Richard Gasquet thrashes Alex Bogomolov in the second round – ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament 2012
Fifth seed, Richard Gasquet, reached the last eight, beating Alex Bogomolov Jr. of Russia in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at the 39th ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands
on Thursday. The Frenchman clinched victory in just an hour and 17 minutes.
Gasquet did not take much time to claim lead, breaking the Russian in the second game of the opener and holding his serve in the next one to go ahead 3-0. The French maintained his advantage until the end of the set and sealed
it at 6-3.
The right-hander, Gasquet, was a bit erratic with his second serves, hitting a couple of double faults. However, the French compensated that with his accurate first deliveries, hitting two aces and claiming 12 of the 16 first
serve points.
After claiming the opener, Gasquet had an even better start to the second set. The 25-year-old clinched his opponent’s serve in the first and third game, holding his own in the second and fourth to grab a 4-0 lead. Gasquet
and Bogomolov exchanged a break of serve to take the score to 5-2. The Frenchman served out the set in the eighth game, claiming it 6-2.
Gasquet did not allow his opponent to win many serve points. The 6ft 1in tall snatched nine of the 17 first and four of the six second return points. Gasquet saved four of the five break threats he came across and converted
all the three break point opportunities he received in the second set.
Commenting on his game, a jubilant Gasquet said, "I served well and hit good shots on my backhand. I am happy to be in the quarter-finals. I am playing well and I am happy the way I am playing at the start of the season."
Gasquet will try to reach the last four of a tournament for the first time in 2012. The Frenchman has reached his third ATP World Tour quarterfinal of the season. Playing his first tournament of the year, Gasquet was upset
by Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 4-6, 6-7(4) at the Apia International Sydney. He was also stopped from reaching last four at the Open Sud de France, losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets 2-6, 6-3, 3-6.
Gasquet will play world number 49, Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, in the quarterfinal. The former world number 3, Davydenko, battled past Paul-Henri Mathieu of France in three sets 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-1 in the second round.
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