Gasquet grows in confidence to meet Open challenge

Gawky, gauche and 16-years-old, Richard Gasquet could easily be mistaken for a ball-boy. But he took a set off Andre Agassi last week and high expectations surround the fresh-faced French teenager as the Australian Open begins here today.

Gasquet, hailed as the latest wunderkind of the men's game, made his ATP debut nine months ago when he beat Italy's Franco Squillari in the first round at Monte Carlo before losing to Marat Safin in the second. At the French Open the following month, playing in his first grand slam event, Gasquet won a set against Albert Costa, who landed the tournament.

Gasquet's precocious talent was acknowledged by Colin Stubs, director of the Kooyong exhibition tournament, who invited him to join the élite eight-man field for last week's traditional Melbourne warm-up for the Australian Open. His performance there, which included victories over Morocco's Younes El Ayanoui and Mark Philippoussis of Australia, augured well for his maiden appearance at Melbourne Park.

"He is by far the most talented and exciting young player I have seen for some time," Stubs said of Gasquet, who will meet Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, the No 25 seed, in the first round of the Open tomorrow after being given a wildcard into the tournament. "Having seen him play a couple of times, I think he's an exceptional talent. He's going to be around for a long time."

The French prodigy was born the year Agassi turned professional, and their match at Kooyong was followed with keen interest. Gasquet, precisely half the age of the world No 2, was initially overawed to find himself on the other side of the net from a man he had watched on television since he was a toddler.

But after losing the first set, he demonstrated one of his gifts, an ability to raise his game by several notches when the occasion demands. At one set and 4-0 down, he unleashed a flurry of powerful groundstrokes to break the American's serve, save three match points and squeeze the encounter into a third set.

Agassi said the teenager, who became ITF junior world champion last year, was like himself at that age. "I was always the kind of player that preferred to take control, to miss the shot rather than play safe," said Agassi. "I got the same feeling from Richard. He was very decisive when he went for his shots and that's always a good sign."

Gasquet, who was born in Béziers in 1986, has the game in his genes. His parents, Francis and Maryse, are tennis coaches and he appeared on the cover of French Tennis magazine at the age of nine, as the youngest Frenchman ever to be given a national ranking.

Touted as the most promising player of his age since Boris Becker, he speaks little English and is plainly ill at ease in the public glare, fidgeting and biting his nails at press conferences. But on court he plays with flair and determination, aided by a formidable single-handed backhand.

Gasquet said he had been a bundle of nerves before the match against Agassi, the biggest encounter of his career. For his part, Agassi shuddered as he recalled himself at 16 – he still burns pictures of himself from that era – but he remembered being similarly intimidated when he lost a quarter-final to John McEnroe in Vermont at the same age.

Agassi, who took the Kooyong title on Saturday, said he had been curious to see what Gasquet's game was like, and paid tribute to his potential. "He has a great game and I think he will see himself getting better every time he steps on the court," predicted Agassi. "He has a lot of weapons, a lot of things he can count on when he is out there, and he's a real good shot-maker. Pointed in the right direction, he can accomplish some great things. He will get bigger, stronger, learn his strengths."

Gasquet said he was entering the Australian Open full of confidence after his performance at Kooyong. "I am very happy," he said.