By S.T.

THE PEDIGREE: In a rare case of sports-media foresight, the French magazine Tennis put Gasquet on its cover at age 9 with the headline: RICHARD G: THE CHAMPION FRANCE IS WAITING FOR? The son of two teaching pros, he was indeed a prodigy, becoming the No. 1 junior in the world by age 15. But he struggled with his temper in his early pro years—Gasquet was defaulted from the 2004 U.S. Open qualifying event for throwing his racquet and hitting a linesman in the face. It wasn’t until he ended Roger Federer’s 25-match winning streak at Monte Carlo in 2005 that he announced his presence on the pro tour.

THE PERSONA: If anyone can be said to resemble Federer in the style and personality department, it’s the 20-year-old Gasquet. The Frenchman has the same blend of feel and explosiveness, creativity and all-court skill, as well as the same shy diffidence. And just like Federer in his early years, Gasquet can be flaky.

THE GAME: Besides Federer, Gasquet can also be compared to a somewhat more obscure athlete: Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson, the Detroit Pistons guard of the late ’80s famed for heating up fast and making shot after shot. Every so often, Gasquet reaches a boiling point where virtually every ball he hits, from any part of the court, turns into a jaw-dropping winner.

THE PROGNOSIS: Can Gasquet convert his talents into Federer-like success? He doesn’t have the same range or defensive consistency that the world No. 1 has. And like many other French players of the past, he has yet to fi nd a go-for-the-throat killer instinct—a better name for him might be “Baby Leconte,” after his famously erratic countryman. But Gasquet’s all-surface skills and variety of weapons should earn him at least two major trophies by the time he hangs up his racquet.