One of the rare players on the ATP Tour with a tennis pedigree, born and raised in a tennis family, best known for his elegant groundstrokes and his one-handed backhand, is thirty-six years old Frenchman, Richard Gasquet.
Richard Gabriel Cyr Gasquet was born on 18th June 1986 in Bezires, France in a family of Serignan and Maryse Gasquet. Both his parents were tennis teachers and ran a local tennis club, which had an influence on Richard, so he started playing tennis at the age of four at the club.
When he was nine, Gasquet was touted as a future champion on the cover of the French Tennis Magazine. The media gave him the nickname “the little Mozart of tennis”. As a junior he had a 44-7 career record and was ranked as no.1 in season 2002.
He deserved that rank by winning Junior Rolland Garros and Junior US Open and reaching the semis at Junior Australian Open in same year. At pro level, Richard won sixteen singles and two doubles ATP titles, bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and reached career high ranking of world no.7.
Aside from tennis, Gasquet loves rugby and is a big fan of his hometown team Bezires. He believes that if he were not a tennis player, he would be a rugby player. Also, he likes football and supports FC Montpellier. Interesting fact is that Richard is close friend with former NBA star Tony Parker.
Who is Richard Gasquet’s coach in 2023?
Julien Cassaigne
Since season 2020, Richard’s coach is his compatriot Julien Cassaigne, with whom he knows for more than twenty years.
Julien Cassaigne was born on 14th January 1982 in France. As a tennis player, he had a career-high ranking of no.385 and the next year he retired.
Then he started working as an agent and among others, he represented the interests of Caroline Wozniacki. He is close friend of Andy Roddick and Sisters Williams. Besides coaching Richard, he is also his agent.
“I try to give him confidence, to remind him of everything he has achieved and what he can still do.” said Julien about his friend.
During season 2021, at Umag Open, Gasquet made his first final in over three years and next season he recorded his 68th participation at a Major. At the start of 2023 at Auckland Open, Richard won his 16th ATP tournament and the first in almost five years, which led him back to the top 50, becoming best ranked French tennis player.
Former Richard Gasquet’s coaches
Eric Deblicker
During his beginnings on the ATP Tour, for almost six years, Gasquet was coached by another Frenchman, Eric Deblicker.
Erick Deblicker was born on 17th April 1952 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. While playing, he was captain of the French Davis Cup team, didn’t win any ATP tournament and had best ranking of no.65. After retirement he coached different French tennis players, such as Sebastien Grosjean, Arnaud Clement and Paul-Henri Mathieu.
As for Gasquet, he coached him to two Futures, seven Challenger and six ATP titles. In that period, Richard won his only Grand Slam title, playing mixed doubles alongside Tatiana Golovin.
“Eric remains my friend and the one who helped me into the top 10.” commented Richard when their split up.
Guillaume Peyre
Then he started collaborating with tennis coach Guillaume Peyre from Team Lagardere.
Guillaume is high level coach who worked with many players on ATP and WTA Tour, such as Nicolas Mahut, Marcos Bagdatis and Sabine Lisicki. He was part of Mouratoglou Academy, Team Lagardere and French Tennis Federation. For almost eight years now, he is working in China where is Head coach of Hubei tennis team.
While coached by Guillaume, Gasquet struggled with form and also was tested positive for cocaine, which led to suspension. After two months he was cleared to return to competitive tennis. He ended collaboration with Guillaume before the end of the season.
Gabriel Markus
For season 2010, he hired a former pro tennis player form Argentina, Gabriel Markus.
Gabriel Markus was born on 31st March 1970 in Buenos Aires. He was clay court specialist who won only one ATP title and had highest ranking of no.36 He participated in two Davis Cup titles for the Argentinian Team.
After retirement he coached David Nalbandian, and was there when he reached the 2002 Wimbledon final. Also, was mentoring Nicolas Massu at the 2004 Athens Olympics where the Chilean won two gold medals.
Under his mentorship, Gasquet returned to form, won one Challenger and one ATP title, played good at other tournaments where he participated, which led him back to top 10 players on the Tour. At the end of the season, they split up.
Riccardo Piatti
Next three seasons, Richard was coached by Italian, Riccardo Piatti.
Riccardo Piatti was born on 8th November 1958 in Como, Italy. He began playing tennis at age of nine at local club in Cernobbio, Lombardy, but he didn’t have any success.
One day the head coach of the club where he trained got injured, Piatti was asked to replace him and that’s how his coaching career started at age of twenty.
At the beginning he trained mostly Italian players such as Omar Camporese, Renzo Furlan and Cristiano Caratti. For short period he was part of Novak Djokovic’s and Maria Sharapova’s team.
Since 1997, for fifteen years he was coaching Ivan Ljubicic, who achived World No.3 ATP ranking. The first year Ivan won two Futures and one Challenger at Besancon, France. He reached his first ATP title in 2001 at Lyon Open. During the next years he won four more ATP titles and two Challengers, and in 2012 decided to retire.
While still coaching Ljubicic, Piatti began to coach Richard Gasquet. Their relationship lasted until November 2013, a period in which Richard won one Challenger and three ATP titles, had significant results at other ATP tournaments as well as at the Grand Slams, managed to improve his ranking and went on to reach the World Tour Finals for the second time in his career.
Sergi Bruguera
For the next four years Gasquet opted for a Spanish coach, Sergi Bruguera.
Sergi Bruguera was born on 16th January 1971 in Barcelona. He won a total of fourteen top-level singles and three doubles titles. His best ATP rank was World no.3.
Sergi is known for inflicting the worst loss in Federer’s career when he defeated him 6-1, 6-1 at 2000 Barcelona Open. After retirement, he founded Bruguera Tennis Academy, where is the managing director. In 2022 he became the coach of Alexander Zverev.
While coaching Gasquet, in the first year the Frenchmen struggled with injuries, but then he came back and won one Challenger and four ATP titles. He also reached his second Grand Slam singles semifinal.
“I really want to thank Sergi for these four incredible years. It was an honor for me to work with such a great champion and great person.” Richard wrote on his Twitter account ate the end of season 2017.
During season 2018, Gasquet was coached by two professionals, Thierry Tulasne and Fabrice Santoro.
Thierry Tulasne
Thierry Tulasne was born on 12th July 1963 in Aix-les-Bains, France. He is a former tennis player who was World no.1 junior in 1980, winning Junior Wimbledon and Orange Bowl during his young days.
As pro, Thierry won five singles titles and reached career-high ATP ranking of World no.10. Also, was member of the French Davis Cup team in 1981, 82, 85, 86 and 1987. Since retirement he has coached players such as Sebastien Grosjean, Raul-Henri Mathieu and Gilles Simon.
Fabrice Santoro
Fabrice Santoro was born on 9th December 1972 in Tahiti, French Polynesia. He was one of a rare of player who plays two-handed on both the forehand and backhand sides.
Won six singles and twenty-four doubles ATP titles, and is two time in a row Australian Open doubles champion. After retirement in 2010, he started coaching and since 2019 is Milos Raonic’s coach.
Both coaches led Gasquet to his 500th career singles win and to another ATP title, this time at Hertogenbosch Open. Their collaboration was short-term, as from season 2019, Richard hired Thierry Ascione.
Thierry Ascione
Thierry Ascione was born 17th January 1981 in Villeurbanne, France. For ten years he played on ATP Tour and reached career-high ranking of World no.81. During his coaching career he was mentor of Elina Svitolina, Jo-Wilfired Tsonga and from season 2021 is coaching Lucas Pouille.
At the start of his collaboration with Gasquet, the Frenchman had hernia surgery and came back on court in April. His best result during that season was Cincinnati semifinal.
Richard Gasquet’s achievements with different coaches
We have collected in the table the data about the trophies won by Richard Gasquet under the guidance of various coaches.
| Coaches | Years of Completion | Titles |
| Julien Cassaigne | 2020 – ongoing | 2023 Auckland Open, ATP |
| Eric Deblicker | 2004 – 2008 | 2008 Sydney Open (doubles), ATP
2007 Mumbai Open, ATP 2006 Lyon Open, ATP 2006 Gstaad Open, ATP 2006 Nottingham Open, ATP 2006 Metz Open (doubles), ATP 2005 Nottingham Open, ATP 2005 Napoli Open, Challenger 2005 Barletta Open, Challenger 2004 Rolland Garros (mixed doubles) 2003 Grenoble Open, Challenger 2003 Reggio Emilia Open, Challenger 2003 Napoli Open, Challenger 2003 Sarajevo Open, Challenger 2002 Montauban Open, Challenger 2002 Germany F4 Futures 2002 Great Britain F3 Futures |
| Guillaume Peyre | 2009 | none |
| Gabriel Markus | 2010 | 2010 Nice Open, ATP
2010 Bordeaux Open, Challenger |
| Riccardo Piatti | 2011 – 2013 | 2013 Moscow Open, ATP’
2013 Montpellier Open, ATP 2013 Doha Open, ATP 2012 Bangkok Open, Challenger |
| Sergi Bruguera | 2014 – 2017 | 2017 Szczecin Open, Challenger
2016 Antwerp Open, ATP 2016 Montpellier Open, ATP 2015 Estoril Open, ATP 2015 Montpellier Open, ATP |
| Thierry Tulasne | 2018 | 2018 Hertogenbosch Open, ATP |
| Fabrice Santoro | 2018 | 2018 Hertogenbosch Open, ATP |
| Thierry Ascione | 2019 | none |
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