Bangkok, Thailand (Sports Network) - Richard Gasquet claimed his first title
in more than two years with a straight-set rout of fellow Frenchman Gilles
Simon in the final of the Thailand Open.
Gasquet needed a mere 68 minutes to earn a 6-2, 6-1 victory on Sunday,
capturing his first ATP crown since winning in Nice in May 2010. It was also
his seventh career title.
Simon started with a break of serve, but Gasquet broke back in the very next
game and added two more breaks in the first set. Gasquet then won the final
five games of the match to complete the dominant triumph, beating his
countryman for the sixth time in as many lifetime meetings.
Gasquet improved to 7-10 all-time in finals, including 1-2 this year. He had
lost to Juan Martin del Potro at Estoril in May and fell to Novak Djokovic in
Toronto in August.
Simon, the 2009 Bangkok champ, lost in a final for just the third time in 13
tries. He won his lone previous title match this year, beating Fabio Fognini
for the Bucharest crown back in April.
Gasquet picked up a first prize of $99,465.
The Sports Network