French 38-year-old veteran Richard Gasquet came back from one set down to beat Botic Van de Zandschulp 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the first round of the Ion Tiriac Open in Bucarest.
Van de Zandschulp broke serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead in the first set of the opening set. The Dutch player held serve for 5-3. Gasquet saved three set points in the ninth game for 4-5. Van de Zandschulp served out the first set at love.
Van de Zandchulp broke twice in the first and fifth game of the second set to race out to a 4-1 lead. Gasquet won three consecutive games including two breaks of sevrve to draw level to 4-4.
Van de Zandschulp broke for the third time to take a 5-4 earning the chance to serve for the match in the second set, but Gasquet converted his third break-back point in the tenth game to draw level to 5-5. Gasquet broke on his second set point in the 12thgame to win the second set 7-5.
Gasquet broke twice in the second and fourth game to race out to race out to a 5-0 lead. The Frenchman sealed the win on his first match point after saving two break points in the seventh game.
Gasquet set up a second round match against Flavio Cobolli.
“I don’t know. Sometimes in tennis you have to fight and you never know what can happen in the end of the match. I just tried to fight, to put the ball in, to play with more consistency and a little bit [deeper]. I did it. It’s always tough to finish a match, to end a match, and it happened to him. Then I felt much better on the court and that’s tennis”, said Gasquet.
Mariano Navone edged past Laslo Djere 6-1 4-6 6-2 after 1 hour and 58 minutes in their first head-to-head match to advance to the second round. Navone committed just seven unforced errors and won 55% of points on Djere’s second serve.
Navone broke twice in the second and fourth games to win the first set 6-1. Both players went on serve until the 10th game when Djere earned his first break to win the second set 6-4. Navone broke twice in the first and seventh games to win the third set 6-2.
“I am very happy to be in the second round. I prepared well and played well in the first set. I had a little mistake at 4-5 in the second [set], but this is tennis. It is important for the start of European clay swing. I played very well in South America but didn’t have the results I wanted. It is tough when you play good but don’t close matches”, said Navone.
