ADELAIDE (Australia), Nov 22: World No.8 Richard Gasquet heads a contingent of six French players with direct entry into the main draw of the Adelaide International here in January, the organisers said on Thursday.

Gasquet, a semi-finalist in this year’s Adelaide event, will be joined by No. 25 Paul-Henri Mathieu, Gilles Simon (29), former Australian Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist Sebastian Grosjean (53), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (43) and Julien Benneteau (68).

Gasquet won his fifth singles title in Mumbai this year and reached the final of Tokyo and Estoril and the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

One of Gasquet’s main opponents will be former world No.1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Australian Lleyton Hewitt, ranked 21.—AFP