In a rivalry that has been marred by controversy in the past, Richard Gasquet has spoken about his admiration for Nick Kyrgios ahead of their third round match.
The upcoming match will be their seventh meeting on the tour and their second this year. The French world No.12 will be aiming to get his revenge against the Australian after suffering a straight sets loss to him earlier this year. Despite playing on home soil and being ranked higher than Kyrgios, Gasquet is expecting a tough meeting in the third round.
“I expect a very tough match, because he played very good.” The Frenchman said about Kyrgios.
“He’s the best newcomer coming now, so it will be an incredible match for me. We know each other very well. We have played many times against each other. I know his game; he knows mine.”
Gasquet will be hoping the his match won’t be surrounded by controversy like his encounter with Kyrgios in Wimbledon last year. During that meeting, where the 29-year-old sealed the match in four sets, many accused Kyrgios of tanking during points. The accusations, which was viciously denied by the Australian, left a dark cloud over the otherwise intriguing match.
The controversy surrounding the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist has had little impact on Gasquet’s positive opinion of him. In a way the Frenchman has gone through a similar situation of handling pressure at a young age. At the age of 21 he reached the semifinals at the Wimbledon championships, triggering a surge in expectation from his home country.
“I like playing against him. He’s a nice guy. I have won matches against Nick, so I hope this one will be the same.” The 29-year-old said about the upcoming match.
“He’s made some progress this year. He’s stronger than last year. He’s won some big matches, recently in Miami and in the Masters, as well. He’s done great things. He’s a great player.”
The surge of praise continued from the French player. The temperamental personality of the 21-year-old is one that is needed in the men’s game according to Gasquet.
“He has a very strong personality. That’s great. It’s good to have players like him.” The world No.12 said.
“Outside of the court, he’s very respectful. He’s a guy I like very much. Every time I’ve played him things went very well. I think we are all quite lucky to have a guy like him on the tour.”
The upcoming clash in Roland Garros will take place on Friday. Gasquet currently leads the head-to-head 4-2.
