Roland Garros is down to its last Frenchman in the singles draw, and an upset will be required if the host nation wants to have a representative in the semifinals. Richard Gasquet may not have been France’s best hope prior to the tournament, but he has battled his way into a Tuesday showdown with Andy Murray.
Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet will be squaring off for the 11th time in their careers when they clash in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Tuesday. Murray is leading the head-to-head series 7-3, including 2-1 on clay and 4-0 in their last four meetings dating back to a collision at this same tournament in 2012.
What was a burgeoning Grand Slam rivalry between 2008 and 2012 has stalled out of late. Murray and Gasquet faced each other four times at slams–twice at Roland Garros and twice at Wimbledon–in a five-year span, but they have not met in such a situation since the Scot prevailed 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 during fourth-round action in 2012. Murray has recovered from two-set deficits at the Frenchman’s expense on two occasions; 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-4 at the All-England Club in 2008 and 4-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 in the 2010 French Open first round.
Speaking of opening-round scares on the red clay, that is exactly what the world No. 2 endured last week. Veteran qualifier Radek Stepanek surged to a two-set advantage over Murray only to eventually succumb 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5. Murray struggled though another five-setter in round two–against little-known wild card Mathias Bourgue, whom the favorite overcame 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. A pair of huge servers proved to be just what the doctor ordered for Murray, who raised his level considerably in straight-set defeats of Ivo Karlovic and John Isner.
Surprisingly, Gasquet had never been to the French Open quarters prior to this fortnight. The world No. 12 finally got over the hump in his 13th appearance, and he did so by upsetting Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on Sunday. That was preceded by straight-setters against Thomaz Bellucci, Bjorn Fratangelo, and Nick Kyrgios. Thus run has really come out of nowhere for Gasquet, whose clay-court preparation was derailed by none other than Nishikori (the Japanese cruised in third-round contests in Madrid and Rome).
But avenging those losses to Nishikori should have Gasquet brimming with confidence heading into this one. Unfortunately for the underdog, the pressure will be ratcheted up for his first-ever quarterfinal at Roland Garros. He handled it well on Sunday, but an even bigger test against an even better opponent could be a problem. Murray’s propensity to take the ball early–especially off the return of serve–will take time away from a player who does not have compact strokes off either the forehand or backhand side. Nishikori had previously managed to execute that tactic but let himself get pushed around in rallies during the most recent contest.
Murray has been improving with each match, and the upswing in form should see him through to an impressive third consecutive French Open semifinal.
Pick: Murray in 4
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Agree with Ricky! Andy in 4.
Typo in the tite….it is QF stage not SF.
Good preview though. Agree with the pick as well.
Done and dusted.
I think Murray in five in a topsy-turvy rain-interrupted match .
Very possiblr
I am going with Ricky.
Murray in 4 sets over Gasquet.
it’s been forever for Gasquet. sooner or later he’s gonna do something big in Paris. I think this is the year.
It’s possible
Hopefully
I think Murray wins in four but I’m really gonna be pulling for Gasquet in that one.
If I had never seen either of these two play before this week, and knew nothing about their respective careers and characteristics, I would be picking Gasquet for the win in a heartbeat. As it is however, Andy’s grit v Reechard’s brittleness makes it hard to do so. But if both carry their current tournament form into this one it will be the Frenchman emerging the victor. I’m optimistically going for Gasquet in 4 but expecting Murray to grind that prediction down.
Gasquet has always been capable of beating top 10 players and has been playing well so far but the fact remains he has only ever won 13 titles out of 25 finals and all of those came at 250 events.
Murray in 4, unless he take the low road in which we’re looking at another five setter.
correction: unless he takes the low road in which case………..
Still raining hard at RG (and where I live 70 milles east of Paris) but they must be expecting play some time soon as there are intrepid spectators huddled under brollies already sitting courtside on Chartrier.
11.40am
They are taking the covers off and drying off the courts.
12.00pm
Djokovic and RBA have arrived on court. Spectators look miserably cold.
Djokovic got the break but then lost his serve in the next game..
WTA-like match!
RBA takes it 6-3!!
Play suspended again! Djokovic would be very annoyed.
He was the one who was pissed off in Rome when he wanted play suspended and Andy wanted to continue.
What goes round comes around.
Hope this on-off malarkey doesn’t continue all day 🙁
Delay extended! No play before 3 pm Paris time. AT LEAST an hour to go.
is nole going to lose to rba!!! shocking conditions out there. the damp courts and balls would have been terrible for rafa….
#clutching at straws to ease the pain…
nole seems to be turning into a basket case over this rg…
this tournament sucks anyway with no fedal and the awful weather…
actually i am really starting to think that the wiiner of the stan and andy semi..assuming THAT one takes place and we don’t have gasquet and what’s his name….will win rg. it seems like nole is heading for meltdown..(meltdown is obviously the wrong word given the weather conditions…)
Yeah…Rafa doesn’t like these conditions but it is only against a peak Djokovic that these conditions would put him at a real disadvantage, as lon as he is playing well. He can take care of the rest of them.
Weather aside, Novak’s been playing fragile tennis and everyone’s been expecting him to raise his level but so far he hasn’t. He won’t lose to RBA as RBA does not quite have any weapons. But, if he continues his sloppy play, he might need 5 sets to win!
Strange RG this is. Stan looks the best bet followed by Andy but won’t be shocked if Stan loses today!! Anything can happen now.
the conditions are a leveller vr. but surely not enough for the 3 big names to lose. stan beat what’s his name 6-1 6-1 a week or so ago so that would be a big big psychological advantage against him. i suppose nole can’t slide into his shots in the way he likes to do??!
the comment about rafa is just a grasping at straws one as i am so miserable he isn’t out there…especially with nole looking like a rabbit in the headlights…
haha yeah…. pity Rafa is not in the draw. Stan SHOULD be able to crush his opponent …agreed
Haven’t seen Novak play today so can’t comment. Just following the scoreline…
maybe if nole has to play a long match and is still fragile against thiem in the semis (assuming it is thiem) then he could go under?? he would have to be very fragile and thiem would have to be good but it’s not impossible…
Sigh. apparently guy bloody forget has said they won’t extend the final to monday. that players will just have to play back to back matches if need be.
this is just becoming a joke. maybe nole already knows this and he is worked up inside about it…? big advantage to either stan or murray.
maybe nole will have to finish playing his semi on sunday morning and play the final in the afternoon? assuming he gets to the semi…
I have been maintaining for months all is not well with Djokovic. He has been skating on thin ice ever since the AO. He has managed to pull through in most of his matches but I’m not holding my breath he will get to this Slam final – let alone win it.
i think thiem may go through!!!
14.50PM
Covers coming off, My daughter and son in law are watching Thiem.Granollers. Have spotted them in the stands.
I’m about to put my electric blanket on and curl up in my bed with my computer for the rest of the afternoon 🙂
that’s making me jealous!! Working on my laptop in the office :/