04/17/02
Gasquet Wakes From Dream Debut
http://www.masters-series.com/montecarlo/news/trn_day3.asp

By Chris Bowers
Tennis Radio Network

Whatever else happens this week, the 2002 Tennis Masters
Series - Monte Carlo will be notable for the professional
debut of Richard Gasquet, but the fairy tale came to an end
on day three.

Gasquet was the youngest player ever to play in a Masters
Series event, he then became the youngest player to win a
match at a Masters Series event with Monday's gutsy win over
Franco Squillari, but man beat boy on the centre court of the
Monte Carlo Country Club when Marat Safin stopped Gasquet's
run 6-4 6-1.

The scoreline doesn't tell quite what a struggle the first
set was. Safin broke in the third game, but then had to save
eight break back points, three of them coming as the Russian
served for the first set at 5-4. With the springtime sunshine
blazing down on a packed centre court and a home crowd backing
the French player, the atmosphere was superb. But once Safin
had captured the opening set, fatigue caught up with Gasquet,
and the match was over after 71 minutes.

"I've had a good week," said Gasquet, "but I played three
tough matches and I started to feel tired in the second set.
For sure Safin is more powerful than the other three players
I played this week."

Success at 15 may be as much a hindrance as a help, but in
terms of strokes, temperament and physique, Gasquet has it
all, and with his 16th birthday still two months away, he
can look back on a performance which counts as the most
impressive debut in men's tennis since Michael Chang won a
round at the 1987 US Open aged four months younger than
Gasquet is now.

Safin today takes his place in the round of the last 16
against David Nalbandian, one of the ATP's rising stars
who crushed one of last year's newcomers Roger Federer
for the loss of just three games.

That is just one of a tremendous line-up of third round
matches making up the Thursday programme. The pick of them
are Marcelo Rios against Juan-Carlos Ferrero, Tommy Haas
facing Andy Roddick, Tim Henman against Juan Ignacio Chela,
and the repeat of the 1998 French Open and ATP World
Championship finals between Carlos Moya and Alex Corretja.