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Roland Garros: Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020

Roberto Bautista Agut
Roberto Bautista Agut

Match details

Fixture: Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet

Date: 29 September 2020

Tournament: Roland Garros 2020

Round: First Round (Round of 128)

Venue: Paris, France

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000

Match timing: Approx. 4 pm CEST, 7.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - NBC Sport / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Also check out: The Complete French Open 2020 Results

Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet preview

Richard Gasquet lost to eventual finalist Andy Murray in the 2016 quarterfinals
Richard Gasquet lost to eventual finalist Andy Murray in the 2016 quarterfinals

World No. 11 Roberto Bautista Agut will be looking to make a strong start to his Paris campaign, but might face some resistance from veteran Richard Gasquet in his first-round match on Tuesday.

The Spaniard didn't play the Italian Open last week, opting out of the Masters 1000 tournament to give himself some rest. During the hardcourt swing Bautista Agut had been impressive in his run to the semifinals at the Cincinnati Masters, but had exited early at the US Open to unseeded Vasek Pospisil.

The 32-year-old then had a fine week in Hamburg, where he lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Andrey Rublev.

Bautista Agut's next opponent, the 34-year-old Richard Gasquet, will likely give offer a stern test on the terre battue, despite being past his peak years.

Gasquet underwent a groin surgery last year, and has struggled to get match wins under his belt since then. Compromised physically, the Frenchman still managed to take the match to his younger opponent Alex de Minaur at the 2020 US Open, before eventually losing in four sets.

The former World No. 7 had reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in 2016. And while clay is not his best surface, his deadly top-spin backhand helps him dominate quite a few of the rallies on the surface.

Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet head-to-head

Roberto Bautista Agut leads Richard Gasquet by a margin of 6-2 in the head-to-head. Their most recent encounter came at the Cincinnati Masters, where Bautista Agut beat Gasquet in straight sets.

Interestingly, the pair's match at Roland Garros will be their first on clay.

Roberto Bautista Agut vs Richard Gasquet prediction

Roberto Bautista Agut hits a forehand
Roberto Bautista Agut hits a forehand

Roberto Bautista Agut has been producing some strong results lately with a more aggressive game, where he uses his forehand to play from a more assertive position in the court. But the Spaniard has never been able to find much success on clay, presumably because his groundstrokes don't generate enough pace on slower surfaces.

Richard Gasquet has not made many inroads on clay either, but the Frenchman is solid from the baseline. Gasquet has accurate groundstrokes and a good kick serve, both of which can trouble Bautista Agut.

Still, the Spaniard has a physical edge over his older opponent, so he is likely to triumph on Tuesday - especially if the match goes long.

Prediction: Roberto Bautista Agut to win in four sets.


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