Gasquet remembers his first duel against Nadal: "I thought I would win five or six Roland Garros"

Fernando Murciego | 24 May 2025 | 10.00

Richard Gasquet, ready for his last Roland Garros. Source: Getty

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Well, friends, the day has come. The moment of Richard Gasquet's retirement is approaching with the start of this Roland Garros 2025, where the Frenchman will compete for the last time in a professional tournament. This marks his 22nd participation in the Grand Slam at home, where he has so many times thrilled with his shots and that genuine backhand, although he never managed to advance beyond the quarterfinals. It doesn't seem likely that we will see him progress many rounds in this edition, but that's beside the point. Today, the important thing is to listen to a Richard who did not escape Rafa Nadal even in what could have been his penultimate press conference at the event.

Last tournament

"Of course, I am aware that this is my last tournament, so the emotions are a bit different, it's all very emotional. I continue to give my best every time I step onto the court, always trying to win, so we'll see what happens. I just know that I want to give my all to win my next match."

What does it feel like to play against Nadal in Paris?

"When you see his level, it's not difficult to answer, you know it will always be very tough. He is one of the greatest opponents you can face at Roland Garros. He plays fast, plays with strength, and makes few mistakes. It's unimaginable all that he does, but of course, thinking that he could have won 14 times here... even at the beginning of his career, I didn't think he would win so many times. Maybe I thought he would win five or six times because he was an extraordinary player, but it was hard to imagine he could do it so many times. For me, it was one of the biggest challenges to play against Nadal, one of the hardest things in tennis."

Arriving well, but not perfectly

"I have had calf pain for a month, since Monaco. I've been a bit stressed these past weeks, I remember moments when I couldn't play and, for returning prematurely, I ended up getting injured again. I wonder how things will go for me, at least these last few days I have been able to train and feel that I was close to 100%. For me, it is a success to be here, as I wasn't sure. I've trained a lot, my level hasn't been so bad lately, but I have missed many tournaments in recent times. It has been tough, but that's how things are."

Advice for French players making their Roland Garros debut

"I would tell them to enjoy it to the fullest. It's a well-worn phrase, but you have to give your best, interact with the audience, feel their support, their encouragement. You have to be as open as possible, give it your all, feel the luck you have just by playing at Roland Garros, even though the first time is always a bit challenging. That moment will change the rest of your life, but it's amazing because you will always remember it, it will always be the first time you played here."

Nerves before retirement

"Calm? I don’t know if that's the word, in the end, each match is different. Here I am at the end, maybe it's the last match of my career, it's hard to say. It will be special, but I am happy to play here one last time. I'm almost 39 years old, I never thought I would play for so long, so I am lucky to come and bid farewell for the last time. I know what it means to play in a tournament like this, so I am going to try to enjoy it and give it my all. In sports, you never know what can happen, but I wouldn't say I'm calm, although I want to enjoy it."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Gasquet recuerda su primer duelo ante Nadal: “Pensé que ganaría cinco o seis Roland Garros”

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