Paris (AFP)

Richard Gasquet said he was out on Monday before he entered the Masters 1000 in Paris because of a left knee injury, putting an early end to a difficult season.

"It's the left knee, a cyst story after the first match in Basel (last week) and it still has not happened, I tried to play a little this morning (Monday) but I saw immediately it was not past, "said the 62nd world player.

Last week, Gasquet had reached the second round of the ATP 500 tournament in Basel where he gave in to the Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut (10th) after having equalized to a set everywhere (6-2, 4-6, 6- 3).

He had conceded his sixth loss in eight games.

"I'm disappointed that I can not finish the season better, it's a shame not to finish at Bercy," said the 33-year-old who reached the semi-finals in Paris in 2007.

"But I'm going to finish (the year) in the first 100. I was very bad at the beginning of the season, but since then I have played all the tournaments, I did not have any pain, that kind of thing, so it went well, "he added.

Can this accumulation of games be the cause of his injury?

"There, the games in recent weeks we will not say that I have done a lot ... I lost quite quickly.It may be the opposite (which is the cause of the injury). really not how it came, I have no particular reason to have it, "said the former N.7 world.

- Go back "thoroughly" -

Since his semifinal at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 in August, the Bitterois has played six tournaments without ever passing the second round. On four occasions, he has even been eliminated from the start, especially at the US Open where he lost to future semifinalist Matteo Berrettini.

"I will try to heal and go back next year," he said.

"It's been 15 years that I'm on the circuit, the accumulation of all these years, it pays a little, I hope to hold another year or two ... In any case, the desire is still there", a- he said hoping "to make a good offseason to return to 2020 thoroughly".

Gasquet has won 15 ATP titles in his career but none this year. His last trophy dates back to 2018 when he won on the turf of Hertogenbosch.

In the first round in Paris, he had to face Dusan Lajovic (34th). It is his French compatriot Corentin Moutet, 97th and lucky loser, who will be opposed to the Serb, said the French Tennis Federation (FFT) organizer of the tournament.

© 2019 AFP