Grand Slam records are filled with unforgettable moments and for Richard Gasquet, Wimbledon has provided the best and worst of them.
As a 21-year-old in 2007, the All England Club became the venue for his first major semi-final; last year, at 28, Gasquet surrendered nine match points in a second round loss to the rapidly-rising Nick Kyrgios.
After a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over No.11 seed Grigor Dimitrov, the Frenchman once again appears to be creating some special memories at The Championships. Taking less than two hours to progress against his higher-ranked opponent, it marked Gasquet’s fifth consecutive win over the Bulgarian, which sets up a tantalising fourth round re-match with Kyrgios.
“I'm really happy with the way I played, especially to win on Centre Court,” said Gasquet. “My first time I'm winning on that court, so it's a great feeling for me. To win in three sets against Dimitrov, it's a big match.”
That is especially true given the narrow margins that separate the two men. Each is known for his fluid yet athletic style but Gasquet and Dimitrov have both demonstrated the best of their on-court artistry on grass.
Gasquet has won two of his 12 career titles on the surface, both in Nottingham; Dimitrov warmed up for his breakthrough run at the 2014 Championships by winning Queen’s.
It was natural then that their first meeting on grass would produce enthralling tennis – the rallies lengthy, the ground strokes perfectly angled and the winners stunning.
It was Gasquet, though, who gained the edge, striking a decisive first blow as he broke Dimitrov’s serve in the second game. It was the only break point that the Frenchman held in the 37-minute first set but, after saving three break points on his own serve five games later, it was all he needed.
The next two sets followed similar patterns, Gasquet claiming decisive breaks in the seventh and fifth games. While producing some high-entertainment tennis – including a successfully executed between-the-legs lob – the Bulgarian’s 36 winners and 11 aces were tempered by 24 unforced errors.
Most troubling for Dimitrov was his inability to convert any of his five break points. “I had too many opportunities early on in the first set to get back the break. Then, I think, second set was also pretty close. I had chances,” he lamented. “He was playing good tennis today as well. Once you miss those opportunities, it's really tough to come back.”
While clearly a perfect time to re-assess, Dimitrov is refusing to panic. “I'm not going to hide my disappointment. But in the same time, I'm not putting my head down because still it's been a bit of a progress for me. Match by match, I've been playing a little bit better. That's good news for me,” he said.
“Just right now, things are not going the way I want to. The thing is also you don't need to get too down on yourself and start digging to try to find something that is actually not there.
Gasquet, by contrast, is excited at maintaining his momentum. “I'm feeling confident now, especially winning in three sets on Centre Court against a guy like Dimitrov,” he said of a win abetted by 21 winners and only 13 unforced errors. “It's a great performance for me. I'm fresh for Monday.”
He’ll need every advantage as he considers his next match with Kyrgios, the Frenchman still clearly recalling the nine match points surrendered to the Australian in 2014. “Of course it's revenge," he said. "I played him this year in the final in Estoril but it was on clay. It's much different. Of course, last year, even if I lost, it was a match we never forget, me and him.”
The Frenchman is well aware of what is required. “Most important is return of serve. He has one of the best serves in the world. He has a big forehand. He's a tough opponent because he has such a great serve. And to return him on grass, it's very difficult. That's why he's one of the best players on this court,” he said.
It’s a thunderous style that contrasts sharply with Gasquet’s own flowing form – but what the two men share is an identical ambition. While impossible to say what will unfold, it should be well worth storing in the memory bank.