Monte Carlo has almost always meant good news for Richard Gasquet. He won his first professional match there at the tender age of 15, defeating the experimented clay courter Franco Squillari. He ultimately made a name for himself defeating Roger Federer in the 2005 quarter-finals in what was a match to remember.
It seemed that the only way was up from there but Gasquet has had all sorts of problems which have denied the frenchmen's place at the very top of the game. The drugs incident and the pressure created by French media have all been mentioned far too much. It is now time to start from zero, with Tsonga, Monfils and Simon all enjoying success the spotlight has shifted and Gasquet can start to play for himself.
His ranking is at 73 but he is making steady progress, without making much noise and that is how he likes it. Nothing is better than to be regarded the underdog.
For the sake of tennis, we hope Richard Gasquet finds his place amongst the elite. In an era of big serving and heavy hitting watching the frenchmen play is refreshing. Not the tallest of players nor the strongest, Gasquet depends on his guile and touch to defeat opponents. He possesses one of the best single hand backhands to have ever been seen and can play drop shots from anywhere on the court, not forgetting his soft hands at the net.
With talent like that, it seems the sky is the limit for Gasquet, but really his mind is the limit. He decides where he wants to be, a privilege for any elite sportsman but it can also be a burden for the weak minded.
This week will tell us whether Gasquet is on the road to recovery or if we have lost a magician of the courts.
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