French Open: Andy Murray plays Richard Gasquet in quarter-finals

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Andy Murray and coach Jamie Delgado at the French OpenImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Andy Murray (left) and coach Jamie Delgado were spotted checking conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier on Tuesday before the match was eventually postponed

Murray v Gasquet - French Open quarter-final

Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June

Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app.

Andy Murray will meet Richard Gasquet in the French Open quarter-finals on Wednesday after the weather in France finally relented.

The match was due to take place on Tuesday but was postponed because of rain in Paris.

The British number one will be on court at 13:00 BST at the earliest, after matches involving Serena Williams (10:00) and Novak Djokovic.

Cloudy, dry weather is forecast after two days of rain.

Monday was the tournament's first washout since 2000, while only two hours of play were possible on Tuesday.

Pressure on the draw

The wet conditions means the fourth round of both the men's and women's draw - which organisers hoped to complete on Monday - have spilled over to Wednesday.

Top seed Djokovic is 4-1 up in the third set of his last-16 tie, after sharing the first two with Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Defending champion Williams is yet to begin her own match against 18th seed Elina Svitolina.

The bottom half of both draws will have a significantly less busy second week than those in the top.

One of the players contesting Saturday's women's final must play four matches in as many days. However, daily matches are common at women's tour events.

Image source, AP
Image caption,

Monday's washout cost the French Open 2m euros (£1.5m) in ticket refunds, according to tournament director Guy Forget

If Djokovic, Tomas Berdych or David Ferrer advance to the final they will play four matches in five days.

By contrast, Murray and defending champion Stan Wawrinka on the other side of the draw have a route involving playing three over the same period after a two-day rest.

Tournament director Guy Forget said he was not considering pushing the men's final back a day to Monday, 6 June.

"That's looking at the really dark scenario. We're not that bad yet," he said.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

"Murray poked his head through the entrance to Phillipe Chatrier Court a couple of times on Tuesday, but never looked likely to have to go much further given the soggy nature of the day.

"The chance of a Monday final has increased, but is by no means inevitable.

"At Wimbledon 2007, Rafael Nadal finished a third-round match stretching over five days against Robin Soderling on the Wednesday. He then beat Mikhail Youzhny in five sets in the fourth round on the Thursday, won his quarter-final on the Friday and his semi-final on the Saturday - before losing to Roger Federer in the Sunday final."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The quarter-final will be the third time Andy Murray has played Richard Gasquet at the French Open

Murray set for 'difficult' atmosphere

Second seed Murray has beaten Frenchman Gasquet in all of their Grand Slam matches, including twice at Roland Garros.

"I'm pumped to be in the quarters of a Slam. The atmosphere will be tough but I don't mind that," said Murray, 29.

"I've played a number of times against French players here in difficult atmospheres and I managed OK, so I'm sure I'll be fine."

Murray has beaten 29-year-old Gasquet four times in Grand Slam matches, coming from two sets down in a first-round match in Paris in 2010 and from one set behind in their last-16 tie at the same venue in 2012.

Gasquet has also lost twice to Murray at the last-16 stage of Wimbledon.

Gasquet beat fifth seed Kei Nishikori on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open for the first time.

"To beat one of the best players in the world like that was a great feeling for me," Gasquet, ranked 12th in the world, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The most important tournament for me is here in Paris, on the Philippe Chatrier Court with the crowd cheering for me, like they did.

"I was very close to beating Andy in 2008 at Wimbledon when I was serving for the match, but he managed to come back.

"He is number two in the world, and will be clearly the favourite. But I have nothing to lose, and I will do my best to win."

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