By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 6, 2025
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty
Richard Gasquet he bid Oz a grateful farewell.
The 38-year-old Frenchman stopped to sign autographs for fans after he collapsed Duje Ajdukovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in the first round of Australian Open qualifying. This is the last Melbourne match of Gasquet’s career.
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Former world No. 7 Gasquet has 606 career wins, 16 tour-level titles and more than $21 million in prize money in an impressive career. Gasquet announced that he will retire at Roland Garros 2025.
“Thank you for many years of entertaining us in Melbourne and we wish you all the best in your retirement,” the Australian Open posted on its social media channels.
Richard Gasquet’s Australian Open career is coming to an end 👏Thanks for many years of entertaining us in Melbourne and we wish you all the best in retirement 💙 pic.twitter.com/Npf7T9fHhh
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 6, 2025
“I think it’s the best moment for me to do it,” Gasquet told French daily L’Equipe of his planned retirement at Roland Garros. “It’s the best tournament to do that. It’s great, we have the opportunity as French people to be able to stop at these kinds of incredible places.
“One end, it’s always complicated, all the former great players have always told me that it’s not easy to announce. You never know when, how, where. Here, in any case, it’s clear.”
Gasquet’s 606 career match wins are the most by a Frenchman in the Open Era.
