“I win” says Mardy Fish; defeats Richard Gasquet in straight sets – Western & Southern Open 2011
When tennis is being ruled by Spaniards, Argentines, Czechs, and Serbians, there stands one American to challenge all of them one by one with brute force.
Mardy Fish, world No.7, made it to the quarter-final of the Cincinnati Open 2011, an ATP Masters 1000 Event, beating Richard Gasquet, world No.13 in straight sets 7-5, 7-5. Playing at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, the two battled
it out for 104 minutes before Fish entangled his prey.
Playing against each other for the 5th time, the two had been standing neck-to-neck previously. However, winning the 3rd rounder, Fish got hold of the lead.
Surpassing Gael Monfils in ranking, the American 29-year-old is extremely powerful with his forehands and serves. Compatriot to Andy Roddick, the world No.7 has a similar playing style. Dropping of 30 pounds last year, Fish has
added agility and quicker court run in his advantage in the game.
Gasquet, on the contrary, has steadily picked up his speed in the game; however, he could not surpass the mighty American. Formerly ranked as world No.7, the Frenchman considered hard circuits his best play ground until he got
knocked out from Rogers Cup earlier this year and now from Cincinnati Open.
Moving on with the fixture, Gasquet opened up to served first in the match and rolled on the scorecard 1-0. Levelling the Frenchman immediately, Fish took over game 2 and switched the serve. Scores then equalled at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4
and then on 5-5 with no breakpoint wins for either of the two until game 11.
Breaking the Frenchman, Fish won game 11 to lead 6-5. The American world No.7 eventually finished off set 1 winning 7-5 and onto the next set.
The French world No.13 once again served first to open set 2 of the fixture and once again took out game 1. The American repeated the first set structure, levelling the scores at every point in the game before he broke the Frenchman
at exactly the same point as in set 1.
Fish took over game 11 once again breaking the French world No.13 for the second time in the match. Leading 6-5 he then finalized his win bulldozing his rival in the final game of the match winning 7-5. Fish took out the second
set to win the match 7-5, 7-5 and chair the quarter-final.
The stand alone American bulldog will now face the former world No.1, Rafael ‘Rafa’ Nadal, to battle it out for a spot in the semis of the Cincinnati Open 2011.
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