He was once considered a child prodigy of tennis, as good as Rafael Nadal. But while Nadal became a superstar, Richard Gasquet only put a career from many. Now the Frenchman puts his tennis racket in the corner forever. He calls “Vive Le Tennis” when he said goodbye, live tennis!
When Richard Gasquet swings through his backhand today at 39 years, it still looks like it is as if 15. This is because Richard Gasquet plays his backhand with only one hand, a dying art form that only a few dominated in the perfectly elegance and beauty. This requires no strength, only movement and river. And of course talent. Some have it, some not. Richard Gasquet had it from the start, everyone agreed: it turns into a champion.
The situation was similar on the cover of a French tennis magazine: “The champion that France is waiting for!” The then nine -year -old Richard was shown. On the cover. With nine! At twelve, he won the most prestigious junior tournament of France, in the final against a boy from Spain, who was only 15 days older than Richard and talented. His name: Rafael Nadal. What both children didn’t know yet: Both would do a long professional career. But Richard Gasquet would never win against Rafael Nadal again. The balance sheet at ATP level: 18 games against each other, 18 wins for Nadal.
Made the whole world joy
“Of course you can always whine in retrospect, if and but. But I don’t see that at all. He always gave everything, and for 24 years,” Philipp Kohlschreiber told the sports show. “With such a passion for tennis, with real love, he inspired all of France. Well, it shouldn’t be that he might be able to fulfill his greatest wish to win the French Open. But he has enjoyed playing many tennis fans all over the world, and it depends on it.”
Kohlschreiber, who was on tour with Gasquet for twenty years and ended his own career three years ago, can still remember the time when the little Frenchman, it was in 2002, was just 15 years old. “Of course I already looked over there a bit, especially because he also played a one -handed backhand. So in France it was already a really big number.”
France, the great tennis nation. The French Open, held since 1891, named their trophy according to the myth of the “Four Musketeers” around René Lacoste in late 1920s. The Coup de Mousquetaires is hard to beat in terms of beauty. The last Frenchman who held him in his hands was Yannick Noah in 1983. All of France was crying with joy. Noah is still considered an adult hero. You have to know that to understand why so big, perhaps too big expectations were put in the young Richard Gasquet. Finally someone who is supposed to bring the trophy home. It turned out differently.
Never granted a Grand Slam victory
The “Wunderkind” won the French Open in 2002 at the juniors. He also played with the big ones at the same time, and even took a sentence from the later winner Albert Costa. But Gasquet shouldn’t even come close to the Musketier Cup. With 21 participation in the French Open, he made it five times into the second week, his best result is reaching the quarter -finals. A Grand Slam victory was never granted to the highly rated Frenchman.
So did he have an unfortunate or even bad career? Not. Critics who accuse him of having brought too little out of his potential make it too easy and too cheap. Talent like world star, the thing is not that simple. “Richard Gasquet has put an incredible tennis career,” defends Kohlschreiber, defends his former company, who was able to celebrate a total of 16 ATP tournament victories, was three times in a Grand Slam semi-final and played up to 7th place on the world rankings. “You just have to see that he and I played at a time at which Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray was an incredible feast of talent at the start that will probably never exist within one and the same generation. And against the background, Richard’s career was just great.”
The legacy
The question of all questions. How does the legacy of an athlete measure up? Only on titles? Or rather how much he inspired people with his formidable way to play tennis? The answer was to be admired on Thursday afternoon in the Bois de Boulogne from Paris. The tennis god had ensured the perfect frame, the greatest possible stage against the greatest possible opponent. Richard Gasquet against Jannik Sinner, on the Court Philippe-Chatrier, the largest stadium of the French Open.
It took less than two minutes, when Richard Gasquet conjured up the blow from the hat, for which he will be remembered forever, his signature shot, a one-handed top spin back, along the line, for aesthetes the most beautiful blow in tennis. Sinner was only able to look after the ball, 15,000 spectators got into ecstasy for the first time, and the estimated TV colleagues, whose two-hour live report was a single declaration of love for Richard Gasquet, were immediately at operating temperature.
Lived the dream of millions of children
“Your backhand inspired young players around the world, thank you for everything you did for the tennis,” said the greatest of all time, Novak Djokovic, in a video greeting when it was over and Gasquet was said goodbye to a worthy ceremony forever. His last match as a tennis professional. The 38-year-old had given everything again, visibly enjoyed the game, but in the end he had no real chance against the Jannik Sinner playing with surgical precision. The legs have grown slower, the strength decreases, and only the backhand alone does not win any games, be it so adorable.
24 years on tour, from Agassi to Alcaraz, played over 1000 ATP games, won over 600, earned over $ 21 million in prize money, Richard Gasquet has lived the dream, the millions of children dream. He was a tennis professional. Now he goes home where he is most. There his dog is waiting for him, which he can now take with undivided attention. It is a Labradoodle that Gasquet gave the name John. Named after John Mcenroe. It never stops. Vive Le Tennis!