Wimbledon, 2005 has seen Gasquet enjoy his best season since he turned professional in 2002. One of only three players to have defeated world no.1 Roger Federer (Switzerland) this year, Gasquet is now certain to rise still higher up the rankings next week to become the no.1 player in France.
However, after today's performance on grass courts that have been highly praised by players, it's likely that The 10tele.com Open will be the first of many more ATP titles destined to be claimed by the prodigious talent from Beziers.
Prior to their finals match today, Mirnyi and Gasquet had encountered each other only once on court. At the Paris Open in 2004, Max 'The Beast' Mirnyi narrowly defeated the Frenchman 7-6(9), 7-5 in the first round of a tournament played on carpet. Today, it would be very different as Max Mirnyi traded shots with an inspired Gasquet.
A capacity 3,304 centre court crowd were treated to a brilliant display of tennis by the young Gasquet. The Frenchman, watched by an audience that included a sizeable French media corps, took the first game of the match on serve and then broke Mirnyi's first service game of the match to lead 2-0 within 15 minutes.
Gasquet went on to record a double break in the first set with a series of stunning backhand and forehand shots down the line that must have left Mirnyi wondering if his opponent was the same player he defeated six months ago in Paris.
Within 40 minutes, Gasquet had taken the first set 6-2. The birthday boy was on track to enjoy a very special 19th birthday. Perhaps he was inspired by the knowledge that the likes of Swedish tennis legend, Bjorn Borg (1974-1975) at Roland Garros and former world no.1 Andy Roddick have both celebrated birthdays during tournaments they have won.
In the second set, 6ft 5 Mirnyi thundered across several powerful serves but it was Gasquet who retained his composure against the quiet man from Belarus who throughout this week has been noted for his ice cool demeanour. Gasquet was soon up 4-1 in the second set and mentally preparing for a momentous first ever ATP career victory; a statistic clearly not lost on the appreciative audience.
At 5-2 up, Mirnyi briefly came back to take the next game but the seemingly inevitable result was realised a game later when Gasquet, 5-3 and 40-0 up served for the match. After a fault on his first serve, Gasquet made no mistake with the second and moments later stood with his arms outstretched above his head as he secured the first ever ATP victory of his career. He had lost just one point on his serve in the second set and took just one hour and three minutes to win the match 6-2, 6-3.
During the presentation ceremony, Mirnyi was gracious in defeat, even initiating the crowds singing of a rendition of happy birthday.
Shortly thereafter, a birthday cake was brought onto centre court and as the tournaments youngest ever singles winner briefly swapped his treasured trophy with a birthday cake for the benefit of photographers, a broadly smiling Richard Gasquet was savouring every moment of what will always be a very memorable 19th birthday.
After telling the crowd that as the newly crowned champion of The 10tele.com Open he looked forward to returning to Nottingham next year, Gasquet told the press corps: "When I'm back in Paris after Wimbledon I will celebrate my win and my birthday.
"It's good for me to win this tournament – I played well and I'm very happy to have won my first title." Asked about his hopes for next week at Wimbledon and a potential third round meeting with Rafael Nadal (Spain), Gasquet said; "I don't know how far I can now go at Wimbledon … we will see. I have a lot of confidence now. The newly crowned singles champion of The 10tele.com Open added: "I want to return next year to defend my first ever 10tele.com Open title."
After explaining that his cut finger was obtained by opening a can of tennis balls, a gracious Max Mirnyi simply said: "He has got better since we last played. From my point of view I was not able to play like I would have hoped to. He (Gasquet) made good contact with the ball, he served well and there was good variety to his game. It's now a unique and special moment for him. Good luck to him."
After the prize ceremony on centre court, Patrick Hughesman, tournament director, highlighted the success of a tournament that celebrated its 11th year this week. "In perfect weather, a capacity centre court crowd has watched a gripping 10tele.com Open singles final between two of the most exciting players on the circuit.
"It has been a fitting finale for a fantastic tournament and I very much look forward to 19th June 2006 when many of the stars of world tennis will once again be battling hard on the superb grass courts at The 10tele.com Open."
The doubles final is now being contended between top seeds Simon Aspelin of Sweden and Todd Perry of Australia vs. the 2nd seeds and Israeli pair of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram.
Next year, The 10tele.com Open will take place between 19th and 24th June 2006
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This is my favorite article by far Its a lot to read everything, but its worth it!!! This is my last article (for now).
18-06-2005
Gasquet festejó su cumpleaños con el título
El francés Richard Gasquet se adjudicó el torneo que se disputó sobre el césped inglés, tras vencer en la final al bielorruso Max Mirnyi por 6-3 y 6-3. A sólo dos días del comienzo de Wimbledon, el juvenil que hoy cumplió 19 años se convirtió en el número uno de su país.
El francés Richard Gasquet le ganó al bielorruso Max Mirnyi por 6-3 y 6-3, y se coronó campeón del Abierto de Nottingham. Este fue el primer título ATP en la carrera del tenista que justamente hoy cumple 19 años.
La promesa del tenis de Francia tuvo una gran actuación en el césped inglés, a sólo dos días del comienzo de Wimbledon, tercer Grand Slam del año, que se disputará sobre esa misma superficie.
Con la victoria de hoy, Gasquet superó a su compatriota Sebastien Grosjean en el ranking y se ubica como el mejor jugador de su país. Vale destacar que el juvenil es uno de los tres tenistas que pudieron derrotar al suizo Roger Federer, número uno del mundo, en este 2005.
While the world has hailed Rafael Nadal as the latest, greatest teenager to take the world by storm, everyone appears to have forgotten about Richard Gasquet. The Frenchman is the same age as Nadal, he has been plying his trade around the circuit for the same length of time and, when he first emerged, blinking into the spotlight, he was regarded as better than Nadal.
On grass, at least, he still has a better pedigree than Nadal and he began his Wimbledon campaign with a simple 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Philipp Kohlschreiber. Gasquet has spent the past three years suffocating in the expectant embrace of the French public.
When he qualified for the Monte Carlo Masters in 2002, still two months away from his 16th birthday, everyone back home perked up. When he won his first match in the main draw, they thought they had another French Open champion on their hands. And it all got a little bit too much for Gasquet.
For the next two years he wandered around the circuit looking miserable, losing matches and going backwards. Coached by his father, Francis, he was overwhelmed by the pressure of both national and parental expectation -nothing was going right and he did not know how to make it better.
At the start of this year, though, life started to look a lot brighter. The French Tennis Federation seconded Eric Deblicker, one of their national coaches who worked with the Davis Cup team, to work with Gasquet. Francis was still involved but he was now the No.2 coach. With a new voice to listen to, Gasquet suddenly started winning again.
He reached the semi-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost in three sets to Rafael Nadal, and went on to reach the final at the Hamburg Masters, losing - as so many have before - to Roger Federer. In theory, then, he ought to be a clay court man but, once his little toes felt the grass between them, there was no stopping the man.
He had never won a match on grass in his life before but at Queen's he reached the quarter finals and then won the first title of his career at Nottingham. With the sort of talent that others can only dream of - just go and take a look at his backhand - he seems able to play on any surface.
Against Kohlschreiber he made it look easy. He took his eye off the ball a little in the second set but, all things considered, he will be quite pleased. The errors were limited, the winners were plentiful and happy to try his luck in any quarter of the court, he had too much talent, nous and confidence for his German opponent.
Once the second set had been forgotten, Gasquet was back to his usual ways, patrolling the baseline, leaping forward when the opportunity presented itself and generally tying Kohlschreiber up in knots.
Gasquet Glides Into Last 16
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Teenager Richard Gasquet may not have fired up the French populace in the same manner as Andrew Murray has fans in Britain, but he is still expected to bring home the bacon in terms of success.
The difference between the two is that Gasquet arrived on the tennis scene three years ago when he became the brightest French prospect.
Murray arrived in the last few weeks as far as most Brits are concerned.
Gasquet stepped into the spotlight when he became the youngest player ever to qualify for a Tennis Masters event in 2002 and is already a veteran of seven Grand Slam appearances, winning his first match at that level at this year's Roland Garros where he reached the third round.
He has also won his first tour title, and more ironically for a player who grew up on clay, it was the Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Nottingham. He has taken to grass, much to his own surprise.
Seeded 27, Gasquet is progressing through his half of the draw with relative ease, dropping a set in both his earlier matches. He secured his place in the round of 16 with a straightforward 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, 6-3 victory over the Luxembourg player Gilles Muller, the man who put out Rafael Nadal, the fourth seed in the previous round.
Muller, who was making his debut at Wimbledon and had never previously won a match at Grand Slam level, showed plenty of good grass court from, attacking the teenager in the conventional grass court manner.
Unfortunately for the 22 year-old, he too often provided his opponent with a suitable target for Gasquet to blast past.
For the best part of the match, points were evenly shared between the two with Gasquet usually the one to raise his game at the critical moments. However, the crucial break was net-assisted. Returning a good length serve, Gasquet's reply clipped the top of the tape, killing its speed and dropping it virtually dead on Muller's side to give him a decisive 4-3 lead in the third.
A ball was struck high in frustration by Muller who no doubt realised that the match was virtually over, having been unable to make any impression on Gasquet's serve to that point. And so it proved, Gasquet holding his own and then breaking Muller for a third time in the match to claim a place in round four.
Q. Have you managed to catch any of the action on the Centre Court?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, I saw the fourth set. It's bad luck for Murray because he can win this match. Nalbandian is a great fighter.
Now I think is difficult for him to win this match. But, yeah, maybe he can win, but it will be difficult for him now. He miss his luck at the fourth set, I think.
Q. What do you think of Murray as a player?
RICHARD GASQUET: On grass court, he plays ‑‑ I saw him on clay court. I don't know how he play. But on grass court he plays good. He has a good serve, a good return. He never miss in the point. Now he plays really good.
I would like to play against him.
Q. Did you ever play him as a Junior?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, never.
Q. Did you ever see him play as a Junior?
RICHARD GASQUET: I saw him in challengers in Italy and now on grass court is the first time.
Q. At the moment, who would you prefer to play out of these two?
RICHARD GASQUET: Murray, I prefer to play against him, yes. I would like to play against him. He's a young player, so it will be a great match for us.
Q. Do you see a comparison between you and Murray? You're roughly the same age. He's doing for British tennis what you are doing for the game in French.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, he is a good tennis. Yes, it's the same we are. Hopes in my country and him in England, yes, it's similar.
Q. Do you think your game has improved this week on grass?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, it's the same than the last week because I won a tournament. I played really good there. It's the same in Wimbledon, yeah.
David Nalbandian reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon today with a comfortable 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 victory over 19-year-old Richard Gasquet.
Nalbandian took just 2hr 15min to seal his place as Gasquet's challenge faded away in the final set, as did the one offered the Argentinian by Britain's 18-year-old whizz-kid Andrew Murray in the previous round.
Gasquet is one third of the teenage triumvirate which has captured the hearts of Wimbledon this year. With Murray and Rafael Nadal of Spain knocked out , it fell to the Frenchman to carry the youth flag into the last eight.
He was, just five days beyond his birthday, the youngest player left in the Main Draw, which began with eight teenagers and still included five of them up to and including the third round.
He came into the tournament hot to trot. Winning his first tour title at Nottingham on the day he was 19 saw him move up to world No.27 and end Sebastien Grosjean's four-year reign as French No.1.
Gasquet also had a remarkable run after returning to action in March following chicken pox and injury, winning 39 of 44 games. Wimbledon champion Roger Federer was among his victims.
He has been hailed as France's great hope since his picture appeared on the front of a sports magazine 10 years ago proclaiming how bright his future could be.
Gasquet lived up to the billing as a junior by becoming the youngest ever world No.1 at 16, and it has looked this past week or so like he has the potential to make the big-time amongst the grown-ups.
Today he faced an opponent who had disposed of Murray in a thrilling five-set match on Centre Court. Just how much defying the wild card Scot and the partisan home crowd had taken out of Nalbandian physically and emotionally was up for question. And the answer was simple: nothing.
Nalbandian, his long hair pulled back by a bandana, looked fresh as he let rip his powerful groundstrokes which put pressure on the Gasquet serve.
But the tousle-haired Gallic pretender sealed his own fate in the opening set by gifting his serve with a series of errors.
Even in the second set, Gasquet's form was erratic. He led 3-0 but in the blink of an eye it was 3-3.
He muttered French oaths beneath his breath as he struggled to find his rhythm again.
Nalbandian, meanwhile, maintained his cool, apart from one brief line-call dispute, and his unfussy style of trying to belt the felt off the ball, while occasionally slipping in a drop shot for good measure, proved effective.
Gasquet hung on to his serve in the second set but was outpunched in the tie-break before fading away in the third.
The Argentine might be unfashionable compared to the charismatic French youngster, but he knows how to win tennis matches.
Nalbandian, seeded 18, has proved a consistent performer in Grand Slams since he unexpectedly reached the 2002 Wimbledon final, where he lost to Australian Lleyton Hewitt. He made the semi-finals of the French and US Opens and made the last-16 of The Championships in 2003.
He has had to come back from personal tragedy - with his father Norberto dying at the end of last year - and, after a respectable run to the last-eight in the Australian Open, his form has been inconsistent.
But Nalbandian, who missed The Championships through a stomach muscle problem last year, is clearly back on track as he increased his record against French players to 14-5.
Inscrit le: May 16, 2005 Messages: 1038 Localisation: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posté le: 27.06.2005, 20:42:23 Sujet du message:
Interview - www.wimbledon.org R. Gasquet - Day 7
Monday, June 27, 2005
Q. You ran out of steam at the end a little. You played many matches in the last three months.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I played a lot in the last one month because I played Queen's, I won Nottingham. Yeah, I was too tired in the third set. It was too difficult for me.
So he played a very good match. I can win the second set, the first. And after, was too difficult with all my matches I played, so I couldn't play more.
Q. I think you said you saw a little of his match against Murray. Did you feel from what you saw that maybe you could do better than Murray in this match?
RICHARD GASQUET: No. Each match is never the same match. He can play better against me than Murray. No, every match is not the same. It's never the same match.
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Its a lot to read everything, but its worth it!!! This is my last article (for now).
