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Match details
Fixture: Ivo Karlovic vs Richard Gasquet
Date: 1 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 5 PM EDT, 2:30 AM IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar
Ivo Karlovic vs Richard Gasquet preview
Former semifinalist Richard Gasquet opens his campaign at the 2020 US Open against the oldest player in the men's singles draw this year - Ivo Karlovic.
The Frenchman opened his 2020 season at the Montpellier Open where he won two rounds before losing to Vasek Pospisil in the quarterfinals. Following a first-round exit in Marseille, Richard Gasquet reached another quarterfinal - this time in Dubai - where he went down to compatriot Gael Monfils.
That turned out to be his last competitive outing before the COVID-19 outbreak. Richard Gasquet returned to the tour at the Cincinnati Masters where he won a match before losing to eventual semifinalist Roberto Bautista Agut.
Richard Gasquet returns to the US Open after a first-round exit last year. The 34-year-old made the semifinal at the tournament in 2013 and the last eight two years later.
But since then, he has failed to overcome the opening hurdle at Flushing Meadows in three of his next four US Open appearances. Against the big-serving Karlovic, Gasquet has a potential banana skin in his path.
Meanwhile, Ivo Karlovic opened his season with a first-round exit in Doha. At his next stop at the Australian Open, Karlovic became the oldest player in over four decades to win a Grand Slam singles match.
In 15 appearances at the US Open, Karlovic's best showing was a run to the fourth round in 2015. However, the big Croat has fallen in the first round in his last two appearances at the tournament.
Ivo Karlovic vs Richard Gasquet head-to-head
Richard Gasquet has a healthy 5-1 lead in his head-to-head rivalry with Ivo Karlovic. However, the 41-year-old Croat's lone victory over Gasquet came in the pair's only previous meeting at a Grand Slam tournament - the second round at the 2011 US Open.
Ivo Karlovic vs Richard Gasquet prediction
Richard Gasquet (106) is one of a few active players to have won over 100 Grand Slam singles matches. However, in his last 12 Grand Slam appearances, the Frenchman has fallen in the opening round on six occasions, with two of these instances happening at the US Open.
Nevertheless, despite his inconsistent recent form at Majors, the Frenchman should be able to overcome the challenge of Karlovic if he manages to take care of his own serves and break his opponent's.
Prediction: Richard Gasquet to win in four sets.
