Gasquet tired of paying lip-service to his 'big story'
The Age
Tuesday January 12, 2010
"GIVE us a kiss?"Richard Gasquet was asked the idiotic question while warming down after a 6-1, 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez that was so sharp it could have been performed with a rapier.Given his ban last year for testing positive to cocaine, which he blamed on having kissed a woman who was under the influence of alcohol in a nightclub, it's the kind of lame joke he'll be putting up with for a while yet. He appeared to care little about the remark, whistling while he worked on his serves, relishing his practise session . . . only to admit later that the fallout from his suspension €” requests for a pash, for instance €” was starting to wear thin."You know, I don't want to be in this story," he said. "It was a really tiring eight months with it in the head. It was horrible, but I'm happy now. I just want to enjoy everything because I had a big story.It's just most important for me now to enjoy the match. I know I'm lucky to play because I had a big thing happen, so now I just want to enjoy. It's more tiring than to play 10 grand slams in a row, this story, so I'm not fresh at all. Trust me."Thumping the world No. 14 was a pre-Australian Open reminder that Gasquet is a player of serious ability. He was the world No. 7 three years ago, already nicknamed Baby Federer in his teens because was so technically pure. He's won ATP World Tour titles on all three surfaces and his current world ranking of 53 will return to single figures before too long.Lopez is an A-grader but Gasquet wiped Rod Laver Arena with him less than a year after his ban of two months and 15 days ambushed his French Open and Wimbledon hopes."When I couldn't play Roland Garros and Wimbledon and couldn't go the stadium €” in Roland Garros, I wasn't allowed €” that is not a nice thing," he said. "Even when you did nothing at all. That's life. It happened. I think it was a nightmare and a movie. I'm not sure it happened really, but, yeah, for sure it happened. For six months it was an incredible story, but now it's over."Australian Nick Lindahl's journey is only just beginning but he fell 6-3, 7-5 to Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in a see-sawing battle on centre court. After Baghdatis had said "who's he?" when pulling Lindahl's name out of the hat while performing the draw last Saturday, his little-known foe came out with some heavy-hitting to be remembered.Lindahl's electric blue shoes won't be forgotten in a hurry, either, or the velocity of a few bristling first serves as he pushed the former Australian Open finalist in the second set. Lindahl will appear at the Australian Open after defeating Bernard Tomic in the gruelling qualifying tournament."It was pretty gusty, I haven't really played in that atmosphere much," Lindahl said. "It took a while to get used to. I started serving better but I've had shoulder problems this week. I had to have a few painkillers before the match and it restricted my movement. I was a bit unlucky to have a little niggle but hopefully I'll be fine to play and be fit."I felt like if I just hung in the points a bit longer, moved him around a bit more and kept my serve in, I could've turned it around. There were a lot of positives but I didn't play my proper game. I was a bit nervous."Lindahl's service motion €” the wrist-cock, the exaggerated knee bend, the pivots €” is remarkably similar to Andy Roddick's. The forehand technique is also comparable and the stiff-armed backhand is even a bit Roddick-ish in its limitations."I think he has work to do," Baghdatis said. On the 21-year-old Lindahl's side is a booming game that sporadically blew Baghdatis off the court. He's still learning and studying.
© 2010 The Age
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