Richard Gasquet announced Thursday that he will retire after Roland-Garros 2025. Arnaud Clément, who worked with him for a long time, looks back on his long career.
Published on 10/10/2024 16:42
Reading time: 4 min
He is one of the legends of French tennis who will leave the circuit. After more than 1000 matches and 23 years of professional career, French tennis player Richard Gasquet announced, Thursday October 10, his decision to retire after the Roland-Garros tournament in the spring of 2025. Former teammate, opponent then captain of the Biterrois in Davis Cup, Arnaud Clément has seen the former world number 7 evolve throughout his career. Our consultant for franceinfo: sport looks back on the rich career of Richard Gasquet.
Franceinfo: sport: Richard Gasquet was very quickly publicized, from a very young age. When did you hear about him?
Arnaud Clément : The first time was in Tennis Magazine (1996). Between the moment they talk about a nine-year-old kid and the moment he plays his first match in Monte-Carlo (2002), not much time has passed. It was quite incredible to see a young Frenchman playing at this level.
You then played against him, but also with him in the Davis Cup (2006, 2007 and 2008). What type of player was he at that time?
He was a player who could do everything, and that’s what made him difficult to play against. He had an exceptional vision of the game, he was a lover of the game. He loved drop shots, cross shots, lobs… He always took great pleasure in exploiting all the shots he had in his palette. An extremely pleasant player to watch play, with a unique style. The backhand was his signature, without a doubt, but Richard Gasquet is not just the backhand. When everything worked for him, he became untouchable.
You were then his captain in the Davis Cup (from 2012 to 2015). How was he in the French team?
He experienced his Davis Cup matches with great intensity, tension and desire. He needed to feel completely confident. He always felt very responsible, perhaps a little too much sometimes, as if everything rested on him. It was difficult for him at times, and he was not always able to break free by relying more on his teammates or his captain. But on the pitch, he always gave everything and was impeccable.
What did Richard Gasquet lack to reach the Grand Slam final or win a Major?
He was just a little weaker. If he failed to do so, it was because there were, at those times, players better than him. Richard has always been a hard worker, very professional. He gave everything for more than twenty years. But in his generation, certain players were almost unbeatable in the final rounds of the Grand Slams.
At Roland-Garros next season, Richard Gasquet will have 23 years of professional career behind him. How to explain such longevity?
It’s pretty incredible. In my time, when I started my career, few players passed their thirties. Advances in nutrition, physical management and injury prevention now make it possible to play longer. But what matters most is passion and desire. Richard still loves to play. If he was 50th in the world, he would continue. Without this flame, he would have stopped a long time ago.
What is Richard Gasquet’s legacy in French tennis?
He contributed a lot. By his track record, his influence and the quality of his game. We will remember his Olympic medal in doubles (in London in 2012 with Julien Benneteau). He also brought home a Davis Cup (2017). He was a role model for the youngest, an example to follow. Many young people wanted to play tennis, and to play like him. His tennis is a dream.
The former world number 7 announced his retirement six months before bowing out. Is this the right timing, in your opinion?
He certainly wants to play one last time at Bercy and Roland-Garros, tournaments which have meant a lot in his career. He announces it before Bercy, and I think he deserves an invitation to the table. He would be able to win a few matches (laughs).
He could then turn to a coaching career. Would that surprise you?
No, Richard loves tennis. He watches the matches and has very clear analyzes on what to do. He played at such a level that becoming a coach would be a logical progression. I am convinced that it would be excellent. I have often seen him in recent years playing with very young players, with the pleasure of chatting during and after training. The transmission would suit him well, I’m sure.
