“It’s a huge regret for me not to have beaten him” – Gasquet on Nadal

The French veteran was the guest of the Super Moscato Show on RMC radio on Monday

Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet during the 2022 US Open Image Credit: Adam Hunger/AP/SIPA

December 17, 2024

Richard Gasquet will play the last season of his career in 2025. The 38-year-old Frenchman, who will end his career at Roland-Garros in May, was the guest of the Super Moscato Show on RMC on Monday, where he was asked about his rivalry with his Spain’s Rafael Nadal.

Both born in 1986, the two men faced each other 18 times on the ATP Tour, with the Spanish player winning all 18 of their clashes. Gasquet only managed to beat Nadal once, during the Petits As tournament in the juniors.

“It’s horrible. I’m not going to tell you a lie by saying that it’s a pleasure. It’s a huge regret for me not to have beaten him. Now he’s gone so I won’t beat him again,” Gasquet said on the show. Nadal recently retired from the game after the defeat of the Spanish team in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup last month.

When you’re an athlete and you’ve never beaten a guy, it hurts.

Still on the Super Moscato Show, Gasquet spoke about his match against Nadal in Monte-Carlo in 2005, where he lost in three sets (6-7, 6-4, 6-3) after causing the Spaniard major problems.

“I knew him since he was young, I wasn’t particularly afraid. I beat him at 13. I thought I could beat him in Monaco. After that I had a hard time, he progressed, there’s no doubt about it. It became difficult. When you’re an athlete and you’ve never beaten a guy, it hurts.”