Australian Open: Richard Gasquet eliminated in the first round of qualifying for his last in Melbourne

Richard Gasquet s’est incliné face au Croate Duje Ajdukovic, 139e joueur mondial. EPA – YOAN VALAT

The 38-year-old Sérignanais lost this Monday, January 6, in his first match in the qualifying draw for the Australian Open, the last of his career.

The French veteran Richard Gasquet was eliminated on Monday in the first round of the Australian Open qualifying, a few months before his sporting retirement, scheduled after Roland-Garros (May 25-June 8). Ranked 132nd in the ATP, the 38-year-old from Béziers lost 7-6 [4], 6-3 to Croatian Duje Ajdukovic (139th).

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Having turned professional in 2002 and winner of 16 tournaments on the ATP circuit, Gasquet announced in October that he would be putting away his rackets after the next edition of Roland-Garros.

Mayot and Blanchet also out

Other French players involved on Monday, Harold Mayot (116th) and Ugo Blanchet (226th) were also eliminated in the first round of qualifying in Melbourne, beaten respectively 6-4, 7-6 [5] by the Japanese Yasutaka Uchiyama (147th) and 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 by the Czech Dalibor Svrcina.

Qualifying for the first Grand Slam tournament of the season will continue until Thursday, before the start of the main draw on Sunday.

Bonzi qualifies for the main draw in Adelaide

More than 700 kilometres to the east, Nîmes' Benjamin Bonzi (world number 70) has qualified for the main draw of the ATP 250 in Adelaide. Winner of the first round against Fabio Fognini after retirement, the Gardois won against the Australian James McCabe (256th), in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Bonzi even qualified directly for the second round of the Australian tournament after being put in place of the former seed N.4, the Czech Jiri Lehecka, who withdrew. For his part, the Montpellier native Arthur Cazaux (80th in the world) will face the American qualifier, Adam Walton (91st).