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Gasquet vs Verdasco: An Interesting Rivaly
2 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles
Tennis rivalries can evolve in the most unpredictable and odd directions. And one that caught my eye is the unique head to head series of Richard Gasquet and Fernando Verdasco.
Their first match was in 2004 In Buenos Aires, won by the 18 year old Gasquet over the 20 year old lefty from Spain 26 75 61.
Gasquet would win three more times over Gasquet in the span of 2004-2007 in Canada, Monte Carlo and Rome. Then in Canada in 2007, suddenly Verdasco reversed his fortunes and scored his first win in five tries vs Gasquet 36 76 64.
Apparently Verdasco figured out the Gasquet puzzle and would beat Gasquet an addition four times from 2007-2010, all straight set wins, to nose ahead in their head to head at 5-4.
Their next match would be in the Nice final in 2010 and Gasquet ended his frustrations against Verdasco, winning the title by a 63 57 76.
So the two ATP stars were dead even after ten meetings, 5-5.
In 2011 they would play in Davis Cup – Verdasco won 62 61.
Then at Paris Masters 2013, Gasquet won 75 67 63.
They played twice in 2014 – Verdasco won both in Indian Wells and Roland Garros.
Two years later in 2016 Gasquet would beat Verdasco in Madrid 64 36 61.
And yesterday the 35 year old Gasquet, ranked 53, and 37 year old Spaniard, ranked 134, would play once again for the sixteenth time. Gasquet won 64 60 in the first round of Cincy qualies.
It’s highly improbable Verdasco and Gasquet will ever play again in the ATO. And so this unique, under-the-radar, quiet, near two-decade long rivalry has concluded at a symmetrical and equal 8-8 head to head.
ATP · Cincy Open · Fernando Verdasco · Richard Gasquet
Ryan Balon · August 15, 2021 at 8:49 pm
Scoop,
I’m here in Cinci and watched the first set of Richard and Fernando and then the tail end of the second set. The match was all Gasquet but about 30 min after the match I was walking by stadium 3 and Fernando was practicing having his coach feed him balls to his backhand…
FV had a great career and he’s in amazing shape and looks like he doesn’t want to let go!
Keep up the good work my friend
Scoop Malinowski · August 15, 2021 at 9:46 pm
Ryan, greetings to you in Cincy. Lucky you. Thanks for that inside information about Verdasco still working overtime at age 37 to extend his career a few more years. I’ve always liked Verdasco, flashy lefty with a lot of emotion and a nice guy. He lost to Rafa like 13 times in a row and was about to lose no. 14 but somehow turned the tables on Rafa from the losing position and suddenly beat Rafa the first time. He told me about it for Facing Nadal, amazing win. He came close to a major title in AO. Please Keep scooping us those Cincy scoops RB.