Richard Gasquet was moved by the compliments he received from Andy Murray as he reflected on feeling lucky to still be able to compete on the ATP Tour after turning pro in 2002.
While competing in the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, Murray took the time to congratulate Richard Gasquet on his first title in more than four years. The Frenchman defeated Cameron Norrie in the ASB Classic final in January. Murray praised Gasquet for his unwavering passion for the sport despite not being in his prime, and acknowledged him as a grossly underrated player.
“I’ve been very happy about it [Gasquet] when he won the tournament in Auckland earlier this year. I think maybe sometimes he doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He’s been an incredible player for so long and I just love to see guys who may not be at their peak but are still out there and competing because they love the sport,” Murray said at the time.
Richard Gasquet is currently competing at the ATP 125 Challenger Arizona Tennis Classic in Phoenix. After his first-round win over Emilio Nava, the former world No. 7 expressed his delight and gratitude to Andy Murray’s compliment on his recent title win and mentioned the mutual respect they shared. Although he hasn’t won as many Grand Slams as Andy Murray or Stan Wawrinka, Gasquet feels lucky to still be able to play tennis professionally.
“Of course I was happy when Andy said that. I’ve known him a long time, mutual respect,” Gasquet said. “I didn’t win like three Grand Slams [him and Wawrinka], so it’s not quite the same. But I’m very happy and very fortunate to still be on the road.”
Richard Gasquet expresses his desire to continue competing on the ATP Tour
Richard Gasquet at the BNP Paribas Open
Richard Gasquet has been open about his desire to continue competing on the ATP Tour. He expressed surprise at the length of his tennis career but credited his longevity to his annual approach and dedication to daily training and focus. He also expressed his love for sports and the joy he takes in playing and competing.
“I didn’t think I could play for so long, it’s a big surprise for me, but I’ve taken it year after year and I’m still here. I train a lot and think about tennis every day. I try to focus every day on training, playing matches, fighting. I really love what I do,” Gasquet said. “I really enjoy playing and being on the tennis court. I like to travel and play tournaments.”
Gasquet lost his second-round match at the Phoenix Challenger to Aleksandar Kovacevic. He is expected to compete in the upcoming Miami Open, which is scheduled to begin on March 22nd.
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Source : www.sportskeeda.com