Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters – Richard Gasquet receives the first wild card of the tournament
David Massey, Tournament Director, announces the first wild card for the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2025
David Massey, Tournament Director, has unveiled today the first of four wild cards for the main draw of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2025, which will take place from April 5 to April 13, 2025. This wild card has been awarded to Richard Gasquet, who will thus make one final return to the courts where his legend first began to take shape.
Flashback. April 2002. At just 15 years and 10 months old, Richard Gasquet made headlines in Monte-Carlo by winning his very first ATP Tour match against Franco Squillari, a 2000 Roland-Garros semifinalist and then world No. 53. Entering the main draw as a qualifier thanks to an invitation, Gasquet had already defeated two Top 100 players before falling in the second round to Marat Safin, then world No. 6. It was on the Monte-Carlo Country Club clay that the public first discovered his magical backhand and immense talent.
Three years later, in April 2005, exactly twenty years ago, the young French prodigy achieved one of the greatest feats of his career by defeating Roger Federer, the then undisputed world No. 1, in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo tournament. At just 18 years old and ranked No. 101, Gasquet prevailed in an epic match (6-7, 6-2, 7-6), saving three match points before triumphing in an unforgettable tie-break. This stunning victory remains one of the most iconic moments in the tournament’s recent history.
The next day, only a great Rafael Nadal, who would go on to claim his first Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo, managed to stop Gasquet’s run to the final (6-7, 6-4, 6-3). A three-time Grand Slam semifinalist (Wimbledon 2007 and 2015, US Open 2013), a former world No. 7 in 2007, and a 16-time ATP title winner, Richard Gasquet is among the rare players to have competed in over 1,000 matches on the ATP Tour. His elegance on court and legendary backhand have left a lasting impact on generations of tennis fans.
As he embarks on his final season, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters has decided to grant this tour veteran one last dance on the prestigious Monegasque clay—a tribute to his extraordinary career and a chance for the public to celebrate a player whose journey has been defined by talent, passion, and unforgettable achievements.
Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2025: A Must-See ATP Event
A historic tournament on the ATP Masters 1000 circuit, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, presided over by Melanie-Antoinette de Massy, marks the official start of the European clay court season and is played on the prestigious courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
This 118th edition will feature 42 of the world’s top 45 players, including 9 of the ATP Top 10. The tournament will kick off with the official draw ceremony, taking place on Friday, April 4, at 5:00 PM at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, the tournament’s official hotel, in the presence of Stefanos Tsitsipás, three-time champion and defending titleholder.
