Richard Gasquet cruises past Guillermo Garcia Lopez in the second round of Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
French Richard Gasquet, ranked 18th in the world thrashed world number 27 Guillermo Garcia Lopez of Spain in straight sets in the second round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Wednesday. The Frenchman allowed his
opponent to win just three games, clinching the match 6-2, 6-1 in mere one hour and 23 minutes.
Gasquet dominated the match from the beginning as he broke Garcia Lopez in the second game and held his serve in the next game to race to a 3-0 lead in the first set. The French broke again in the sixth game to extend his lead
to 5-1. However, Garcia Lopez reduced Gasquet’s lead as he broke his opponent in the seventh game to take the score to 5-2. Gasquet claimed his third break in the eighth game, winning the opening set 6-2.
The French carried his winning momentum into the second set and thrashed his opponent, dropping just a single game in the set to win it 6-1. Gasquet broke his opponent in the second and sixth game of the second set.
This is Gasquet’s seventh appearance at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tournament. The French was beaten by Russian Marat Safin, ranked sixth at that time, in straight sets 4-6, 1-6 in the second round when he played
here for the first time in 2002. Next year, Gasquet lost to David Nalbandian of Argentina in straight sets 4-6, 0-6 in the opening round. The right-handed gave his best performance in 2005 as he reached the semi-finals, losing to the eventual champion Rafael
Nadal in three thrilling sets 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6 in a hard fought contest. In his last appearance here, Gasquet was thrashed by Czech Tomas Berdych, ranked 15th at that time, in straight sets 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6 in the round of 32 last year.
The French will play either world number one, the King of Clay Rafael Nadal of Spain or Finn Jarkko Nieminen, ranked 59th in the 2011 South African Airways ATP Rankings, in the third round.
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