Richard Gasquet Returns to Wimbledon Qualifying After 20 Years; David Goffin Advances with the Victory
Richard Gasquet is back at Roehampton, twenty years after making his Wimbledon debut in 2004 with a strong qualifying run.
The 38-year-old wants to make history by earning a spot in his 18th main draw. On Monday in Roehampton, the former Top 10 competitors and the top four men’s seeds each secured victories.
Richard Gasquet made his Wimbledon debut in 2004 after making it through qualifying. The 38-year-old is back at Roehampton trying to make history twenty years later.
The 20th-seeded Gasquet started his quest to earn an 18th main draw participation by defeating Olivier Crawford, 6-2, 7-6 (8), in his first Grand Slam qualifying match since the 2004 US Open. The former world No. 7 player, who has advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals twice, needed one hour and forty-three minutes to win the second-set tiebreaker after launching 14 aces and saving three set chances.
Not every veteran hoping to rediscover magic on the grass like Gasquet, who will next take on Alexis Galarneau of Canada.
Two-time quarterfinalist David Goffin won his first qualifying match with ease. The ninth seed kept up his winning streak against Marc Polmans, winning 6-3, 6-1. Goffin entered the 128-man field having won the Ilkley Challenger crown, a performance that would have normally earned him a wild card.
The top four men’s seeds all advanced without incident in other places. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, ranked No. 59 in the most recent rankings, defeated fellow countryman Ugo Blanchet 6-2, 7-5. Hugo Gaston, a fellow Frenchman and the second seed, defeated Shintaro Mochizuki 7-6 (5), 6-4.
After qualifying in Paris, third-seeded Zizou Bergs defeated Omar Jasika 6-2, 7-5, looking to build on his performance in the third round of the French Open. With seven victories in qualifying and main tournament matches in Stuttgart and Halle, fourth seed James Duckworth defeated Benjamin Hassan 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-4.
Also Read: Jannik Sinner Triumphs in Halle: Clinches First Grass-Court Title and Joins Exclusive ATP No. 1 Club
Andy Murray’s Wimbledon status has been reported in disagreement; his camp has released a statement
Over the weekend, the former No. 1 had surgery on his back. As per a Sunday Telegraph article, he is not going to be at the competition.
After having back surgery, Andy Murray is unsure if he will participate in Wimbledon the following week. Following his injury-plagued midweek retirement from Queen’s Club, the 37-year-old Murray underwent surgery on Saturday in anticipation of what was anticipated to be his farewell game at the All England Club.
In an announcement released on Monday, Murray’s representatives stated that the two-time Wimbledon victor “is continuing to work with his medical team to confirm when he will return to the court.”
“At this stage, no decisions have been made and we will update further as soon as anything has been finalized,” the statement continued. The former world champion has made it clear that he plans to step down later this year.
Murray, the 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon champion, gave up on his match at Queen’s Club with a 4-1 deficit against Jordan Thompson. He claimed that even before arriving in the court, he was having issues with his right leg.
Murray had surgery on his surgically repaired right hip, right knee, and lower back following three games. Next Monday is the All England Club’s first-round playoffs.
Among the Wimbledon wild cards are Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Caroline Wozniacki, and Angelique Kerber
Four past Grand Slam winners have been selected for the women’s main draw of the 2024 Wimbledon tournament.
Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Caroline Wozniacki, and Naomi Osaka—all past Grand Slam champions—have all been given wild cards into Wimbledon. The competition on grass courts begins on July 1.
At the beginning of this season, Osaka—a four-time major champion and former No. 1 player—and Kerber—a three-time Grand Slam winner—came back from maternity leave.
Osaka, who is currently ranked No. 113, was the only player to defeat No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in a set at the French Open. Last week, Osaka advanced to the quarterfinals of the’s-Hertogenbosch Open, Wimbledon’s warm-up tournament.
Raducanu, a past US Open winner, made her Wimbledon debut in 2021 by making it to the fourth round. In 2023, she will have surgery on her wrist and ankle, and it will be her first time playing there for two years.
In addition to finishing second at the All England Club in 2016, Kerber was the 2018 Wimbledon champion. She used to be a player ranked first as well. Last August, Wozniacki came back from her maternity vacation. She will be competing at Wimbledon for the first time since 2019; she has never advanced past the fourth round.
The original invitation list also featured British players Yuriko Miyazaki, Heather Watson, and Francesca Jones.
There is still one main draw wild card to be distributed. The men’s draw will feature seven British players, including Henry Searle, the junior champion from the previous year.
