Richard Gasquet ousts Albert Montanes to reach the second round of Internazionali BNL d’Italia
French Richard Gasquet, ranked 16th in the world, cruised past world number 38 Albert Montanes of Spain in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 in the first round at the Internazionali BNL d’italia in Rome on Sunday. Gasquet needed only an hour and 12 minutes to beat his opponent in a one-sided contest.
Gasquet broke the Spaniard in the third game of the opening set and held his next service game to go ahead 2-0. The French broke Montanes again in the seventh game and served out the set at 5-2.
The 24-year-old hit one ace in the first set. Although, Gasquet hit only 64 percent of the first serves correctly during the opening set, the French won 81 percent of first-serve points. On the other hand, Montanes had a below average first serve percentage as he delivered just 46 percent of the first serves, winning 73 percent of the points on them. The Spaniard saved only one of the three break points he faced in the first set.
After losing the first set miserably, Montanes fought back at the start of the second set as he broke Gasquet in the second game, taking a 2-0 lead. However, Montanes’ lead did not last for long as the Spaniard was broken in the very next game. Gasquet broke again in the eighth game, winning the set 6-3.
Gasquet served tremendously well as he fired six aces and committed only one double fault in the second set. The French kept his first serve percentage at 69 percent and claimed 73 percent of the points on them in the second set. In comparison, Montanes delivered 60 percent of the first serves, converting 58 percent of them into points in the second set. The Spaniard bagged just 27 percent of the first return points in the second set. Whereas, Gasquet was brilliant with his returns as the French converted 42 percent of the first returns into points in the second set. The right-handed saved one of the two break points he faced in the second set. Gasquet capitalized on two of the four break point opportunities he created in the second set.
The French is featuring at the Internazionali BNL d’italia for the fifth time in his career. Gasquet was thrashed by American Andre Agassi, ranked 9th in the world at that time, in straight sets 2-6, 3-6 in the second round in 2005. The six feet and one inch tall could not get past the second round again in 2007, losing to Filippo Volandri of Italy in three thrilling sets 4-6, 7-6(5), 4-6.
Gasquet is slated to meet world number 106 Igor Andreev of Russia or Spanish Pere Riba, ranked 71st in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, in the round of 32.
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