Richard Gasquet is not so easy to follow during a season where he alternates between good weeks (title in Auckland), nice moves (victory against Tsitsipas in Stuttgart) and sad defeats (9 against players outside the top 100 ). But this week, at Winston Salem’s ATP 250, it was the A side of the former world No. 7 (57th at the moment) that went on a loop.
This very good level was not enough on Thursday, however, except for one point. Author of an admirable first set with ten winning strokes, not the slightest unforced error and only four points lost on service (6-4 in 43 minutes), Gasquet sowed doubt in the mind of Sebastian Korda, 33rd player in the world, who sometimes cast helpless glances at his clan, so disconcerting was the mastery of the geometry of the court, opposite.
But the old veteran of Sérignan then slowed down, not helped by his 37 years and the ambient 31°C. He lost eight out of nine games. Led 4-6, 6-1, 2-0, he was able, with a few kicks of his own, to go up to 3-2 and 30A on the opposing serve, but Korda repositioned himself to lead 5 -3. Before losing twelve of the following thirteen points…
Game-winning serve on match point
At the end of the match where each player took turns going through bad passes, the matter was settled in a tie-break. Gasquet, well helped by his service, took the lead (4-1) then chained the faults (4-6). Korda then committed two unforced errors and Gasquet in turn got a match point, at 7-6, but the American lined up two winning services then Gasquet put a final forehand in the hallway, after 2h31 of play (4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7)).
Friday, in the semi-finals, Sebastian Korda will face the winner of the quarter between the Czech Jiri Lehecka (35th) and the Australian Max Purcell (47th).
