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  • Gasquet kicks off clay season against Vliegen

    4/23/08 6:31 AM | Jonathan Morgan
    - One of only two French players left in the draw in the French speaking Monte Carlo tournameny, Gasquet will surely get crowd support this week.

    Richard Gasquet vs. Kristof Vliegen

    Gasquet should be salivating at such an opportunity to play Vliegen. Why? Gasquet is ranked about 90 spots above Vliegen, but it was the Belgian who knocked Richard out of the French Open last year in the first round in straight sets. Gasquet should be out for blood on a big stage here. Sure, Gasquet beat him in Gstaad, a clay tournament in Switzerland after Wimbledon, and in straight sets, but that was a much smaller stage than here. Richard will look to take advantage of his baseline proficiency over Vliegen. Kristof's serve is quite good and Gasquet will need to keep that in play to even get to the rallies. Vliegen's recent results have been dreadful and Richard should have no problem getting the win here.

    Andreas Seppi vs. Sam Querrey

    WHAT?!?!? An American playing Monte Carlo?!?!? After last year when there was not a single American in the Monte Carlo draw, and Roddick and Blake skipping the event once again this year, Querrey has taken the initiative to head on over to Europe and play on the clay like a real man. He took out Moya in the first round, a good quality scalp and will look to do the same against Seppi, who beat Calleri in the first round. Seppi of course will have the upper hand here and should win this, but Querrey's willingness to actually go to Europe and play on clay (he also played in Estoril last year, beating Luis Horna) is commendable.

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