Berdych vs Gasquet, which has more talent and had more potential
 

Between Berdych and Gasquet it seems Berdych is the one who will end up having the better career. This could change, but seems unlikely to at this point. Which one though had more talent and more potential.

Berdych, Gasquet never had a good forehand or movement and only a decent serve. Talented player but he would never win majors with his skill set. Berdych on the other hand has all the shots and moves very well for a tall man (only Monfils moves better). Berdych is probably in the top 10 on tour in serve, forehand, AND backhand. Lethal shots from all sides, but has a **** poor attitude and is mentally weak.

yeah, berdych is the more complete player. and all though gasquet can be pretty quick defensively, i'll agree that berdych is the better mover. his movement and footwork when aggressive are very good, very precise, and is impressive for a big man.

it's hard to say who has or had more potential however. i also think there are different kinds of potential relative to tennis and it depends on how one perceives potential. i think berdych has more potential to have better results. but as an athlete, one can argue berdych has less potential now since he's already a complete, well developed player. and one can see gasquet making strides to reach his potential and could argue that he has yet to reach it since he still has flaws in his improving game, giving him more room for improvement and more potential.

I went with the last option. If you look at Gasquet's game in comparison to Berdych you would probably say he has more natural talent, but Berdych has the power for the modern game.

I think in the context of todays game Berdych had more potential hands down. I actually think Berdych's career as it is, and he still underachieved thus far, is more than what Gasquet had the potential for to be honest. In talent I am not sure as talent, talent is much closer than potential in the modern game. Gasquet would be a better player in the wood racquet era than he is today.

Berdych has more power on serve,FH,backhand. He moves very quick too.

I don't think Gasquet has potential to reach QF of a slam, while Berdych can reach SF at any slam.

If Berdych stays very strong mentally, I would also see him in the final of AO next week.

Berdych has beaten Federer 2x in a slam, that automatically makes him better then Gasquet.

Yes.

Berdych has (and will) achieve more in the modern game.

Gasquet has great feel and touch but failed to develop even a top 30 level forehand. There's no way he can win big events with such a glaring weakness in the most important aspect of the modern game.

Berdych has one of the best forehands and one of the best backhands on tour. He's an amazingly clean ball striker on both wings, kind of like a more powerful Agassi with a huge serve. IMO he should have won several majors at least. It's no contest who is more talented IMO, especially for the purposes of the modern game.

We're looking at a new & improved Gasquet now. Piatti has encouraged him to fight and even win when he's not playing his best. Gone are the days of just being like a circus performer with the amazing backhand. He CAN rip the forehand. Esp. on returns. Don't misunderstand, Birdman is a powerful striker but he can get mentally thrown.

Gasquet has wins over all the top guys. I think it's finally coming together for him.

Gasquet is kinda like Verdasco on the serve in that they both can serve 130 but rarely go for it for some reason.

I agree with you that Gasquet has looked very good so far in 2013. The offseason must have been good for him. He proved he was more fit than Davydenko in the Doha final and his forehand has been looking better as well. Hopefully he can continue this vein of form and continue to improve his forehand, because he IS a very talented player.

Let's hope so. The tour needs some new winners.
Gasquet also finished up 2012 with a couple of smallish tourney wins.
Gasquet leads the H2H 4-2 if you believe in that sort of thing.

I think the 3rd option states it perfectly. Richie's fans blame him for a lot of his shortcomings (justifiably so, imo), but it's not his fault he was born at the wrong time for players with his playstyle.

Gasquet's strokes wouldn't even be possible with wooden racquets though. He has played a heavy topspin grinding game way behind the baseline for years now. His strokes are incredibly wristy and have a lot of action on them both forehand and backhand. With a wooden racquet that is shank city.

I understand. I don't think present conditions are what Gasquet really wants though. I think the grinding, 20-feet-behind-the-baseline style that Gasquet has adopted comes from having to adapt to slow conditions, not because he wants to play that way.

There's a reason people in and around the game firsthand give Gasquet more credit than the keyboard jockeys around here do. They've observed his talent and attempts to adapt for several years. I think it was on the eve of the AO in 2011 when Djokovic said that he thought Gasquet was the most talented player of his generation. I think Djokovic is mistaken, but it speaks volumes about the amount of talent Gasquet has that Djokovic could draw that conclusion.

It is very unfortunate for talented Gasquet to play in this era of baseline griding on mud slow era.

He could have been great potential on classic slippery grass courts, pre-2001, and quick US Open pre 2003.

Berdych should have won a few slams by now.. Hes kind of a modern day Safin in some ways.. He just can't put together a high enough level of tennis for 6-7 rounds at the slams

I'm not sure if his strokes are that wristy.
Only thing is his forehand due to his continental-ish grip a la Edberg's forehand.
You need that wrist action for forehand with continental grip.

he's also known to get mentally down on himself or choke big moments away against anyone but federer

i dont think you're right in that regard