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ROGERS CUP

July 28, 2016

Gael Monfils

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

G. MONFILS/D. Goffin

7-6, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I think it's eight matches in a row now. Quite a run. Are you feeling great or are you feeling tired?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: I think both, you know. I feel tired because we played, yeah, more than two hours. It was a physical match for myself. Had to run a lot.

I feel great because I feel happy that I managed to win this one.

Q. So you could have a chance to play your second Canadian in your next matchup. Obviously a big crowd. Do you enjoy playing in front of the big crowd even if it means the fans here are maybe rooting for the other guy?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Yeah. You know, I don't mind. As I say, it's like Davis Cup, you know. I love to play in Davis Cup. I love to play when it's crowded, and if the crowd is for the other one, it's fine.

Q. If it is Raonic, what do you expect from him, especially playing here?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: I expect a very good match (smiling).

Q. You made some changes to your serve. What did you do differently?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Yeah, my motion, the feet, the way, you know, I toss a little bit my ball, you know. Yeah, just to try, you know. Two weeks now, but it's just to try, you know.

It was good last week and this week is not that good but I'm still trying.

Q. Seems like your first is bigger than it was in the past. Is the feet to get more thrust up to the ball?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Yeah, I think I get more power, you know, that way. That's why we try it.

As I said, this week my percentage of serve is not that great, but I think it's with the ball and the flying, but we try to have more power and for sure accuracy. I feel with that way I have more power, so I keep going.

Q. That match against Goffin, can you talk about it? Seems like you guys are similar players. Two-hour-long match. Can you talk about the match?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: It was tough because he's playing fast. He's playing past the baseline. Definitely going to take early ball more than me, try to make me run a lot. Actually, he did.

He had a very good option in the first set in the breaker, you know, a good lead. Somehow I managed to hang it. I don't even know how, you know, I put it back, you know, to win this first set.

Then he start a very strong second set, very aggressive. Returning better and better, you know, like I was under pressure. Every second serve was very tough.

Third was the same. Somehow, you know, I managed to have this early break. 40-15, played good points but actually he was all over me. You know, I think his backhand cross was unreal, you know.

Somehow he get a little bit tight, I guess, you know, because somehow he had a problem with his shoes. Allow for me just a little bit this break back.

And then very lucky to win this game, actually, this service game after. It was all about getting my service game through. And then when it's 5-4, it's something different, you know. It's only one game and you go for more. I mean, I went for more, you know. I went for big forehands, and actually maybe that was the key to win.

Q. I think you're No. 9 in the race to London at the moment. Is that something you targeted for yourself at the start of this year?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: I don't even know what is the race. No, I know what is the race now, I know, but...

Q. You have never made London before. How big a deal would that be?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Is not even my birthday, so I don't even think about the race. My birthday is in September. I think it's a long season, long time (smiling).

Q. Why did you think Mikael would be a good coach for you? I heard you wanted him to coach you for a long time.
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: It's, I don't know, feel. You know, instinct. I cannot tell you more. I felt that I want to work with this guy, you know.

Q. Did you talk to him?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Well, I try. I try a couple of times. And then finally, you know, he was fine. You know, he agreed with that. We start end of last year.

Q. You said that you didn't want to reveal the secrets as to why things are working so well with you and Mikael, but do you feel you have a new sort of motivation within yourself, a new sort of fire within your tennis?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Motivation still the same, you know, but a way of working and for sure different, you know. We had different stuff on our team, yeah.

That's good people in shadow. The best, actually. I think no matter what you guys can notice a change, big change. For sure we work differently.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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