AUCKLAND: At the Auckland Classic, rising tennis sensation Arthur Fils secured a decisive victory over French compatriot Richard Gasquet, halting Gasquet’s remarkable streak of more than 18 years within the world’s top 100 rankings.
Fils, a 19-year-old with an impressive serve that delivered nine aces, dominated the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win against the 37-year-old Gasquet. Gasquet, known for his incredible 956 consecutive weeks in the top 100 and a peak at number seven in July 2007, was defending his Auckland title and points from the previous year.
Unfortunately, this loss will see Gasquet’s ranking decline from 76th in the upcoming release of new rankings. Despite the defeat, Fils commended Gasquet’s esteemed career, expressing his delight in sharing the court with the seasoned champion.
Denis Shapovalov, in his first match since Wimbledon the previous year, faced a challenging return, losing to Austria’s Sebastian Ofner.
Meanwhile, other matchups saw Roberto Bautista Agut and Max Purcell securing victories, while top seeds Ben Shelton, Cameron Norrie, Francisco Cerundolo, and Felix Auger-Aliassime received first-round byes.
