	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROGERS MASTERS

August 12, 2006

Richard Gasquet

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: Richard will be appearing in his second career ATP Masters Series final, last year in Hamburg reached the final there, and also trying to win his third ATP title of the season. He is also trying to become the first Frenchman to win in Canada in the Open era.
Questions for Richard.

Q. You did almost everything right, didn't you?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I had a lot of confidence before the match. In the center court, I won Tomas Berdych yesterday, and James Blake, two very good players. Today I went to be in final. I had a lot of confidence. Yeah, I wanted to win, and I did a good match.
I served well. I didn't lose my serve. It was the key of the match. I did all my breakpoints, so it was a fantastic match for me today. I had a lot of pressure in the second set because I could go in the final. But to win 7-5 in the second, it was great for me.

Q. To get an early break of serve like that for 3-1, that must have been very good for the confidence.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, it was good for my confidence. I think him, after this break, he was a little bit tired. He played a lot of matches. I won the first set easily. But after in the second, he played really good. It was close. I didn't lose my serve. I breaked him at 6-5.
No, I was really happy to win this match because I didn't want to play a tiebreak. You never know what can happen in a tiebreak.

Q. When he tried to play the ball short, either with short angles or stop-volleys, you were very quick to get to the ball. Are you fitter than you've ever been?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, yeah, I have no injury, so I can play. I'm fit. I'm not tired now. I play five matches. But I practice a lot in France. I am really fit for this final. I'm not tired. I could play a good match tomorrow.

Q. Between last year, when you beat Roger at Monte-Carlo, then this year at Wimbledon, how much better did Roger get?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, I think Roger knows me now. In Monte-Carlo, he didn't know me. Maybe it was good for me. It wasn't clay court. It's not the same. After I lost three times this year against him, but it was on hard court and grass court. It's not easy. I prefer to play him on clay court, of course.
But, no, I think I played better than last year. But Roger knows me. He know how I play. We will see. But it's incredible for me in a final of a Masters Series. I played him last year in Hamburg. But this year I want to play my match and we will see. It's great for me to play against him if he wins this night.

Q. What makes Roger so tough for you or for anybody?
RICHARD GASQUET: For anybody, yes, of course. He has a great serve and great forehand. It's the best in the world. He never miss. He runs a lot. He's powerful. He's always aggressive. He goes every time to the net. His serve and his forehand, it's incredible.

Q. Are you more comfortable now on the hard court? Have you always had a strong game on the hard court? Heading into the final tomorrow, how do you feel?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, I like to play on every surface. It's not a problem for me. I won on clay court, on grass court. No, I grew up on hard court in France. When I was a child, I played a lot on hard court. No, I like to play on.
Tomorrow, I have no pressure. Today it was different because I could go to the final. But tomorrow I'm not the favorite against Roger, so I have to play my match and we will see.

Q. In Monte-Carlo, what was the key in your game to beating him? What worked for you?
RICHARD GASQUET: To beat Roger?

Q. In Monte-Carlo.
RICHARD GASQUET: No, I played a lot with my backhand against his backhand. It's the only key, I think. And to serve really good all the match. I have to serve unbelievable, to play good with my backhand.
It's really hard to win Roger, but I have no pressure tomorrow. I want to play a good match.

Q. When you played him after Monte-Carlo, you think he figured you out a little bit? He solved you a little bit? When he gets to know you, it's harder to beat him?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, yeah, he knows me now. He knows how I used to play. He knows my game, my backhand, my forehand. He was surprised, I think, in Monte-Carlo last year. But now he knows me. Me, too. But I lost after Monte-Carlo four times against him. I could win him two months ago in Halle. It was really close. But after in Wimbledon, it was really hard for me.
No, it's a final. I want to play my match. We will see.

Q. Will you do anything differently? Will you prepare differently for him this time?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I have a tactic against him. I have to play my game, to play with my backhand a lot.
He is a favorite tomorrow. I have no pressure. Maybe I can lose in two sets. Maybe I can win. We will see. It's incredible for me if I have to play Roger in a final here in a Masters Series. It's really nice for me.

Q. You and Andy and a couple other players are part of the young crowd trying to become as good as Roger. One of those players is Dimitry Tursunov. Do you know him very well? In the locker room, I understand he's quite a funny guy.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, he's funny guy. I play him on Davis Cup. I lost against him in France in five sets. But, yes, he's so funny and a crazy guy, of course. He's really crazy, yes.

Q. Can you give an example of how crazy he is?
RICHARD GASQUET: On the court.

Q. Off the court?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, I don't know him really good off the court. But on the court I saw him break his racquet against his knee. He's a mad guy sometimes, but he's a nice guy (smiling).

Q. Who hurt more, the racquet or the knee?
RICHARD GASQUET: Maybe the knee, I think.

Q. You used to have a little bit of a temper out on the court. How did you get to where you can control it now?
RICHARD GASQUET: I have more experience. When I was a little bit younger, I throw a lot my racquet. But now I understand it's bad for my game. I was -- I had a disqualification in US Open. After that, my racquet, I keep it in my hands. It's okay now (smiling).

Q. We're almost putting Federer in the final. In case there were an upset tonight, do you have any history with González?
RICHARD GASQUET: He's a great player. He has an unbelievable forehand - maybe the best in the world. I think he can win Roger, of course, if he plays with his serve and his forehand. He can win.
But it's really, really hard to beat Roger. Just Nadal won him this year. Maybe I think Roger will win, but you never know. González is a great player.

Q. What happened when you were disqualified from the US Open?
RICHARD GASQUET: It's not good. I throw the racquet on the chair -- line umpire. I don't want to speak about that today. It's okay (smiling). I was not happy after that.

Q. I noticed that last fall you were ranked 12th in the world. Some point this year you were down to 61st. What happened in between 12 and 61? What is it like to try to climb back up?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, it was because I was injured, I had two months with my elbow and two months with my stomach. I had to lose points. I did final in Hamburg and semifinal in Monte-Carlo. After that, I lost a lot of points. My ranking was really, really bad. 61 I was. But I didn't play. I didn't play since four months in the tour. It was really hard for me.
No, now I won two titles and I am in finals here. It's great for me. I will be in the top 30 next week. No, it's nice for me. I have no points to defend because last year I didn't play. It's good for me.

End of FastScripts...

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297