Rafael Nadal has forged a great many rivalries and friendships on the ATP Tour. His parallel career journey alongside Frenchman Richard Gasquet was once a widely popular discussion.

The two begun their frenemy relationship when they were 13 years old. At the time, they were both labeled as the future of tennis.

Two decades later, they are still going strong and still have high regard for each other. In the French Open 2021 second round, Gasquet will again bid to defeat Nadal after his infamous win in 2003.

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Richard Gasquet on being compared to Rafael Nadal

Presently, the 20-time Grand Slam champion holds a 16-0 record against Gasquet on the ATP Tour. However, Nadal lost to the French player once, in the qualifying round of a Challenger and Future Matches tournament, St. Jean De Luz, France, in 2003. In that match, the Spaniard retired at 6-2.

Consequently, the win had brought Gasquet enormous fame; however, he does not want to remember it anymore. Gasquet said, “My victory against him at Les Petits As, I’ve been told so much about. The “you beat him at 13″ is such bulls**t I would rather not hear it anymore. But looking back, being compared to the greatest player of all time is flattery.” (All quotes are translated from French to English via Google Translate).

The current World No.53 further explained that he knew Nadal was out worldly before the world had discovered him. For this, he remembered his first loss at Roland-Garros to him in R32 in 2005. Later on, Nadal lifted his maiden Grand Slam title aged 19.

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“I saw very quickly that he was an extraterrestrial,” he continued, “I had played him in Monaco and then here three months later under 33°. I took 6-4, 6-3 6-2, and I said to my father, “it’s over, he’s the new winner of Roland-Garros”.”

Nadal and Gasquet to renew their frenemy title at Roland-Garros 2021

The record 13-time French Open champion, Nadal, will take the Gasquet test in the second round of French Open 2021. If not anything, the two will surely put on a great show of two different exquisite styles of tennis.

Gasquet may not have hopes of beating Nadal on his beloved Parisian clay. However, he would definitely like to push the Spaniard to bring out his best.

No doubt, tennis fans are ready for this big popcorn match. Do you think Gasquet can trouble Nadal on his home turf?

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