Paris: Richard Gasquet may have lost a dramatic five setter to Andy Murray, but the Frenchman showed at the French Open on Monday enough glimpses of his brilliant best to suggest he is heading back into the game's top 10.
Gasquet egged on the Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd with an ebullient display, in stark contrast to his subdued demeanour last month in a second-round drubbing at the hands of Czech Tomas Berdych in Monte Carlo.
The Frenchman, who was briefly suspended last year after testing positive for cocaine, has struggled to regain his form since returning to the tour last August and his confidence hit rock bottom in the posh principality.
He sprung back to life however, winning 10 successive matches on clay with titles in the Bordeaux second tier tournament and the Nice Open last Saturday, and pushing Briton Murray to the limit on Monday.
"I'm proud. I made it back one year down the road, and I'm at a good level. So I'm happy to be back. It's important," Gasquet told reporters after his 4-6 6-7 6-4 6-2 6-1 defeat.
Tests positive
Gasquet was suspended last May at the Sony Ericsson Open in Florida after testing positive for cocaine but was later cleared of any wrongdoing after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that he had been inadvertently contaminated by kissing a woman in a nightclub.
"I played far better all along the year, even better than in 2008 and 2009. I think I play better now," he said.
"So I think I played my best level, but I need to continue playing more matches. That's the only way you can get your tennis back."