Abused at the start of the match, Richard Gasquet managed to overthrow the noh 12 in the world, Cameron Norrie, Saturday January 14, to win the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Auckland (4-6, 6-4, 6-4). The Frenchman thus won the 16e title of his career, the first since June 2018. The 36-year-old will return to the top 50 on Monday, from which he left in April 2021.
The Biterrois, still 67e in the ATP rankings for a few days, erased three games behind in the third set, before breaking his 27-year-old British opponent in the ninth game. He then converted his only match point with a well-controlled volley, to win his first final since July 2021 and his first trophy since ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in June 2018.
Richard Gasquet was able to settle his second serves, failing and at the origin of the loss of the first set. He also remained focused after wasting a set point at 5-3 in the second set on Cameron Norrie’s serve.
But it was only a postponement, the Frenchman having managed a white game in stride. Opposite, Cameron Norrie, who had nevertheless made a strong impression by beating Rafael Nadal in the United Cup at the end of December, was less sharp as the meeting progressed.
“It’s an incredible feeling. I played my best tennis all week, but especially today”was moved the Biterrois, for whom it is only the second title on hard surface in the open air.
On the strength of this victory, Richard Gasquet will enter the Australian Open on Tuesday against his compatriot Ugo Humbert.
