[Cloudygirl]

Very pleased for him great start to the year!!

[Gul]

Somebody take this photo I like it nice job)))

[Schu]

good week for richard! watched the final and was quite impressed with his fight. Davy's flat early hit balls is a bad match up for richie but richard hung in through some great play from davy and came out the winner. richard looked fit and focused. hope the win gives him confidence to play more aggressively.

[scmom]

what an excellent start to the new year ! So glad to see he fought hard in the match against an opponent who was playing such good tennis all week, And that he did not lose his focus during that
injury timeout . Congrats to Richard !

[GasquetGulbis]

I'm most impressed that in 2 of his matches he fought back from a set down. That must be great for him, because I'm sure he knows his reputation of choking

[ImmzB]

Allez!!! Great win and a great week for Richard!! 8th ATP title!! Showed great fight throughout the tournament!! Congrats everyone!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Verticalsports.com Free App

[soulage]

Very interesting week hopefully he will do the best he can in Melbourne.

[Quetzal]

Great week, his court`s attitide really changed, he fights to the last ball, but still very passive on few break points and in
the first set always deep in court on "Qatar". Good draw in Melbourne please

[ImmzB]

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=85695

January 5, 2013

Richard Gasquet

DOHA, QATAR

R. GASQUET/N. Davydenko
3‑6, 7‑6, 6‑3


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. How do you feel now?
RICHARD GASQUET: Very happy. It's normal. I win in Doha. It's a big tournament. It's the first of the year.
As I said, a lot of big players won here, like Federer, a lot of big guys, big names.
I'm really happy with the way I played and fight. He was playing fast in the first set. I just try to keep focused and to fight a lot, and I did it. You know, I'm really happy with the way I won. It's important for me to win the final.

Q. How do you see yourself for the Australian Open?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, very good. I think I'm in confidence. When you're winning a tournament like that, it's perfect. I played a lot, so for sure I will be ready for Melbourne.

Q. Did you feel that physically you had more than he did throughout the whole time?
RICHARD GASQUET: I think I was a little bit fresher than him in the third set, but he's playing so fast so he could break me in the second game in the third so everything could happen. He could win, too. We were so close together, so it was a big match, big fight.
I'm really happy to win 6‑3 because it was tough for me.

Q. Do you think the turning point of the match was in the second set when you were down a break point and you could have gone down...
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I think he missed a break point, important one. I think that was the difference, and I played a good game and for sure a big tiebreak. I winning it very close, and then in the third set it was another match. I feel more confidence. Physically it was another match, too.
I fight a lot, as I said. You always want to win the final. You know, it's important for me. I lost a lot of finals in my life, so I wanted to win.

Q. What were your thoughts when he went off with the injury? I mean, you didn't seem too happy that he was taking so much time, but at the same time did you think that maybe when he came back that you had a clear advantage?
RICHARD GASQUET: For sure, I knew it was ‑‑it's never easy, but those are the rules. It's not a big problem for me. I wanted to keep going, to break him in the first game. I couldn't do it. And he could break me in the second game so he could lead 2‑0 and then it's another match. I managed to break him at 3‑2 and 5‑2, and it made the difference.

Q. Davydenko said you beat him physically. Do you think it was actually physically or it was your technique, also?
RICHARD GASQUET: I think physically, for sure. It was a big match, long match. In the third set physically he's coming. I think he was playing unbelievable, and technically he was playing so fast it was tough for me to play.
He was playing with a big backhand, very fast. It's tough when he's playing like that. He's very tough. I tried to do my best. Most important is to fight. I just wanted to do it, and I did it. I won the tiebreak in the second set and I played well in the third.
You know, it was a big fight. I defend a lot, and I run a lot, so as I said, it's important for me to win. It's never the same tournament when you win or if you lose in final.

Q. I read that you pulled out of Sydney. Is that true?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I think, I mean, I want to be careful with elbow and everything. I had a problem in the past. I did five matches here, so I just want to be ready for Melbourne.

Q. But you are feeling fine? It's just precautionary?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I'm feeling fine. I need to recover, to fly well to Melbourne, and we will see.

[Mae]

I've been meaning to get in here and say Congrats on Richie's new Title! The article above kind of bothered me because of the mention of the elbow. He may have to do a lot of playing at the AO and I wonder how the elbow is going to hold up?

[afterglows]

Originally Posted by Mae

I've been meaning to get in here and say Congrats on Richie's new Title! The article above kind of bothered me because of the mention of the elbow. He may have to do a lot of playing at the AO and I wonder how the elbow is going to hold up?

The withdrawal from Sydney was only for caution.
I don't think there is anything worrying with the elbow at the moment. He is just mentionning it as a recurrent injury, explaining that's it is not necessary to stress his organism with too much matches.

Anyway, it was obvious that he would pull out from Sydney, he would have been stupid not to.

[PinkFeatherBoa]

Really encouraging start to the season from Richard, very happy especially with the great fighting qualities shown. I also noticed that it wasn't only with his tennis that he showed great will to win but also that he talks a more positive game too...for instance I enjoyed a lot that after his first win he was already talking about getting to the final. What happened to "he's a great playeur", one match at a time Richie huh. He just seems generally more self assured on court lately.

Long may it continue.

[afterglows]

AO's draw is out.

R1 vs Montanes (H2H 4-0)
R2 vs Falla/Ouanna (1-0 against Falla but a long time ago, never played Josselin)
R3 vs Haas/Nieminen (2-2 against Haas who is 8 years older and whose last two sets were 0-6 0-6 against Richie, 1-0 against Jarkko)
R4 vs Tsonga (4-3 against Jo, but Jo would be the clear favourite here)

This seems like a pretty nice draw . That scares me a little. Don't mess up Richie!!
I really would like to see Gasquet/Tsonga in the 4th round.

Allez !! Bonne chance !

[tami]

woohoo - straight sets win against montanes, and i was very impressed with the way he bunkered down and pulled out three game wins to turn a break deficit to winning the first set. even with a VIP showing in his supporter's box (clement, lagardere and his beautiful partner) cheering him on, gasquet didn't quite seem to ever really get settled into the match, often being distracted by the noise that was present in the stadium. it is a little bit funny i guess, you'd think one would want to have the crowd supporting you rather than against you, but gasquet seemed to prefer it if people were just quiet :P i guess the aussie crowd can get a bit excitable at times, but who can blame them, if there were so many blistering cross-court winners, and then some smart netplay that was on display from gasquet!

it is his first match in the australian summer heat, and he managed to pull through comfortably from a physical and tactical point of view, but i hope richie learns to cope with the crowd situation better. looking forward to thursday's second round match!

[ImmzB]

Good 1st round win!

Falla up next on Thursday.