Bikash Mohapatra

Mumbai: He is been a star ever since he was nine — when he was featured of the cover of the French Tennis Magazine.

Life has never been the same for Richard Gasquet. One accolade has followed the other. Sample some. He was a top ranked player in the junior circuit. In 2002, at 15 years, 10 months, he became the youngest player in almost 14 years to win an ATP Tour match when he beat Argentine Franco Squillari in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

The same year he became only the second youngest player ever to play a major when he competed in the main draw of the French Open. And a commentator called him “naturally more talented than Federer.”

But life hasn’t been all rosy for Gasquet, now 21. Success has come to him but not in the manner either he or his supporters could have expected.

His wins have been sporadic, to mention the right word. And big time success is still eluding him.

Gasquet doesn’t deny the same.

“At nine, I was really young and since a lot of people knew me, it was very difficult for me. The pressure affected my performance,” he says.

“But now I am 21, still under a lot of pressure but with a lot of experience.

I can’t complain now nor do I have a problem with it.” With four titles on three surfaces — besides the outdoor hard — Gasquet is under a certain amount of pressure in this tournament, where he happens to be the top seed.

“It will be tough for me. I’ll be under a lot of pressure from good players like Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis but I’d definitely want to win this. Besides I’ve never won on hardcourt,” he says. This year has been difficult for the young Frenchman vis-à-vis the last year, but Gasquet also self-admittedly, had his best moment of his career this fall.

“My semi-final in Wimbledon this year. I beat Roddick and played Federer in the Centre Court and that is my best memory,” he says.

On Federer, whom he managed to beat in their maiden meeting and lost the next six, he said: “It is definitely difficult to play Roger. I beat him two years ago in Monte Carlo. But I know I have to progress a lot,” he says. “In two years I’m sure I can beat Federer,” Gasquet signs off.