Gasquet Defeats Ferrer For Spot To Play Nadal

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 5th September 2013

Gasquet Defeats Ferrer For Spot To Play Nadal

epa03845644 Richard Gasquet of France hits a return to Dmitry Tursunov of Russia during their match on the sixth day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2013. The US Open runs through Monday 09 September, a 15-day schedule for the first time. EPA/JASON SZENES |

Richard Gasquet has long been revered as aesthetically one of the finest tennis players of his generation. But the Frenchman’s durability to withstand big match pressure in Grand Slam events was open to doubt after repeatedly losing the big matches.

The US Open has never been Gasquet’s most productive major with him never previously going further than the fourth round in eight previous visits to Flushing Meadows. But the eighth seeded Frenchman became the first player from his country to win through to the semi-final in New York in 14 years.

In a marathon match under hot afternoon sun that extended three hours and 23 minutes, Gasquet reached only his second ever major semi-final by beating fourth seeded Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Gasquet’s only previous Grand Slam semi came at Wimbledon in 2007. He said: “For sure, it’s a big victory for me. “It means a lot. I’m 27 years old, so the last time I did it, I was only 21.

He had an ignominious record of going 1-15 in Grand Slam fourth round matches until beating Canada’s Milos Raonic two days earlier and the omens seemed to be with Ferrer as he hauled his way back into contention after going two sets down.

Ferrer was 19-9 in five setters while Gasquet had a hugely inferior record of 6-12 but the Frenchman proved the more resilient and said: “I really wanted to close that match to win because it was Ferrer, center court in the US Open and it’s a big chance for me.

“I knew I had to be aggressive. My backhand was working very good today. I think it was the key of the match. I knew I had to keep my serve in the fifth, and that’s what I did. I was a little bit tired after Raonic, we played four hours and 30 minutes, but I knew I could play another big match I was feeling not so tired this morning.”

Gasquet had only previously beaten Ferrer once in nine meetings and now he goes forward to face Rafael Nadal, an opponent who has a 100% record against him in ten previous encounters. “It’s very difficult to play against Rafa because he’s powerful but I’m not the only one to have this record against him.

“I’m in semis in US Open and want to do the best I can do. I will try to go in this match to win. If not, don’t go on the court. I know he’s the favorite of the match. Nobody will say I’m the favorite. But, yeah, I want to play a big match.”

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, David Ferrer, milos raonic, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Sports, Tennis, US Open, Wimbledon

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