Richard Gasquet recounts thriller 2005 Monte Carlo win over Roger Federer

• Tennis News
• Roger Federer

Richard Gasquet, 36, is calling the Monte Carlo Masters "a very special and favorite tournament" as the Frenchman still remembers the day he stunned Roger Federer in the Principality. In 2002, Gasquet made his Monte Carlo debut as a 16-year-old lucky loser.

Three years after making his Monte Carlo debut, Gasquet saved three match points en route to upsetting Federer 6-7 6-2 7-6 in the Monte Carlo quarterfinal. At the time, Federer was ranked at No 1 in the world and everyone was expecting a Federer-Rafael Nadal semifinal.

But Gasquet had other plans and it was the Frenchman who met Nadal in the 2005 Monte Carlo semifinal. To this day, that semifinal remains Gasquet's best result in Monte Carlo.

Gasquet recalls upsetting Federer in Monte Carlo

"This tournament means so much, I have incredible memories.

I made my debut there 21 years ago. I was 16, I'm 37 now. It's one of the tournaments where I achieved my best performances. I still beat Roger Federer here in 2005 when he was number 1 in the world. I have a lot of great memories on center court like my first win on the tour, I was only 16 years old.

Then there was this match against Roger. So yes, it's my favorite tournament," Gasquet said, per We Love Tennis. When Gasquet and Federer met in 2005 Monte Carlo, it was their first meeting. After losing the first meeting against Gasquet, Federer won their next meetings.

At the 2011 Rome Masters, Gasquet clinched his second win over Federer. In the end, that was Gasquet's final win over Federer. Gasquet and Federer met 11 more times - with the Swiss ending on the winning side each time. Federer concluded his career with a 19-2 record against Gasquet.

Even though Gasquet didn't have a lot of wins over Federer, the one he collected in Monte Carlo was certainly a very memorable one.