Richard Gasquet to See Huge Ranking Drop as Andy Murray Defeats Him at Cincinnati Open 2021 R1

Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray got off to a winning start at the Cincinnati Open 2021. He upset World No.66 Richard Gasquet in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes.

While it is good news in the Murray box, things do not look pleasing for the Frenchman. Apparently, Gasquet was defending his 2019 semifinals points in Cincinnati and will drop all of them. As a result, he will fall below the ATP Top 80 Rankings for the first time in 11 years.

Although Gasquet put on a good fight, the Scot came up with a undefeatable plan and executed it thoroughly. In essence, Murray served well and got one crucial break in each set to confirm his place in the second round.

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Andy Murray stuns Richard Gasquet in Cincinnati opener

From the first swing of the match, Murray took complete control of the match’s tempo. Indeed, it was a surprise to see him moving freely on the court and picking his shots.

On the other side of the court, the former World No.7 had hefty ranking points to defend against Murray. And although he played exceptionally good tennis, Gasquet could not cross the edge of the line. Interestingly, the Brit completed his 2019 revenge over the Frenchman.

Consequently, Murray booked only his fifth ATP main draw win of the 2021 season. As per the draw, he would go on to meet either Hubert Hurkacz or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round.

For Gasquet, it is time to relook at the strategy going into big tournaments. Since the US Open 2021 is less than two weeks away, he would want to try and restore his loss there.

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What are Murray’s chances in Cincinnati Open 2021?

Given the absence of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, the player’s field is open for favorites in Cincinnati. However, the challenge is still alive for each contestant to continue their form and take home the Western and Southern Open title.

As for Murray, the challenge would be to retain his momentum throughout the event. But above all, he would be eyeing a strong buildup going into the US Open 2021.

Unquestionably, a matchup against the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexander Zverev would give Murray the much-need understanding of where his game. But for that, he would need to keep going as he went against Gasquet in the opening round.

Do you think Murray can go deep in Cincinnati?

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