Bucharest: Timeless Richard Gasquet tops Novak Djokovic's conqueror

A few weeks after gorgeous Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells, Botic van de Zandschulp suffered a heavy loss within the first spherical of the ATP 250 occasion in Bucharest. Botic skilled a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 loss to Richard Gasquet in two hours and 19 minutes.

The French veteran is competing in Bucharest for the final time, 21 years after debuting in Romania. The 38-year-old trailed 6-4, 4-1 after lower than 70 minutes. He managed to climb again and switch the tables, taking the second set with a late break and forcing a decider.

Gasquet dominated the ultimate a part of duel regardless of having little left within the tank, notching his 608th ATP victory and the primary of the season in opposition to the rivals from top-100.

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 31, 2025

Richard claimed 11 factors greater than Botic due to the ultimate set. We noticed 25 break factors and the extra environment friendly efficiency behind the second serve from the French. Gasquet denied six of ten break factors and transformed six of 15 probabilities on the return to emerge on the high.

They stayed neck and neck from the baseline and on the web. Richard created a 23-14 buffer in service winners, which helped him transfer excessive. The Dutchman served properly within the opening set and stored the stress on the opposite facet.

Richard Gasquet, Bucharest 2025© Stream screenshot

Van de Zandschulp created a break probability within the seventh recreation of the opener and seized it after Gasquet’s backhand mistake. The Frenchman denied three set factors on serve in recreation 9 earlier than the Dutchman closed the opener with a maintain at love at 5-4 with a service winner.

Botic landed a artful drop shot originally of the second set for an early break. He served properly and landed a robust forehand within the fifth recreation for one more break and a 4-1 benefit. Standing on the verge of defeat, Richard pulled one break again within the sixth recreation after seizing the fourth break probability.

unknown© Richard Gasquet & Botic van de Zandschulp, Bucharest 2025

Van de Zandschulp skilled one other break within the eighth recreation. He squandered 5 recreation factors within the eighth recreation and skilled a break after a free drop shot. Gasquet bought damaged once more within the ninth recreation, and his rival served for the win at 5-4.

Richard made one final push and created three break probabilities. He seized the final with a backhand return winner, locking the outcome at 5-5 and increasing the battle. The Frenchman stepped in on the return at 6-5 and grabbed a break at 15 after the rival’s forehand error.

Thus, the veteran grabbed his fourth straight break and stole the set 7-5 to introduce a decider. Botic misplaced the bottom and misplaced his serve within the second recreation after a double fault. Gasquet held at love within the third recreation with a backhand down the road winner.

The previous top-10 star delivered one other break within the fourth recreation after van de Zandschulp’s double fault, forging a 4-0 benefit. The Dutchman created two break factors at 1-5 with a drop shot winner. He missed them with errors and confronted a match level after the Frenchman’s service winner.

Richard seized it with a service winner, transferring excessive and notching his second ATP win of the season.