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ROGERS CUP

July 29, 2016

Gael Monfils

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

G. MONFILS/M. Raonic

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Yesterday you mentioned that you love it when the stadium is crowded, even if the fans are supporting the other player. That certainly seemed the case tonight, and you seemed to still get pumped up even as the fans were clearly cheering for Milos. Was that the case? Were you drawing from the crowd?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: As I say, you know, I play Davis Cup, you know, outside. It's the same feeling, you know, either way. I think I'm a guy always pumped up.

You know, any energy, I take it. Even if it's for me or not for me, I take it.

Q. You already lost two quarterfinals to Milos this year. What was different tonight?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: I think I change a little bit my game plan, you know. I've been, for sure, more solid today than the previous matches played against him.

I think I pick up a little bit more first serve, be able to play better from the baseline myself. I guess I had some opportunities, and tonight I just made them.

Q. On the tour we have seen some other players have similar successes. They have aged and got a little bit older. Do you think your experience being on the tour for so long now has sort of helped you as you've gotten older now?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Yeah, maybe. You know, maybe. Maybe I get, you know, stronger also, you know. It's never easy sometime, but I feel that, as I say, every experience you have during those years with different coaches or different stuff happen in your life for sure helps you at the end.

Q. You have often talked during your career about how it's important to you to enjoy yourself on court. But now it seems like you're having less fun but you're winning more. Is that more enjoyable?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Well, I guess I have fun. I think tonight I have fun. For me it was fun tonight. I always have fun, you know.

If one day I have no fun, I stop my career straightaway because I'm still the same. So differently, but if one day I don't want to play tennis, I think I'm one of the players I can say, I stop. Easy.

Q. But you're not sort of playing those big shots or crowd-pleasing winners.
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: Well, I'm more than happy, you know. Somehow, you know, I don't have the chance to have some good balls to do some tricks, but I think to the break point I had a pretty good get and a good slide with the passing. Yeah, still, you know, to have a high ball, low, is never fun, you know.

Q. Do you feel as though you're playing the best tennis of your career in these past few weeks?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: No. I don't think I play my best tennis. I think I play very solid, but it's not my best tennis.

Q. How did you manage to break his serve twice tonight?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: As I say, I grab opportunities, you know. I think it was second serve he made couple mistakes. And, you know, maybe before I was a bit too passive and could not get opportunities, but this time it was a bit different and I took them.

Q. Toward the end of the first set you moved toward the net and you spoke to the chair umpire for a bit. I was just wondering what you were arguing...
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: No, he just asked me to go faster if I want to challenge. So I just ask him if I walk, you know, to see the mark. He said, You can jog. I said, Okay, that's fine. No argue.

Q. What's the reason you're able to be so solid these two weeks?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: The reason? I guess because I'm solid. (Laughter.)

Q. Is it mental or training?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: I guess I'm solid, as I say.

Q. What's been the best part about Toronto so far besides making it to the semis?
GAÃ‹L MONFILS: The best part is to be on the tour, you know. Whatever, you know, Toronto, to be here, to compete, this is the best part for me, you know. So since the first day I'm here, I'm happy and enjoying myself. Can play good tennis. I can enjoy with some fans, you know, enjoy myself in the city with my team. So, yeah. Every second is the best part.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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