Wimbledon 2015 Men's Semifinals: Gasquet vs. Djokovic Preview and Prediction
Novak Djokovic takes on Richard Gasquet in an unlikely matchup in the 2015 Wimbledon men's semifinals on Friday.
When the Wimbledon draw was announced, all eyes turned to Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Stan Wawrinka, the newly crowned French Open champion, got some buzz too.
But nobody was talking about the often-considered underachiever, Monsieur Richard Gasquet. Yet, after a magnificent comeback win over Wawrinka, Gasquet arrives in his first Wimbledon semifinal since 2007.
Called "Baby Federer" long before Grigor Dimitrov came on the scene, Gasquet possessed The Maestro's strokes and elegant one-handed backhand. However, he lacked the execution and match-point mindset that propelled Federer to 17 Grand Slam titles.
Gasquet, 29, watched as Nadal, Djokovic and Murray dominated the ATP World Tour, creating the Big Four with Federer. Like so many, Gasquet became another "coulda, woulda, shoulda"-been player.
Meanwhile, Djokovic, 28, has been building a Hall of Fame resume. A win at Wimbledon would give him his ninth Grand Slam and perhaps soothe the pain of losing at the French Open.
After another devastating loss at Roland Garros, many pondered whether Djokovic could recover in time to make a serious run at Wimbledon. Just like his elastic muscles, the Serbian sprung back into form.
This matchup features Djokovic, the defending Wimbledon champion and eight-time Grand Slam winner, against Gasquet, a man reaching only this third Grand Slam semifinal.
The outcome will either be business as usual or one of the most shocking upsets in recent Wimbledon history. You can view the action on ESPN or ESPN3.com.
Who Has the Historic Edge?
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Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 12-1. They last played at the French Open, in which Djokovic defeated Gasquet 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round.
Gasquet last defeated Djokovic in 2007.
Most of the matches haven't been close. Only one of the last nine, at the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals, went beyond straight sets.
How Gasquet Has Looked so Far?
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Gasquet, seeded No. 21, has pulled off two big upsets and one mini-upset in his Wimbledon run.
He upset No. 11 seed Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. The half-upset came against 20-year-old Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. Kyrgios came in seeded No. 26; however, he reached the quarterfinals last year and is one of the ATP's young guns. Gasquet dispatched the talented Kyrgios in four sets.
Although Dimitrov and Kyrgios are considered the future of men's tennis, their matches were child's play compared to the what Gasquet faced against Wawrinka in the quarterfinals.
After his win over Kyrgios, Gasquet told reporters that reaching the quarterfinals was an important milestone. "I'm very happy to be back in quarterfinals. I lost many times in a Grand Slam in a fourth round. It's very good for me to be here in quarterfinal. Now we will see what will happen. I am feeling good."
In a contest that featured two of the best one-handed backhands in the game, Wawrinka and Gasquet delivered a five-set thriller.
Wawrinka took a two-set lead after dropping the first set to Gasquet. It was grace against power. Wawrinka's average serve speed was about the same as Gasquet's fastest serve.
In the fifth set, they traded games until Gasquet broke Wawrinka at 11-9 to secure his first trip the Wimbledon semis.
After winning, Gasquet fell to the ground as if he had won Wimbledon. No, he had not. But this is as close as he's ever gotten.
How Djokovic Has Looked so Far?
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Djokovic's biggest test came in the fourth round against big-hitting Kevin Anderson. “This was one of the most difficult matches I have ever played here. At times I was almost helpless with my return. I tried to defend and use the opportunities when they were presented. I didn’t get many. It was high-quality tennis in the fifth set. I could have been out of it on Monday," Djokovic told Kate Battersby of Wimbledon's website.
Down two sets, he had to come back to even the match before the All England Club chiefs suspended play because of nightfall. With Anderson's arm rested, Djokovic needed to come out on fire in the fifth set. He did, taking the set.
Djokovic needed the challenge Anderson provided. Otherwise, he would have arrived at the semifinals untested. He sailed through his other matches in straight sets.
In the quarterfinals, he faced U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic. Djokovic defeated Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Djokovic managed to play clean-service games. He has only eight double-faults in the entire tournament.
Biggest X-Factors?
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Perhaps preparing himself for a slugfest with Wawrinka, Djokovic might experience a letdown. Likewise, Gasquet, overjoyed at reaching his first Wimbledon semifinal, may feel like he's already accomplished his goal.
Either way, how these two manage expectations is a big X-factor. If Djokovic comes out all business, the match and the moment could end quickly for Gasquet.
Another big X-factor will be Gasquet's play at the net. He has to mix it up a bit to try to throw Djokovic out of his rhythm. Gasquet has the weapons in his arsenal. The question is can he execute them without caving?
Gasquet Will Win If...
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Gasquet will have to bring whatever magic and motivation he's been using to get through these matches. Djokovic is going to put constant pressure on Gasquet's serve, which, although solid, sometimes dips under pressure.
Gasquet must continue to play high-percentage tennis and hope Djokovic suffers a letdown. Djokovic doesn't hit as hard as Wawrinka. However, he's also not going to hit 46 unforced errors.
Simply put, Gasquet must play the match of his life and hope Djokovic plays a few loose points at inopportune times.
Djokovic Will Win If...
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Djokovic has a commanding points lead at No. 1 for good reason. He is the most consistent and best overall player on the tour right now.
If he brings his A-game, that complementary mix of flexibility and power, superb court coverage and shot selection, there's not much Gasquet can do.
Still, Djokovic needs to keep his energy up and focus from start to finish. He can't afford to fall behind like he did against Anderson, who relied completely on his serve.
Prediction
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Stranger and bigger upsets have happened at Wimbledon. Gasquet could be a late bloomer who finally added some mental toughness to his playing portfolio. Perhaps he's gone beyond all those expectations and Federer comparisons.
Maybe his time has finally arrived.
Nah.
Djokovic is too good, too steady and will be more than ready for the Frenchman. There are no aspects of Gasquet's game that will catch Djokovic by surprise.
Au revoir, Monsieur Gasquet. Your Wimbledon run was magnifique!
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