Gasquet looks to push on | Thebigtip

At the age of nine Richard Gasquet was tipped as a player who would go on and dominate the game in the same manner that Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras have in the modern era, however, since then, the Frenchman has failed to live up to the early promise associated to him when he first broke into the tour.

Gasquet is currently preparing for his first competitive action of the new season in the Hopman Cup where he will partner fellow compatriot Marion Bartoli for France in the mixed teams’ event in Australia. Those looking at the best internet tennis betting should remember this.

In 2007 Gasquet rose to number seven in the world and reached his first Grand Slam semi-final appearance at Wimbledon in the same year where he was defeated by Roger Federer.

Gasquet and Bartoli will open up their account in the Hopman Cup on New Year’s Eve when they take on China, who include French Open Champion Li Na in their line-up.

There are eight nations taking part in Perth where in which singles and mixed doubles matches take place. Gasquet will take on W Dix who is 400 places below him in the world rankings in his singles tie and is expected to be relied on to add a point to his country’s total against his unproven opponent.

There is no Great Britain this year in the event in the southern hemisphere. In the past Andy Murray and Laura Robson has opted to play in the opening tournament of the season as a pairing but chose against it this time to concentrate on singles action on the ATP and WTA tours.

The USA do return though this year with the partnership of Mardy Fish and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.