Frenchman Richard Gasquet has long been a player talented enough to break through at a Grand Slam tennis event.
With his explosive one-handed backhand and versatile baseline game, he has lurked just below the top echelon occupied by Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer.
But in the 17 times Gasquet has reached the fourth round at a major, he has only won two matches.
Now, after gutting out an epic 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory over No. 4 David Ferrer in the quarterfinals Wednesday in Arthur Ashe Stadium, No. 8 Gasquet is through to the U.S. Open semifinals.
It marks his first major semifinal since Wimbledon in 2007, when he beat Andy Roddick in the quarters before losing to Federer in the semifinals. It’s also the first time a Frenchman has reached the Open semifinals since Cedric Pioline in 1999.
“It’s a big match for me, a big victory for me,” Gasquet, who had lost eight of nine previous encounters against Ferrer, said in his on-court interview.
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