ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 31, 2021

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. How does it feel to come back to Paris? There will be a crowd on top of it. It's actually a crowd you love with wonderful atmosphere.

GAEL MONFILS: I'm delighted to come back here. It's a pleasure, knowing that there will be a public after such a tough year. There was not a lot of public. We will find great atmospheres again, so I'm delighted to come back here.

Q. What shape are you right now? How fit are you?

GAEL MONFILS: That's a very good question. Not the best shape, I would say.

Q. What does it mean? Are you wounded?

GAEL MONFILS: I'm still tired, and I have had a few end-of-year physical incidents. I have had better times. But as you have said, we try to forget everything and to give it our all.

Q. I'm delighted to see you. Can you talk about US Open's final when he lost, when Novak Djokovic lost against a next gen player, to see such a breakdown like this? Does it change your opinion of Novak? Will all players see him differently? Maybe he's more beatable now? Maybe he's not the boss anymore?

GAEL MONFILS: I still see him as a legend of tennis. He's won three Grand Slams, and he's still trying to get more. He's a legend of tennis. He lost against Daniil who played extremely well. He hasn't lost a lot of matches. He's No. 2 worldwide. So as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't change anything.

Both players have great level. Novak is still Novak. He's still a fantastic player. He's won three Grand Slams. He's still the same. He only lost to the second player, the second-ranked player.

Q. Maybe the fact that you're saying that you're not in great shape explains why you were not selected for the Davis Cup. Did you say it to the captain?

GAEL MONFILS: Sebastien Grosjean and I had discussions about this, and he wanted me to recover. If there is a playoff in February, I'll be there. I'll be selected. I think that Sebastien has made his decision. We have had a lot of discussions, as he told you certainly. He's the captain. He decided to let me recover, blow off some steam.

Q. You said that you were not in the greatest of shapes. Coming back here in Paris, which you like very much. Maybe it can give you some confidence and can pump you up again.

GAEL MONFILS: As I said to Isabelle, we don't talk about confidence anymore, because I know that I play well. But I'm tired from a physical but also a mental point of view. I love this tournament, so of course it boosts you.

Q. If you're pumped up by one or two wins can we infer from your previous answer that you will not play at the Davis Cup next round because...

GAEL MONFILS: I already answered. Here I am here to talk about Rolex Paris Masters and nothing else.