PARIS — World No. 1 Jannik Sinner despatched Frenchman Richard Gasquet into retirement Thursday with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 hammering within the battle of generations on the French Open to ease into the third spherical.
It was the second time in as a few years in Paris that the 23-year-old Sinner beat native hero Gasquet, who stated he would finish a profession that started over 20 years in the past and yielded 16 tour-level singles titles after his residence Grand Slam.
“It is clearly a really particular place for me to play and towards Richard. We performed final yr too. It’s totally powerful however I am pleased to be within the third spherical,” Sinner stated.
“I feel we’ve relationship off the court docket, we’re completely different generations however it’s his second now. Congratulations in your profession, you gave a lot to followers … you performed in a fantastic period and everybody will keep in mind you.
“You had and superb profession, however you are additionally a tremendous individual.”
The 38-year-old Gasquet, who made his French Open debut in 2002 when high seed Sinner was nonetheless in a crib, drew large roars from the Courtroom Philippe Chatrier crowd when he unleashed his single-handed backhand on the Italian early within the match.
Followers have been barely extra subdued when Sinner raced forward 4-1 and gained the opening set, earlier than they have been virtually silenced when he dished out a bagel within the subsequent set to depart Gasquet with a mountain to climb.
Sinner confronted extra resistance within the first eight video games of the subsequent set as Gasquet mounted an unlikely comeback try, however he broke for a 5-4 lead and promptly closed out the match.
