Richard Gasquet reveals why the ‘biggest punishment’ of his career was never being able to beat Rafael Nadal
On the Super Mascoto Show, Richard Gasquet expressed his deep regret over not managing to defeat Rafael Nadal.
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Richard Gasquet and Rafael Nadal (via L'EQUIPE/Sporting News)
The 21st century was known for great rivalries on the court, with opponents always trying to win against each other. But in Richard Gasquet and Rafael Nadal’s case, it was completely a one-sided show. Recently, the former candidly admitted one of his unique career regrets and the constant ordeal he went through at the hands of the latter.
Nadal ended his illustrious professional career at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard’s final match ended in a straight sets loss to Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, which ultimately led to Spain crashing out in the quarterfinals. However, the 38-year-old enjoyed a plethora of achievements on the court over the course of his career.
One of those exceptional achievements was his perfect head-to-head record against Gasquet. Nadal’s impressive 18-0 winning record against the Frenchman is one of the most ‘lopsided rivalry’ in modern tennis history. Novak Djokovic’s 19-0 dominance against Gael Monfils seats at the top of the chart.
During a recent appearance on the Super Moscato Show, Gasquet reflected on his poor record against Nadal. The Frenchman expressed his deep regret over never managing to defeat Nadal before the Spaniard’s retirement.
I lost to him 18 times; it’s horrible. I’m not going to deceive you by saying it was a pleasure because it’s a regret for me not having been able to beat him ever. Now his career is over, so I will never be able to beat him. I’ve known Rafa since we were kids; he was not someone who scared me; I had already beaten him at 13. I thought I could beat him in Monaco (2005 match, in which Nadal won in three sets); after that, I went through a tough time. He progressed, there’s no doubt. It became a very complicated task. When you’re an athlete and you’re unable to beat someone, that hurts, no doubt.
Richard Gasquet said via Super Moscato Show
? ?? Gasquet sur ses affrontements face à Nadal : "C'est dur, c'est le seul joueur que je n'ai pas battu, j'ai perdu 18 fois, c'est horrible. C'est un énorme regret de ne pas l'avoir battu." pic.twitter.com/NCEkldIVV6
— Super Moscato Show (@Moscato_Show) December 16, 2024
The last time Gasquet and Nadal met was at the 2022 US Open, which the latter won 6-0, 6-1, 7-5. The Frenchman has announced that he is going to hang up his racket at the 2025 French Open.
Rafael Nadal finds special place in Google’s 2024 recap
Rafael Nadal earned incomparable fame and status on the court by winning 92 career titles. However, he did gain increased attention from fans after he announced that he would retire from the sport at the Davis Cup Finals in November. The shocking retirement announcement led millions of fans to scour through the internet for more information about him.
Recently, Google uploaded moments that gained the most traction with a video on YouTube. The search engine giant revealed Nadal as one of the most searched topics of the year, merging short clips of him bidding farewell at the Davis Cup.
The Spaniard’s illustrious two-decade-long career was married with several injuries which made him grow stronger in the game. But the final blow came when he suffered a severe hip injury at the 2022 Australian Open. Despite extensive rehabilitation ahead of his comeback in 2024, there were still several setbacks.
However, he will still be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever grace the court. Nadal will make his first appearance on the court since his retirement at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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Victor Okechukwu
(713 Articles Published)