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Match details
Fixture: (3) Rafael Nadal vs Richard Gasquet
Date: 3 June 2021
Tournament: Roland Garros 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red Clay
Prize money: €17,171,108
Match timing: Not before 9 pm local time, 7 pm GMT, 3 pm EST, 12.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | UK - ITV | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Rafael Nadal vs Richard Gasquet preview
Rafael Nadal will continue his quest for a 14th Roland Garros title when he faces home favorite Richard Gasquet in the second round on Thursday.
Seeded third in this year's tournament, Rafael Nadal opened his campaign with a win over Alexei Popyrin in the first round.
The Spaniard was in complete control for the first two sets against the Australian, but had to fight back from a break down in the third to close out the match in straight sets.
Nadal, who turns 35 on Thursday, will hope to mark the occasion with a victory against his friend-cum-foe Richard Gasquet, which would improve his record on the Parisian clay to 102-2.
Gasquet made light work of compatriot Hugo Gaston in the opening round. Gaston, who produced a stunning run to the round of 16 last year, had no answer to Gasquet's experience and versatility and only managed to win seven games in the match.
Gasquet, 34, hasn't been past the second round at a Grand Slam since 2019. And given who he faces in the next round, the former World No. 7 would require nothing short of a miracle to break that streak.
Rafael Nadal vs Richard Gasquet head-to-head
Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet share one of the most one-sided rivalries in tennis history; Nadal has never lost to Gasquet in 16 meetings on the senior circuit.
The Spaniard thus leads his French rival 16-0 in their head-to-head.
The pair's most recent meeting came at Roland Garros in 2018 when Nadal cruised to victory for the loss of just seven games. The 20-time Major winner has also won 26 consecutive sets against his second-round opponent, with Gasquet last winning a set in 2008.
Rafael Nadal vs Richard Gasquet prediction
Calling the result of any match involving Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros is perhaps the simplest task in the business. The Spaniard has a considerable advantage in this matchup, which is pretty evident from their head-to-head record.
The Spaniard loves attacking single-handed backhands on his beloved clay and although that is Gasquet's strongest shot, it should still crumble in the face of Nadal's raw power.
The Frenchman's biggest undoing is his weak forehand. Very few players in the top 100 of the ATP rankings have a less lethal forehand than Gasquet. On clay, where forehands are expected to dictate proceedings, the 34-year-old is often rendered weaponless.
To say the odds will be heavily stacked against Gasquet is an understatement, but the crowd favorite should be motivated to produce an inspired performance in what could be his last hoorah in front of his home crowd. However, that will simply not be enough against Rafael Nadal on his favourite court.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in straight sets
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