Richard Gasquet may have been born a few weeks apart from Rafael Nadal, but the Frenchman struggled to compete with the tennis icon throughout his professional career. Nadal boasted an 18-0 record against Gasquet, who was once No.7 in the world rankings.
Their similar age meant the pair often squared off in the junior ranks, and both were tipped for future greatness. While Gasquet has won 16 career titles, his impressive career is a fraction of what Nadal went on to achieve, retiring last year with 22 major titles. Nadal was famously at his most imperious playing on clay – as his 14 French Open titles would attest – and Gasquet recalled feeling the full force of the Spaniard’s ability during the 2011 Davis Cup semi-finals in the Cordoba bullring. Gasquet believed it was a fitting venue for facing Nadal at his best.
In an interview with David Goffin and Adrian Mannarino, Gasquet spoke about his seemingly impossible task. “We played in the Davis against Nadal and Ferrer on clay,” Gasquet told UTS. Goffin then interjected, adding: “It’s pretty much the best team you can imagine.” Gasquet was defeated by Nadal 6-3, 6-0, and 6-1, while Ferrer won against Gilles Simon in straight sets.
The memory has stayed with the 38-year-old, with Gasquet admitting: “It was like a bullfight. I’m telling you, they destroyed us. They won 6-3, 6-0… And with Jo, it was the same.” The following day, a doubles victory for France closed the gap. However, any glimmers of hope proved to be short-lived as Nadal returned to register a 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Gasquet believed the bullring was a fitting venue to face Nadal at his best
When asked how the French players felt about facing the imposing Spain team, Gasquet confessed: “Just before going out to the court, we were laughing because there were blood stains on the floor; from the bullfights. We knew it was a bad omen,” he said. “At that moment, you think: today, we are the ones who are about to bleed.”
Spain won the Davis Cup with a 3-1 victory over Argentina in the final at La Cartuja in Seville. It was the fourth Davis Cup triumph of Nadal’s career, and he would win a fifth title for his country in 2019.
In a strange quirk, Gasquet announced his retirement plans on the same day as Nadal in October, once again linking their careers together. “The probability was low… It’s a pretty incredible coincidence,” Gasquet told Midi Libre, as reported by Tennis Majors. “It made me smile, it was funny. I didn’t expect it at all.”
Gasquet has announced that his final tournament will be the French Open in May. Meanwhile, Nadal has already played the last game of his career, choosing to bow out on home soil at the Davis Cup finals held in Malaga in November.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk