UTS1 Day 7 Preview: Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper” vs Richard Gasquet “The Virtuoso”

Opposites collide this weekend when two men with about as different a set of weapons as you can imagine meet at UTS: The Virtuoso Richard Gasquet takes on The Sniper Alexei Popyrin.

With his majestic one-handed backhand and nuanced courtcraft, Gasquet was not too many people’s pick for the UTS title coming in, but he’s in ideal shape to make the Final 4.

All flair and verve, Gasquet will rely on his hand-skills to temper the big serving of Popyrin, whose crunching groundstrokes prompt him to try winning points in a minimum of shots. But his eagerness can prove detrimental and fuel his inner anger.

The Australian is liking his wounds after a drubbing from the Greek God last weekend. But that could make him dangerous and Gasquet will need to be on guard, if he wants experience to quell the fire of youth.