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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 14, 2016

Gael Monfils

Monte Carlo, Monaco

G. MONFILS/J. Vesely

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Was it easier than you expected? You were able to play the right way against him?
GAEL MONFILS: I played a good match. I was broken the first game. He made good dropshots. He imposed a strange rhythm. That made me more tense. I didn't expect dropshots that early in the match.

But I was lucky to break him back immediately. Then we had some rallies. I was trying to hit to his forehand. He gave me many points on his forehand. He wasn't at ease with that shot today.

Of course, when you play a big match the day before, it's always difficult to play again the next day. There are two solutions: either you play very well the next day or it's very tough. I believe for him today it was not that good.

Q. Murray spoke about you, saying you can go far in this tournament after Novak's loss.
GAEL MONFILS: What I'm thinking about right now is to recuperate for the next match, for the quarterfinals. I might play Goffin. My feeling is that Goffin made it to two semifinals in Masters Series. It's going to be a very tough match. What I need to do right now is focus on my match tomorrow. I need to be concentrated because he's playing well.

His game is very physical. The rallies will be long from the baseline. Goffin still needs to win his match. If Marcel wins, I played him in Madrid. But I believe Goffin is playing very well right now. He's a better favorite than I am. He has a better ranking than I have.

Q. How do you react to the whole group being here?
GAEL MONFILS: I don't look at them. I'm concentrating on my matches. I'm just trying hard for each match because they are difficult.

Q. How can you assess the progression of (indiscernible)?
GAEL MONFILS: I believe he's able to play consistently over many matches. During the past two, three years he has had good results in important matches. He was able to make it difficult for the top players. Sometimes even now he can beat them. So he's improving.

I think he will go even further.

Q. That was a very good opportunity.
GAEL MONFILS: What do you mean by a 'good opportunity'?

Q. The opportunity of winning one more match.
GAEL MONFILS: I'm not going to play Novak so I can win an extra match? Is that what you're asking?

Of course, the top players can lose. But it's not an opportunity for the others. We are playing a Masters 1000. If the guy beat a player, it's because he's playing well, too. So this is not the way I look at it.

If I beat Djokovic, and I play Federer the next day, you're going to say to Federer that he has a good opportunity because he's playing against me?

I wouldn't take this well. I would be upset.

Q. You are very consistent. You are accumulating points.
GAEL MONFILS: I'm not looking at that. Why should I look at this? You have your own perspective. I'm cool. I'm practicing. I'm trying to do the best I can to win each match I play. You talk about the golden opportunities.

The only thing I hope is that you are with us so that the French players can do well. So try to stop saying things like that. I'm just trying to play well, take it match after match, the way I have to, play well from the first to the last point.

I'm not hiding the fact I'm really listening to you. I'm just trying to do well, that's all. I'm trying to push myself further. As you say, I'm trying to improve my ranking and be consistent. For the time being, it's going well. I hope I can go further. I'm not looking at all those things you're saying. I'm just doing things.

If I have to assess my year, I will do that in Bercy, or you know where. For the time being, I am in the 'doing'. Maybe you find me not as cooperative this year because I'm not answering your questions. But just help me. Don't ask always the same questions.

I am concentrating on what I'm doing. So I won matches. I didn't win big tournaments yet, and I want to win them.

Q. So you say you are not looking at the past or the future. Is that deliberate?
GAEL MONFILS: As I said, I'm looking at the present. I played three good matches. I'm going to try to play a good match tomorrow. If it is Goffin, I'll play Goffin.

Q. You believe our questions are disturbing?
GAEL MONFILS: No. But just help me. You always ask the same questions. I play well, I play bad. I'm just here working. I'm telling you, I'm doing things. I'm trying to practice well. Every time you come up with the same things.

We are trying hard. Just help me. I feel good. So telling me because Novak lost, it's a good draw... I mean, I lost to my next opponent recently. If I lost against Vesely, you're going to say I had a bad draw?

So we are here. It's the second time in a row I play well in Monte-Carlo. I want to see the good side of this. I'm trying to improve. We are trying to improve. You should improve with me.

Q. I have the feeling that I'm hearing Noah speaking. Are you influenced by Yannick from Guadeloupe? Did you bring back things from him?
GAEL MONFILS: Maybe that's it. I don't know. I'm not thinking about that. My feelings are very simple. I work with my team. We have to train well. We are working well. I am in a situation that I never had before. I'm feeling good physically, good mentally, good in my game. My game is correct.

So you want to know why and how? But I'm not asking myself those questions. I'm just working. I need to answer those questions at the end of the year. I could tell you at that time of the year that this is what I did. For the time being, I am into my work.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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