SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale


By Erik Gudris | Saturday, August 2, 2014

 
Vasek Pospisil

Vasek Pospisil won in three sets over Richard Gasquet to reach the Citi Open finals.

Photo Credit: Christopher Levy

In a high quality match filled with plenty of plot twists, Canada's Vasek Pospisil defeated Richard Gasquet in the Citi Open semifinals.

As a result, Sunday will feature a first time all-Canadian ATP final in the Open Era as Pospisil faces off against countryman Milos Raonic.

ATP: Raonic Denies Young to Reach Citi Open Final

Pospisil entered the semi having finished his quarterfinal against Santiago Giraldo earlier in the day due to that match having been suspended Friday night due to rain. Pospisil won 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4.

Nothing separated either Gasquet or Pospisil in the opening set that wound its way into a tiebreak. While the Canadian often found success with his forehand, he also created errors with it as well. That included sending one long to hand Gasquet a set point.

Gasquet threw down a big serve to seal the tense set 7-6(5).

Pospisil kept going for his forehand and soon held several early break points versus Gasquet in the second set. On a third break point chance, Pospisil took an awkward slide chasing down a Gasquet drop shot. Losing the point, Pospisil cracked his racquet earning a warning. But Gasquet would eventually commit a forehand error giving Pospisil the first break of the night.

From there, Pospisil held onto control of the set. Yet another Gasquet forehand error gave Pospisil the set 6-3.

Momentum would shift again to the Frenchman's side early in the final set. With Pospisil often finding success up at net, that left Gasquet responsible for finding openings with his passing shot.

Gasquet, holding a break point, ripped a screaming backhand pass that sent Pospisil's racquet flying out of his hand. Gasquet would later hold for 3-0 and looked poised to perhaps finish off the match.

Yet Gasquet would play a poor fourth game throwing in a double fault while down 0-40. With that, Pospisil found himself back on serve for 3-2. The tension mounted from there as each man took care of his serve despite facing stiff challenges from the other. That changed at 5-all when Pospisil cracked a ball just out of Gasquet's reach causing an error. Pospisil converted on the break point with a fine forehand pass for 6-5.

Not wasting anytime, Pospisil fired in two aces en route to triple match point. Gasquet sent a final forehand long giving Pospisil at last a chance to celebrate the 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5 victory.

D.C. is now the first career singles final for Pospisil who is still fresh off winning the Wimbledon men's doubles title with Jack Sock.

Pospisil now finds himself facing Raonic with the winner walking away with their first ATP title of the season. While Pospisil knows he goes in as the underdog, he plans to take his chances against "the best server in the game."

The No. 2 Canadian reflected on their memorable semifinal in Montreal last year that Raonic won in three sets.

"It was a big stage last year. It's a big stage here even though we aren't in Canada. I'm the underdog. I have nothing to lose. I'm just going to go out there and give it my best."

 

Latest News