French Open 2025: 38-yr-old Richard Gasquet retires after straight-sets loss to world no.1 Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding performance to beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-0 6-4 at Roland Garros, ending the Frenchman¡¯s career in front of home fans. The world number one needed less than two hours to move into the third round, as Gasquet said goodbye after more than 20 years on tour.
World number 1 tennis player, Jannik Sinner, cruised past French veteran Richard Gasquet in straight sets at Roland Garros on Thursday. The 23-year-old Italian needed just under two hours to win 6-3 6-0 6-4 and reach the third round of the 2025 French Open.
It was a special moment for the 23-year-old, who had also beaten Gasquet in Paris last year. But this time, the stakes were different. The match marked the end of Gasquet¡¯s career, with the 38-year-old announcing earlier that this French Open would be his last tournament.
Richard Gasquet: ¡°I want to thank Jannik for his kindness, for his beautiful words, and for the man he is. I truly hope you have an amazing career ahead of you.¡± ????#RolandGarros #Gasquet #Sinner #MerciRichard #FrenchOpen #TennisRespect #LegendsAndRisingStars #tennis? pic.twitter.com/dvlUs7RaL8
¡ª TennisTime (@Tennistimechat) May 29, 2025
End of an era for 38-year-old Richard Gasquet
Jannik Sinner looked sharp from the start and broke early to take control of the first set. He then stepped up another gear to dominate the second, handing Richard Gasquet a whitewash. The French crowd, loud in the beginning, became quieter as Sinner¡¯s control grew.
Richard Gasquet ????#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/VM3rjOR2A0
¡ª Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2025
The third set saw some resistance from Gasquet, who tried to fight back with his signature backhand, but Sinner broke at 4-4 and served out the win. After the match, the Italian praised Gasquet¡¯s long career and called him a great player and person.
¡°It¡¯s a very special place to play and I¡¯m happy to reach the third round,¡± Sinner said. ¡°We played last year too, but now it¡¯s his moment. Congratulations to Richard on an amazing career.¡±
Gasquet¡¯s journey began in 2002 when he made his French Open debut. Sinner, at that time, was just a year old. Over the years, the Frenchman won 16 singles titles and thrilled fans with his stylish game.
This result means Sinner will now face Jiri Lehecka in the next round as he continues his push for a first Grand Slam title. For Gasquet, it was an emotional end, but a proud one, as he walked off to applause from the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd.