20 years ago, on October 17, 2004, Richard Gasquet, baby face and youthful features, lost in his first final on the ATP circuit against Alsatian Jérôme Haehnel (6/7 4/6), from qualifying. . Beneficiary at the time of a wild card, the 18-year-old had made a strong impression throughout the week with his velvet backhand and his silky shots, keeping the American Jeff Morrison out of his way (6/1 6/ 4) or his great friend Gaël Monfils (7/5 6/1). The future belonged to him and there was no doubt that he would one day leave Moselle with the trophy under his arm. Bet lost. He is the only one of the “four Musketeers” to have never won in Metz, with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019) and Gilles Simon (2010, 2013 and 2018) even collecting titles there.
Talent and longevity
Richard Gasquet didn't get far on two other occasions. In 2009, he stopped short of the final, defeated by Gaël Monfils (4/6 3/6), the future winner. A year later, a small cold prevented him from entering the court at the same stage of the competition, to the great joy of the German Mischa Zverev, Alexander's big brother. The Biterrois did not win the Marseille Open 13 among the ATP 250 either, but won everywhere else in France: the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix (2006), the Nice Côte d'Azur Open (2010) and the Open Sud de France three times (2013, 2015 and 2016). Above all, he has a track record as long as his arm and has shone on all the courts on the planet. World number 7 at the peak of his career, in July 2007, he has 16 titles, a Masters 1000 final in Toronto (2010), two semi-finals at Wimbledon (2007 and 2015), another at the US Open (2013) and a Davis Cup (2017).
After a long period of reflection, Richard Gasquet has decided to retire at the next Roland-Garros, at almost 39 years old. “ I never imagined I would play this much time starting so young. It's not heartbreaking, because I gave it my all. I played so much, so many matches. I started tennis at the age of 3, that will be 36 years of training every day. I continue thinking about this last meeting at Roland-Garros. I see her with the sun, on a beautiful court », he explained recently in the columns of L’Équipe.
A post-career in tennis
Unlike a lot of athletes, Richard Gasquet does not see this end as “a little death”. He is already planning ahead with the desire to move on to a role at the French Tennis Federation (FFT), working with young people. “ I have been talking with President Moretton for a while. I get along very well with him. He is passionate and we have the same vision of things. Same with Ivan Ljubicic, the high level director. I know I could help them in their mission. Training young people, going to the leagues, to the clubs, helping French tennis so that everyone progresses, I like that a lot. I have a great playing career, we have to shape the one after that. » She will undoubtedly pass through Metz and the Moselle Open again, with which it is therefore only a goodbye…
