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ROME, May 5, 2008 (AFP)
French number one Richard Gasquet became the first seed to bite the dust at the Rome Masters, falling in straight sets to Peruvian qualifier Luis Horna in the first round here on Monday.
Ninth seed Gasquet never found his game against his 111th-ranked opponent who got a break for 3-3 in the first set and wrapped up the tie 6-4, 6-1 in just one hour at the Nicola Pietrangeli stadium.
The Frenchman has had a disappointing start to the clay season, losing in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters to American Sam Querrey.
And he admitted that he was feeling low ahead of Roland Garros in two weeks.
"It was my worst match of the year, I was lost," said Gasquet. "I wasn't expecting it. I was feeling good in training, happy to be here and playing.
"After losing the first set I lost my confidence, I began to panic. The second set was a total washout, there was nothing in my head. Today anyone could have beaten me.
"I'm either really high or really low. Now I'm really low. I couldn't have done worse."
The Rome tournament is the fourth Masters Series event of the year and second on clay.
French number one Richard Gasquet became the first seed to bite the dust at the Rome Masters, falling in straight sets to Peruvian qualifier Luis Horna in the first round here on Monday.
Ninth seed Gasquet never found his game against his 111th-ranked opponent who got a break for 3-3 in the first set and wrapped up the tie 6-4, 6-1 in just one hour at the Nicola Pietrangeli stadium.
The Frenchman has had a disappointing start to the clay season, losing in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters to American Sam Querrey.
And he admitted that he was feeling low ahead of Roland Garros in two weeks.
"It was my worst match of the year, I was lost," said Gasquet. "I wasn't expecting it. I was feeling good in training, happy to be here and playing.
"After losing the first set I lost my confidence, I began to panic. The second set was a total washout, there was nothing in my head. Today anyone could have beaten me.
"I'm either really high or really low. Now I'm really low. I couldn't have done worse."
The Rome tournament is the fourth Masters Series event of the year and second on clay.
gle/ea08
(AFP)