Rafael Nadal pens foreword for Richard Gasquet's memoir, hails the Frenchman for cultivating "a classic style of tennis"
Richard Gasquet recently released his autobiography, which contains a foreword written by his rival and good friend Rafael Nadal.
The Frenchman's autobiography is called 'À Revers Et Contres Tout' (Against All Odds) and was published by Stock. In the foreword, Nadal paid tribute to Gasquet, saying he was "amazed" by the way the Frenchman achieved so much success despite his "old-fashioned" style of play.
Nadal went on to hail Gasquet for cultivating a classic style of play that most players avoided.
"What has always amazed me most about Richard Gasquet is his old-fashioned style. I like his game because he really knows how to play tennis. And believe me: it has nothing to do with just hitting a ball and trying to win the point," Nadal wrote.
"In modern tennis all players try to hit winning strokes regardless of their position. Richard, on the other hand, cultivates a classic style of tennis. He can go up to the net, slice, lift, or conversely wait to distribute the right shot. In short, Richard knows how to build a point on any surface."
Following the launch of the book, Gasquet thanked Nadal for his kind words.
"Happy to introduce you to my book! Thanks to Stock. Thanks to Rafael Nadal for his preface which touched me a lot," the Frenchman said.
Gasquet and Nadal have faced off on 17 occasions, with the Spaniard winning every one of those matches.
Rafael Nadal is currently competing at the French Open
Rafael Nadal is currently in Paris for the French Open. The Spaniard, who is eyeing a record-extending 14th title at Roland Garros, defeated Jordan Thompson and Corentin Moutet in straight sets to advance to the third round.
The Spaniard will take on Botic van de Zandschulp for a spot in the second week. Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic have been placed in the same half of the draw and are projected to meet in the quarterfinals.
The two squared off in the semifinals in Paris last year, with the Serb winning in four sets. In the process, Djokovic became the first player to defeat Nadal twice at Roland Garros.