Richard Gasquet emerged victorious from the Franco-French duel against Ugo Humbert on Tuesday in the 1st round of the Australian Open where Caroline Garcia and Océane Dodin missed matches that they seemed to control.
Disappointments also for Hugo Gaston, beaten by a qualifier, and Clara Burel, too tender for Garbine Muguruza, but qualification for Alizé Cornet, while waiting for Benoît Paire and Arthur Rinderknech.
Gasquet and Cornet: it passes
Richard Gasquet, 81st in the world, won the second Franco-French duel of this 1st round by beating Ugo Humbert (40th) 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 . Gasquet happily returns to the Australian Major in which he had not participated in the last three editions. In 2018, he had reached the 3rd round. In 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013, he reached the round of 16.
Alizé Cornet (61st) dismissed the Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova (118th and qualifying) 6-3, 6-3. “I didn’t have a good start to the game, I was quite tense, I made a lot of unforced errors and then I managed to put my game in place. I was the one who played the whole game. But no match is easy, even against a qualifier, ”analyzed the Niçoise who will celebrate her 32nd birthday on Saturday.
She remains on three consecutive eliminations in the 2nd round in Melbourne where she had reached the round of 16 in 2009. Cornet is playing in Melbourne her 60th consecutive Grand Slam tournament since her debut in Melbourne in 2007. But she has never reached the quarters: “I am told it every time”, she laughed.
Gaston, Humbert, Garcia, Dodin and Burel: it breaks
Ugo Humbert (23 years old) therefore gave in to his elder Gasquet (35 years old). He had reached the second round last year for his third participation. Hugo Gaston (67th), who was participating in his second Australian Major after already being eliminated in the 1st round in 2020, was beaten 7-6 (7/4), 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 by the Australian Christopher O’Connell, 175th at the ATP and recipient of an invitation.
With his convincing end to the 2021 season, he probably hoped for better. But the disappointments may be even greater for Océane Dodin (85th) and Caroline Garcia (70th), eliminated when they seemed to control the debates.
Garcia led 6-4, 4-2 and had three balls to widen the gap to 5-2. But instead of folding the game, she let Hailey Baptiste, 165th and from qualifying, turn the tide of the game to win 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Dodin had three match points before losing to Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu (64th) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3. Clara Burel (77th) also lost, but more logically against the world No.3 Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-4.
The French fought back, but too many unforced errors (28 over the whole game) and poor service (12 double faults in total over the match and 41% of first serves) prevented her from really threatening the game. ‘Spanish, finalist in Melbourne in 2020.