Frenchman Richard Gasquet’s form this season has taken a definite nose-dive. The 26th seed was shocked by lucky loser Leonardo Mayer in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday.
After their match was held over because of rain delays on Tuesday Mayer closed out a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to send the former semi-finalist crashing out of the event.
Mayer had lost to Maximilian Marterer in the final round of qualifying, but the Argentine’s reward for winning his reprieve is a meeting with the in-form Yuichi Sugita in the second round. The winner of that match will likely face Rafael Nadal in the third round.
In other matches 15th seed Tomas Berdych eased past American Ryan Harrison. The two were familiar with each other already this season having met at the Australian Open. Berdych was the winner that day and so it proved again here, with Berdych moving through 6-4, 6-2, 7-6. Berdych will face either Jan-Lennard Struff or Alexandr Dolgopolov.
18th seed Gael Monfils is off to a good start. The Frenchman is defending points after reaching last year’s semi-finals. Monfils defeated compatriot Jeremy Chardy 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. Monfils will now face American Donald Young, wo could be a difficult opponent.
Guido Pella thrashed Belgium’s Steve Darcis 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 in the first round. Such a defeat is somewhat unexpected and perhaps Darcis was playing with an injury as a loss of that magnitude to a player more comfortable on clay is surprising.
