Richard Gasquet had seen this movie before. All too recently, as a matter of fact.
At this year’s French Open, the Frenchman had taken a two-set lead over Stanislas Wawrinka, only to see him come roaring back to win, taking the fifth and deciding set 8-6.
Wednesday, he took a two-set lead over David Ferrer, but just like Wawrinka, Ferrer came storming back, taking the match to a fifth set.
The end appeared inevitable. Gasquet, who had zero momentum, would go away, while the persistent Ferrer would finish the comeback and advance to the semifinals.
This time, however, the script was re-written, as Gasquet outlasted Ferrer 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 in 3 hours and 23 minutes to advance to his second career Grand Slam semifinal and his first since Wimbledon 2007.
Gasquet — who will face Rafael Nadal, an easy 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 winner over Tommy Robredo — also became the first Frenchman to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals since Cedric Pioline in 1999.
“I’m really happy to win, especially in five sets in a quarterfinal on the center court,” he said. “It’s a big victory for me.”
Having squandered the two-set lead, Gasquet still managed to start the deciding set strong, saving a break point at 1-all and getting a break in the sixth game of the set when Ferrer double-faulted on double break point.
Up 4-2, Gasquet slammed the door, holding his final two service games without facing a break point to complete the victory.
Gasquet credited his improved fitness for being able to tough out his second consecutive five-set match, after outlasting Milos Raonic on Monday.
“I think I work a lot physically,” he said. “[I] played 4 hours and 30 minutes against Raonic, but I knew I could play another big match. I was feeling not so tired this morning.”
“He played a very good [match],” Ferrer said. “He was good with his backhand and he served very [well] in important moments. Maybe in the first and second sets, I didn’t play so [well]. I was a little bit tired. I tried to do my best. I [fought] until the last ball, but in the fifth set, when he [broke], I played a very bad game, with three [errors].”
Early on, it was Gasquet who could do no wrong, as he saved two break points in the first game of the match and then went on to break Ferrer to take a 3-1 lead. He then consolidated the break for 4-1 and served out the set at love to take the first, 6-3.
Gasquet continued to fire on all cylinders in the second set, spotting Ferrer the first game and then winning the final six to take the set, 6-1.
Just one set from the victory, the moment began to get to Gasquet. He started off the third set inauspiciously, dropping his serve at love to give Ferrer his first break of the match. Ferrer made that advantage stand up, winning the third set 6-4.
Gasquet held to open the fourth set, but it wasn’t long before Ferrer was able to break, as he took a 3-1 lead. Gasquet battled his way back into the set, earning three break points in a marathon sixth game of the set that took 13 minutes. However, he couldn’t get back on serve, and Ferrer broke in the subsequent service game and held to take the fourth, 6-2.