Roger Federer’s bid for a record sixth US Open crown remains right on track after defeating John Isner in the fourth round on Monday. The 17-time Grand Slam champion will look to book a place in the semifinals this coming Wednesday when he takes on the ever-dangerous Richard Gasquet.
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this last-eight clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the men’s quarterfinal matchup between Stan Wawrinka and Kevin Anderson.
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Roger Federer vs. Richard Gasquet Betting Preview
Where: Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows, New York
Roger Federer secured his 11th US Open quarterfinal with an impressive 7-6 (0), 7-6 (6), 7-5 win over John Isner on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a fantastic performance from the Swiss maestro, who needed two hours and 39 minutes to record the straight-sets win.
[sc:Other240banner ]Federer, who improved to 5-1 against Isner, blasted 55 winners and committed just 16 unforced errors. What proved to be the difference in the contest, though, was his excellent serve. Federer won 83 percent of his first serve points on Monday. He also managed to win 72 percent of his second serve points against Isner.
Next up for Federer is a last-eight clash with Richard Gasquet. The 34-year-old will fancy his chances against the 12th-seeded Frenchman, as he has won 14 of his 16 previous matches against Gasquet. Federer won their most recent meeting in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships last February, with Gasquet retiring in the second set of that match because of a back injury.
For Federer to extend his dominance against Gasquet, he needs to bring his aggressive style and continue his strong net play in the quarterfinals. He won 14 of his 21 net points against Isner in the previous round. Federer has won 67 percent (65-of-97) of his total net points in the entire tournament thus far.
Richard Gasquet barged into the quarterfinals of the US Open with a remarkable 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win over Tomas Berdych on Monday. It was a battling performance from the 30-year-old, who needed two hours and 24 minutes to record the four-set victory.
Key to Gasquet’s victory was his excellent return. Gasquet won 40 percent of his receiving points against the Czech star, with the Frenchman converting five of his 10 break point opportunities. He also found some success in his occasional forays to the net, winning all nine of his points there. With the victory, Gasquet is through to the last eight of the US Open for just the second time in his career.
Things are bound to get tougher for Gasquet, though, as standing in his way in the next round is the five-time US Open champion Roger Federer. He is 2-14 lifetime against Federer and has lost his last six matches against the second seed. This will be the first meeting, though, between the two stars here in the US Open.
For Gasquet to record a massive upset against Federer, he needs to continue his highly-efficient play. He committed just 26 unforced errors in the win against Berdych. He also uncorked 36 winners in this particular fourth-round match. Gasquet has recorded an average of 41.3 winners in this year’s US Open thus far.
Gasquet is 8-2 in his last 10 matches.
Writer’s Prediction
Federer (-1,000) defeats Gasquet in straight sets.
