Gasquet after the 1st round in Metz: "It would have been hard to lose this match".

A week after bidding farewell to the Paris-Bercy tournament, Richard Gasquet was playing in Metz this evening. The Frenchman emerged victorious from his duel with Thiago Monteiro to win his 606th match on the ATP circuit.

Interviewed after the match, he expressed his satisfaction at getting through this difficult 1st round: "It's the last time I'll play here, so it always feels a bit strange. It would have been hard to lose this match. When you're 6-6 down in the 3rd set, you really want to win.

I'm delighted to be extending my adventure. This is where I played my first ATP final in 2004, and I've had some great memories and great matches in the Metz Arena, so I'm delighted to be able to come back and, above all, win."