It was back-to-back matches facing an Australian for Richard Gasquet as he took on Thanasi Kokkinakis in his second round match at the Western & Southern Open. He defeated 20-year-old Nick Kyrgios in straight sets in his opening round match while Kokkinakis took out Fabio Fognini in three.
The Frenchman would go on to defeat Kokkinakis in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-2.
Gasquet takes opener in tiebreak
It was a delayed start as showers were coming down early, and the forecast wasn’t too bright with more showers and thunderstorms in the vicinity, but blue skies managed to come out as the courts were dried out to get play going.
Both men started off with comfortable holds to start the set with Gasquet opening things up by holding at 15, and Kokkinakis holding at love. The fifth game, with Gasquet serving, was the first where the returner won more than one point on their opponent’s serve. Kokkinakis opened up the point at 30-all by breaking the backhand-to-backhand rally pattern and hit a couple of huge forehands to take the point. However, Gasquet would save the break opportunity with a winner of his own. He’d hold for 3-2 after a cross-court backhand winner.
It looked pretty evident that Kokkinakis would continue to hold without any sort of problems, and Gasquet would get pushed in his service games. After holding for 3-all, the teen had over 50 percent of his serves unreturned and his power was troubling Gasquet. Kokkinakis opened up a 0-30 lead after hitting a backhand winner down the line but did not get a break chance. He forced it to deuce after the Frenchman’s poor drop shot sat up for Kokkinakis to hit an easy winner. He’d hold for 4-3 after an ace out wide.
In the following game, that would be the first time Gasquet won more than two points on the Aussie’s serve, but despite that, he still didn’t see a break chance as the teen smashed a forehand winner down the line for 4-all.
Despite the early looks for Kokkinakis, both men had no problem holding in the final games of the set as it headed into a tiebreak. Gasquet opened up the breaker with a wonderful pass. The Wimbledon semifinalist blinked first to give the mini-break to Kokkinakis at 3-1 and a mishit gave him a 4-1 lead. Gasquet pulled one back before the first changeover after the teen’s backhand down the line just missed long. Another errant shot from the Aussie gave those mini-breaks right back.
Despite giving those mini-breaks back, Kokkinakis didn’t let that unfaze him as he cracked a forehand winner down the line for 5-3. Just two points from the set, the teen faltered again after Gasquet smartly played a drop shot with Kokkinakis well behind the baseline to make it 5-all. He followed that with a double fault to give Gasquet the chance to serve out for the set. He did just that with yet another error from the Aussie to take it 7-6(5).
Gasquet fires away early to take match
That late tiebreaker meltdown clearly was still on the Australian’s mind to open up the set. He was broken at 15 and fell down 2-0 after Gasquet consolidated. The Aussie played a solid second service game even getting to the net a few times. He held for 1-2.
After holding for 3-1, Gasquet opened up three break points after a blistering backhand down the line. He’d get that break with a deep return forcing Kokkinakis to play the ball at his feet which hit the net. The double break looked like the dagger for Kokkinakis.
The Aussie just looked out of it knowing he was double break down. He didn’t win a single point on the Gasquet serve as he consolidated for a double break. He made an absolute mess of his following service game by dropping points from 40-15 up including a swinging volley off a Gasquet returned with he treed into the stands. He’d hold though to force Gasquet to serve for the match.
After another wild backhand from Kokkinakis, Gasquet had two match points but one was saved after a backhand winner down the line from the teen. He would save a second and third, with the third being a terrible miss from Gasquet who had the whole court to swing at but missed it wide. A misexecuted drop shot on the fourth match point ended it as Gasquet took it 7-6(5), 6-2. He will face US Open champion Marin Cilic in his next match.