Schwartzman into final round of qualifying as Gasquet bids farewell to US Open
Schwartzman upsets top seed in qualifying Thiago Agustín Tirante in straight sets
Former top 10 players Diego Schwartzman and Richard Gasquet met with contrasting fortunes in the second round of US Open qualifying on Wednesday.
Schwartzman, aged 32 and now ranked No 246 in the world, upset fellow Argentine and top seed in qualifying, Thiago Agustín Tirante 7-5, 6-4 to move into the third and final round of qualifying for the last Grand Slam of the season.
The former world No 8, a two-time quarter-finalist in New York, will next face Lithuania’s Vilius Gaubas for a spot in the main draw. If Schwartzman were to qualify, it will be his first Grand Slam main draw appearance since the US Open last year and his 11th in a row at Flushing Meadows.
However, France’s Richard Gasquet, a semi-finalist here in 2013, was defeated in the second round by Gaubas 6-2, 6-4. The Frenchman was hoping to make his 20th successive appearance in the US Open main draw.
Following his loss, Gasquet, who is likely playing at Flushing Meadows for the final time in his career, was felicitated by tournament organizers during an on-court ceremony.
Another former top 10 player, Lucas Pouille, also moved into the final round of qualifying with a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (14-12) win over fellow Frenchman Harold Mayot. Aslan Karatsev, former world No 14, was another notable name to win on Thursday, scoring a 6-0, 6-3 win over Australia’s Marc Polmans.