French Teenager Gasquet Shocks Federer In Monte-Carlo
POSTED: 2:10 pm PDT April 15, 2005
Monte-Carlo, Monaco -- French teenager Gasquet shocks Federer in Monte-Carlo
Promising Frenchman Richard Gasquet shocked world No. 1 Roger Federer in three sets in Friday's quarterfinal action at the prestigious Monte-Carlo Masters.
The 18-year-old Gasquet, a qualifier this week, toppled the mighty Federer 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) to halt the Swiss' awesome 25-match winning streak. The top-seeded Federer hadn't lost since Marat Safin stunned him in the Australian Open semifinals back in January.
Gasquet staved off three match points in the third-set tiebreak and sealed the upset by scalding a backhand passing shot down the line from way behind the baseline after 2 hours, 20 minutes of dramatic tennis. Federer saved two match points late in the third set to force the tiebreak.
Federer barely advanced here on Thursday, as Chilean slugger Fernando Gonzalez pushed him to three sets on the slow red clay.
Gasquet is performing in his first ATP-level event of the year. He recently captured back-to-back titles on the Challenger circuit and will now compete in his first-ever ATP semifinal.
The 23-year-old Federer was trying to become the first player to win three straight Masters Series events, as he recently corralled titles at Indian Wells and Miami.
The reigning Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Masters Cup champion Federer fell to 35-2, including five titles, this season. He's off to the best start on the ATP in since John McEnroe opened at 39-0 in 1984.
At 18 years, 9 months, Gasquet is the youngest French player to beat a world No. 1.
Eleventh-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal continued his recent winning ways by dispatching fourth-seeded French Open champion Gaston Gaudio 6-3, 6-0. Nadal improved to 18-2, including a pair of titles, on clay this year, while Gaudio dropped to 13-2, including two championships, on the dirt.
In other quarterfinal play, sixth-seeded and defending Monte-Carlo champion Guillermo Coria overcame Spaniard David Ferrer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and two-time Monte-Carlo titlist Juan Carlos Ferrero whipped Italian Filippo Volandri 6-2, 6-3. Ferrer was last week's runner-up in Valencia.
The 2004 French Open runner-up Coria beat German Rainer Schuettler in last year's Monte-Carlo final, while Ferrero captured this tournament back-to-back in 2002 and 2003. Ferrero topped Coria in the marquee '03 finale here.
Coria has won his last 10 matches in Monte-Carlo and is 15-1 in his last 16 matches here.
Friday's matches were played following the funeral of Monaco's Prince Rainier III, who passed away last week at the age of 81. Flags flew at half staff at the Monte-Carlo Country Club and the start of the day's action was delayed for hours to avoid any conflict with the funeral service.
Saturday's semifinals will pit Coria against the former world No. 1 Ferrero and Nadal versus his fellow 18-year-old Gasquet. The surging Nadal was the Miami runner-up to Federer two weeks ago.
The winner of this $2.825 million Masters Series event will collect $438,000.
