Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Wednesday August 21, 2024 at 7:24 p.m.
There will never be another US Open for Richard Gasquet. It’s brutal, but it’s the former world No. 7 (in 2007) who publicly states it.
Richard Gasquet was unable to do anything on Wednesday in the second round of qualifying for the US Open, logically defeated by the young 19-year-old Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas (6-2, 6-4). The Béziers native, twice the age of his opponent since he is 38 years old, will not play in the main draw at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2004, the Grand Slam tournament where he had the most consecutive participations (Roland-Garros since 2010, Wimbledon since 2011 and Australia since 2022 only).
“A little sad to end like this, but very happy with everything I was able to do”
On the court, immediately after his defeat and in an anonymity that sums him up so well, the 126th player in the world officially declared that this was his last appearance in New York. He was celebrated on the court, receiving a patchwork of photos retracing his greatest exploits at the US Open. Receiving a round of applause, the 2013 semi-finalist (beaten by Rafael Nadal) was even able to express himself: “Thank you to everyone for coming for 20 years. Playing in the evening in New York on the Arthur-Ashe court, it was electric and incredible… I will keep these memories all my life, it was magnificent for me to be there and to have the chance to play this tournament. I am a little sad to end like this, but very happy with everything I was able to do at the US Open.”
Considering himself “lucky” to have experienced all these moments “on the best courts and in front of so many people”, he remembers having faced Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal in front of 20,000 people: “I am proud and I will come back with you in the stands next year. When you are a kid, you want to play tennis to feel these emotions and these feelings, I was able to have it and especially in New York. I will remember it all my life.” No other confirmation of this type, for the moment, has been made by Gasquet. But retirement, it is now certain, is fast approaching for him too.
