An open letter to Richard Gasquet: any sports shrinks available for hire?

Dear Richard,

What has happened to you and your prodigious talents? For a while you seemed to be moving steadily towards the top, besting Andy Roddick last year in a classic 5-set Wimbledon match where your ethereal backhand shell-shocked the favored American into submission (probably not A-Rod's fave position.)

But this season you're spiraling. You've yet to sniff the quarterfinals of any tournament including a round of 16 dismissal at the Aussie Open, endured a Davis Cup debacle, called your conquerers 'lucky', and today suffered an embarrassing 6-4, 6-1 first-round loss to qualifier Luis Horna. After the loss you told the press,

I don't know why I played so bad. Last week in training I felt fine and I was happy to come onto the court today. Sometimes in my career I'm really down. Today is one of those moments.

To be fair, Luis is not a typical qualifier by any means but these are truly worrying signs for you and your French Open prospects...not that they're ever really great for any French baller at their native Grand Slam. Are you sure you want to even show up?

I'm thinking since you're feeling "really down" you could use the time during Roland Garros to visit a sports shrink. I bet Amelie Mauresmo has a few recommendations.

*VIA DOWNTHELINETENNIS.COM

(image via Getty)