Richard Gasquet: “I have no regrets and I will be happy to stop because I gave everything to tennis to finish as late as possible”

https://www.midilibre.fr/2025/01/25/open-occitanie-gasquet-face-a-un-autre-francais-au-premier-tour-du-lourd-pour-cazaux-le-tirage-complet-du-tableau-final-12469645.php Open Occitanie – JB Autissier

Before returning one last time to the Open Occitanie, Richard Gasquet spoke about a necessarily special season to come as he will face Adrian Mannarino, this Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) during the first round of the Montpellier tournament.

What physical condition are you in before this first round against your friend Adrian Mannarino this Tuesday ?

I have no injuries, I can play at 100%. That's the first thing, the most important thing. I haven't played a lot of matches this year, but I'm happy to play here one last time and to be fit enough to enjoy it.

You entered the draw directly without a wild card, no need to retire in the end, right ?

It's always nice not to need a wild card. Here, I would never have had one, that's something nice. And then it allows someone else to play. Well, I'll need it for a few tournaments after that.

Since the announcement of your future retirement, has there been a single moment of regret ?

No, not at all, absolutely not. On the contrary, the more it goes on, the more I tell myself that it's really, really good.

Why ?

Because I'm not at the right level, recovery is harder. So it's really perfect for me to stop at Roland-Garros. Honestly, I have no regrets and I'll be happy to stop because I gave everything to tennis to finish as late as possible. And now, I really feel like it's the right time. Of course my professional career will end, but there are other ways to experience tennis.

Also read: Richard Gasquet's retirement: why was his one-handed backhand exceptional in the world of tennis throughout his career ?

Do you feel a different view from the tennis world since ?

I think people expected it anyway. You often stop at Bercy or Roland-Garros. It's a normal decision, it's really the right time to do it. I don't think there was a change of view because everyone knew I was going to stop. If there are changes of view, maybe not, I think everyone imagined that I was going to stop at that time.

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How did this special pre-season go ?

It's a bit strange to know that you do a few tournaments and that you're going to stop. It's a bit weird, it's something new that I've never felt. I'm going to do my best but I'm happy and relieved to finish at Roland-Garros.

The Richard Gasquet of 2025, what does he want to do in these last few weeks ?

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Have fun, try to win of course. When you play, it's still to win. Afterwards, even if I don't succeed, it will still be OK. I want to try to play great matches, especially here, at Roland-Garros after. Give everything to have great emotions again on the court.

Throughout your career you thought about injuries, now we imagine even more ?

Yes, I think about it even more. Because I've been lucky for the last two years. I haven't had too many injuries, unlike a while ago. Now, I've still been able to play matches without getting injured. When I lost, it's because I didn't play as well, I made mistakes. In any case, I hope it can stay like that until the end, because it's crucial. I'm already happy to be here and not to be injured.

Read also: Richard Gasquet after the announcement of his future retirement: “Luckily, I beat Rafael Nadal by a few hours”

How do you explain it ?

It's thanks to rest, I'm careful off the court, to rest well. That's what makes me, in my opinion, not get injured. But it's sure that, until the end, I hope that it will be the case. Because it can ruin the end of a career. We saw it with Nadal, Murray, it was difficult for them. I'm ready to lose, but especially not to end badly like that by being injured, that's the hardest part.

Apart from being close to home, why was this tournament important to you ?

It was perfect in terms of the date. I played the Australian Open and then the Davis Cup, I was really at the peak of my form each time. It was precisely after that that it was more difficult. But here I had motivation, a venue where I always felt good. I was often seeded, but I still managed to reach six finals in a row, which was still rare on the ATP. It's clear that I would never have imagined doing that when the tournament took place in 2010 for the first time. If someone had told me that between 2013 and 2018, I would reach six finals in a row, it's clear that I wouldn't have believed it.

Are you still a tennis lover ?

Yes of course, always. I always watch the matches, I always have the pleasure of playing. It's a sport where I've been lucky enough to be able to play on the circuit all these years, to have played the biggest tournaments in the world, against incredible players. It's clear that I'll have memories that will be huge for the rest of my life, and that's definitely what's important. Playing at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon… it was still fantastic.

Read also: Open Occitanie: threatened with disappearance last year, the Montpellier tournament begins this Monday for a 15th edition, with a new momentum ?

The post-career will therefore necessarily involve tennis ?

Yes, certainly. I'm going to try to finish this part well and then we'll see what happens next. There are players who come back to it a little later than others, but everyone ends up getting caught up by tennis.

Are you afraid of heights ?

No, not at all. I'm very calm about stopping. I can't stop better than at that moment. Afterwards, I'm definitely going to miss playing big matches. Everyone talks to you about it afterwards when you stop. But I know that in any case, I would have given everything to go as far as possible.

You called everyone to get wild cards ?

A little bit. Here, it was okay, in Marseille too, Roland-Garros… We'll see if I can do it. I'd like to in Monaco, of course. We'll see where I can play. But for now, my only program is here, Marseille and the Pau Challenger, at Jérémy Chardy's.

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