Video of Gasquet vs. Nadal from 1999

[Jules]

Roland Garros on Facebook just (re)posted this youtube video of Gasquet vs. Nadal from a french junior tournament in the late 90s. It shows the last game of their match. Somewhat poor quality, but good enough that I thought it worth sharing here. Funny to see how good they were at such a young age (around 11-12) Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzKuv4j67aw&feature=player_embedded#!

EDIT: Here's the other video from my post #7 of Gasquet from the same tournament in 1999. Absolutely fabulous technician considering his age.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPFVd9gMAE&feature=related

 

[Clay lover]

Nice find! I feel that they played pretty much the same way as they do now...guess the style lives with you forever.

 

[Sim]

Nadal is serving at lightning speed compared to now :shock:

 

[BeHappy]

Interesting how you can see Roddick literally still plays like a junior. I think if they served under arm they could probably beat him.

 

[mikeler]

Nadal is serving at lightning speed compared to now :shock:

Yeah, he just walks up to the line and bang. Was that Gasquet's last victory against Rafa?

 

[ChipNCharge]

Gasquet looked like a better player then than he is now.

 

[Jules]

This video (Gasquet against someone else at the same tournament, possibly Dudi Sela) has some nice camera angles that really shows how spectacular a junior player he was. His technical level at this age is stunning to me. And I think it's nice to see his old forehand technique again from before he changed it to the giant hideous backswing. I have no idea why he changed the backswing (injury maybe?), but I always preferred his old form and found it to be a lot more dependable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPFVd9gMAE&feature=related

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Totally amazing to see these vids of great players at such a young age!

 

[sunof tennis]

Yeah, he just walks up to the line and bang. Was that Gasquet's last victory against Rafa?

It is also interesting that Nadal doesn't seem to have any of the tics or mannerisms that seem to driver people crazy. I wonder if he straightened water bottles at that age. He actually had mover of a long service motion at that age that he did as an early pro. Seemed to come to net more at least in that short video.
Great stuff. Really impressed with Gasquet.

 

[CMM]

Gasquet won the tournament then, Rafa won it the following year.

 

[aphex]

Gasquet won the tournament then, Rafa won it the following year.

The altitude must have been very high that year.

 

[Mustard]

Isn't the first vid from 1997 when Nadal was 11? Nice vids, OP.

 

[Jules]

Isn't the first vid from 1997 when Nadal was 11? Nice vids, OP.

Honestly I don't know...it could be. I assumed it was from the year Gasquet won the tournament, but now as you call it to attention, I realize that I don't have a clue. I will remove the 1999 from my original post. It's stupid having it say that if it's not correct.

 

[Lsmkenpo]

Nadal didn't shake the umpires hand.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Rafa used to walk like a penguin lol.

 

[veritech]

backhand was as pretty as it is now. impressive, gasquet!!

 

[Tough Gut]

Gasquet was beast. Rafa didn't look to impressive, but hey it was an international so he had to be good

 

[Daized]

Watching how good they were at that age makes me feel like even more of a terrible player.