Age is just a number! The 37-year-old Richard Gasquet is still going strong on the ATP Tour. The Frenchman recently clinched a hard-fought victory in the first round of the 2024 French Open against Croatia’s Borna Ćorić. He is now all set to face the world number 2, Jannik Sinner in the second round. Gasquet made his debut in the main draw of the French Open in 2002, before Jannik Sinner’s first birthday. He has now become an icon in French tennis! But who’s that man who puts the oil in this well-oiled machine?

His name is Julien Cassaigne, a former professional tennis player. After having stints with Éric Deblicker, Thierry Ascione, Fabrice Santoro, Thierry Tulasne, and three others, Gasquet brought Julien Cassaigne to his team in 2020. Cassaigne is his compatriot and has known him for more than two decades. During his tenure as a tennis player, the 42-year-old coach reached a career-high 385th in the men’s singles ranking in 2003. But he stopped playing the following year, getting into sponsorships and eventually becoming an agent.

During his tenure as an agent, he has also represented the likes of the former world number one in women’s tennis, Caroline Wozniacki. Lagardere Sports and Entertainment appointed him to head up the agency’s tennis business in the wake of the departure of another renowned agent, John Tobias. Having reported directly to Arnaud Lagardere since he joined the company, Julien Cassaigne enjoyed a close relationship with the group’s owner. Hence, he was given the opportunity to represent a tennis icon like Caroline Wozniacki. 

Cassaigne is also a close friend of Andy Roddick and the Williams sisters. Besides coaching Richard Gasquet, he is also his agent. He is in fact a big fan of Gasquet. But what’s his exact role in Gasquet’s team as a coach?

Richard Gasquet’s coach elaborates on his simple role in the former world number 7’s extraordinary career

Once during an interview, Richard Gasquet’s coach, Julien Cassaigne was asked to reflect a bit on his role in Gasquet’s team. To this he replied simply, “I try to give him confidence, to remind him of everything he has achieved and what he can still do.” Cassaigne believes Gasquet can make more winning moves with his one-handed backhand than most of the players on the Tour. With his backhand, the 42-year-old coach believes Richard Gasquet “can do anything.“

He revealed how Gasquet used to play with 45-year-old men when he was just 10-12 years old. Cassaigne believes that’s something that has helped his player learn how to play against any kind of game, any ball and his ball control got better day by day. Julien Cassaigne has also said that Gasquet’s passion for the game is quite unwavering. He is still hungry to win. The 37-year-old Frenchman is a popular figure in the tennis world, he even has a good bond with Rafael Nadal!