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Match details
Fixture: Richard Gasquet vs. Vasek Pospisil
Date: 13 November 2020
Tournament: Sofia Open 2020
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
Category: ATP 250 Series
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €325,615
Match timing: Not before 6 pm local time, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel
Richard Gasquet vs Vasek Pospisil preview
Richard Gasquet has registered three wins on the trot for the first time in 2020, having defeated Salvatore Caruso in the Sofia Open quarterfinals on Thursday. His reward is a semifinal showdown against the big-hitting Vasek Pospisil on Friday.
Gasquet's run in Sofia has been thoroughly impressive so far; the Frenchman has won all of his matches in straight sets. He has been producing serving masterclasses all week, having been broken just twice in the tournament.
The 34-year-old has found some much-needed form towards the closing stages of the 2020 season. Now, he is just one win away from making his first final appearance since July 2018, where he reached the Swedish Open title match.
That said, Gasquet is yet to face a player of Vasek Pospisil’s quality this week. The Canadian has a strong reputation on indoor hardcourts, and he has been living up to that so far in Sofia.
Pospisil inflicted a crushing 6-3, 6-2 defeat upon the newly crowned Astana champion John Millman on Thursday. Despite being a well-rounded and experienced player himself, the Australian was left flat-footed by Pospisil’s monstrous power and shot-making range.
Pospisil’s form has been patchy this European hardcourt swing, but he has a few outstanding performances under his belt. He will be hoping to produce another one against Gasquet on Friday and make his second final of 2020.
Richard Gasquet vs Vasek Pospisil head-to-head
Vasek Pospisil leads Richard Gasquet 3-2 in the head-to-head, with all of their matches taking place on hardcourt.
Richard Gasquet vs Vasek Pospisil prediction
Richard Gasquet likes to play the role of the aggressor in his matches, but that would be a tall order against the power that Vasek Pospisil possesses. The Canadian’s groundstrokes have been finding a lot of penetration lately, which has made it very difficult for his opponents to put him on the backfoot.
Both players have been quite prolific on serve this week, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we see a tiebreaker or two.
For Gasquet to get the upper hand in the rallies, he would need to take the ball early to try and throw Pospisil off his rhythm. The backhand slice could also prove to be handy for the Frenchman in that pursuit.
This match is a tough one to call, but Pospisil might hold the edge due to the sheer amount of power that he generates.
Prediction: Vasek Pospisil to win in three sets.
