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Norrie___6_4_4
Gasquet_4_6_6
4:34pm - Looks like rain outside the Newshub office.
Norrie slices a forehand wide, Gasquet 15-0
Norrie peppers Gasquet's backhand, then hits deep to the forehand and Gasquet can't retrieve it, 15-15
Norrie with a crosscourt backhand winner, 15-30
Gasquet plays wide to Norrie's backhand and then hits a forehand down the line, 30-30
Gasquet serves wide to the backhand and hits the forehand to the open court for matchpoint, 40-30
Norrie has to scramble to return the serve and Gasquet volleys the winner for victory!
4:25pm - Who will crack first? Norrie serves... Gasquet complains to the umpire about something and then paints the line with a superb backhand for deuce.
Norrie double-faults for breakpoint... and Gasquet converts with a forehand crosscourt. He now serves for the match, Gasquet 5-4
4:15pm - Gasquet serving to level the set... Norrie throws the kitchen sink at Gasquet, who has everything covered. He takes a time violation to gather his breath after winning a long rally for advantage.
Gasquet looks gassed and hits into the net to concede breakpoint, but wins three straight points to hold serve, 4-4
4:11pm - Norrie double-faults to fall behind early... and then hits long to give away two breakpoints at a crucial time. He hits a forehand wide and Gasquet has the set back on serve, Norrie 4-3
4:09pm - Gasquet holds serve and now needs to put pressure on Norrie to get that break back, Norrie 4-2
4:06pm - On the weather front, dark clouds are gathering outside the Newshub windows.
4:04pm - Norrie holds serve, Gasquet is still battling, but his chances are running out, Norrie 4-1
3:54pm - Gasquet opens his next service game with a tied-looking double fault and then hits a delicate backhand drop shot into the net. Great backhand return from Norrie sets up three breakpoints... and Gasquet suddenly grabs his back.
The Frenchman saves all three breakpoints, but sprays a backhand to concede another. You sense this is Gasquet's last stand... and he eventually holds, Norrie 3-1
3:50pm - Gasquet wins a long rally with a superb backhand drop shot across court, but sprays a forehand wide. Norrie wins another long rally to take the game, when Gasquet backhands into the net with the court wide open, Norrie 3-0
3:43pm - Norrie sets up three breakpoints... and Gasquet hits long to concede the first break of the deciding set, Norrie 2-0
3:40pm - Norrie to serve first in the deciding set... he aces down the middle to hold, Norrie 1-0
3:34pm - Gasquet has three setpoints and converts the first, turning momentum his way midset to level the match one set apiece, Gasquet 6-4
3:28pm - Norrie blows a backhand volley at the net over the baseline and then Gasquet brings up breakpoint for the set. Norrie wins three straight points to hold serve, but the Frenchman now serves for the second set, Gasquet 5-4
3:25pm - Gasquet holds serve to love and Norrie is now serving to save the second set, Gasquet 5-3
3:21pm - Norrie holds to love, but the Frenchman still holds the advantage in this set, Gasquet 4-3
3:19pm - Gasquet consolidates his break by holding serve and maybe momentum has switched in this match. Norrie has lost the second set in all three of his appearances so far this week, Gasquet 4-2
3:14pm - Gasquet holds three breakpoints on Norrie's serve... and takes advantage of the second for the first break of the second set, Gasquet 3-2
3:11pm - Gasquet holds serve to keep the second set on service, 2-2
3:06pm - Norrie is running Gasquet around, looking for an opening and wearing his opponent down. He holds, Norrie 2-1
3:03pm - Gasquet holds a service game highlighted by a superb one-handed catch of a loose ball by a ballboy, 1-1
2:57pm - Norrie holds serve, including back-to-back aces and another to win the game, to open the second set, Norrie 1-0
2:52pm - Norrie presses Gasquet's serve and forces two breakpoints for the set. He takes full advantage of the second, as Gasquet sends a forehand long and Norrie wins the first set, Norrie 6-4
2:46pm - Norrie serving for the first set, but finds himself behind early in the game, including a volley at the net that clears the baseline to give away breakpoints. He saves two, but not the third... the final is back on serve, Norrie 5-4
2:43pm - Gasquet must hold serve to stay in the first set... he waits for the winning ball to come back to him after every point won and holds serve to love, Norrie 5-3
2:42pm - Norrie receives a time violation, as he continues to struggle with his toss. Gasquet takes the game to deuce, but Norrie responds with an ace and a backhand down the line to hold, Norrie 5-2
2:35pm - Gasquet produces his first ace of the match, as he holds serve for the second time, Norrie 4-2
2:32pm - Norrie holds serve, working his opponent around the court and creating the openings for points, Norrie 4-1
2:26pm - Norrie hits a crosscourt return to convert two breakpoints to snatch the first advantage in the final, Norrie 3-1
2:20pm - Norrie has some yips with his ball toss and sprays a couple of shots out of court, but holds serve with an ace, Norrie 2-1
2:16pm - Gasquet holds his first service game, 1-1
2:14pm - Norrie holds to love in the first game that featured a 23-shot rally, Norrie 1-0
2:11pm - Norrie to serve first in the final....
2:01pm - Players now being introduced to the crowd, welcomed oncourt by a traditional Māori greeting and led by tournament director Nicholas Lamperin.
Norrie, 27, is ranked 12th in the world, Gasquet 67th. They've never met on court before, but Gasquet, 36, has already won 15 ATP titles across his 20-yeard career, while Norrie has four in five years.
1:39pm - Counting down now towards the men's singles final of the ASB Classic, timed to go at 2pm.
We can tell you the doubles final has been complated, with top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic of Croatia needing a super tiebreaker to overcome Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 6-4 6-7(5) 10-6.
On the weather front, there are some threatening clouds hanging around Auckland right now, but no rain yet. Maybe we can get this final finished in a timely fashion...
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the ASB Classic men's tournament at Auckland's Stanley Street.
It all comes down to this. Local favourite Cameron Norrie will have the chance to go one better than he did in 2019, when he takes on Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the final.
Norrie eased passed American Jenson Brooksby in the semis, winning 6-3 6-4 to book his spot in another ASB Classic final.
In a tournament riddled with upsets, Norrie was the last seeded player in the final eight, with Brooksby accounting for third-seed Diego Schwartzman in the second round.
Meanwhile, Gasquet strolled into the final, after fellow Frenchman Constant Lestienne was forced to withdraw with injury.
The 36-year-old is seeking his 15th career title, after playing close to 1000 singles matches on the ATP Tour, with his last final win coming in 2018.
The day's other final sees top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic take on unseeded Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow in the men's doubles.
The Croatian pair beat Austrian duo Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler 7-6 6-3 in a straight sets victory in the semi-finals.
But they will have their work cut out for them against Lammons and Withrow, who stunned second seeds Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers, and will be vying for another upset.
The weather forecast is promising, with only rain expected around 5pm, which should hopefully mean both finals have already concluded.
Today's order of play is:
Centrecourt
12pm start
1-Mate Pavic (Croatia)/Nikola Mektic (Croatia) v Jackson Withrow (USA)/Nathaniel Lammons (USA)
2pm start
Richard Gasquet (France) v 2-Cameron Norrie (UK)
Join us throughout the afternoon for weather and schedule updates.
