They took their first professional steps one day apart; they announced the last ones during the same morning.
On September 10, 2001, Richard Gasquet, 15 years old, won against Lionel Roux at the Future in Bagnères-de-Bigorre. The next day, Rafael Nadal, 15 days older, lost against Guillermo Platel, despite having 13 match points, at the F10 in Madrid. Their first professional matches. On October 10, 2024, after having left many feathers, and not just those of the skull, on an increasingly tiring circuit, they revealed the dates and places of their respective farewells. The Frenchman announced his end of career for Roland-Garros 2025. Then the Spaniard made his officialscheduled for the Davis Cup in November, a few hours later. As if their stories were destined to remain linked.
Everyone was comparing us to see who was going to be the best.
Because their trajectories have long been paralleled. “ Everyone was comparing us to see who was going to be the best. », recalled the Majorcan, in the preface toAgainst all odds, the autobiography of the native of Béziers – a sign, once again, of the links between them. Beaten by the nickname “Richie” in the quarter-final of the Petits As 1999, “Rafa” also lost during their second duel, at the Saint-Jean-de-Luz Challenger in 2003. After abandoning, the first of his 10, only, in 1161 professional games. “ I was really upset about ithe confided, still in the book of his former rival. I didn’t want people to think that I was so afraid of losing to Richard that I wouldn’t finish the match.. »
It’s amazing what a budding rivalry can push you to do…
As a result, in April 2004, during the ATP 250 in Estoril, the Mallorcan, although going through the beginnings of problems due to Müller-Weiss syndrome which affected his left foot, did not want to give up. Victory – the first of his 18 in as many meetings on the main circuit – 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 against Gasquet. “ I was sore like hell, I could barely walkhe has not forgotten. I then missed three months of competition. But it was impossible for me to give up; I refused to let people imagine that I feared Richard. It’s amazing what a budding rivalry can push you to do… »
Their paths then were very different, but neither left the other by the side of the road. When the “reverse man” tested positive for cocaine in 2009 – and was subsequently cleared – the Balearic left-hander was one of the few to publicly support him. What Gasquet never forgot, who devoted an entire chapter of his book to it. The title? My own Nadal.
