ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2024

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

L. MUSETTI/G. Monfils

7-5, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. A very good beginning of the match. So why did things change?

GAEL MONFILS: When I say that I didn't succeed, I missed an important point at 15-All on a forehand. It's the first that I lose at the net in the match. And then when I say I didn't succeed, I was lacking a bit of realism, I think, to go and get that set.

I sent the ball back well, but I didn't have enough confidence, I think, to really close the set.

Q. We can hear you coughing. Physically was everything okay?

GAEL MONFILS: I haven't been as good as I'd like to be for years now, and of course now it was a hard battle and he was better than I was. I played points and he was playing games. It was really tough. So that's what it came from.

Also, it's the realism and the confidence to know you can last for a lot longer. Today I feel good in certain periods and in other periods it's more difficult, and he made the rallies tougher. I was 50 centimeters in front of my line, it's a little bit slower, and he's not making any mistakes anymore. There is nothing I can do.

I have to manage to deal with all of this. I tried to really push myself, and physically it was not the best Gael out there today, but I gave everything that I could.

Q. Is that worrying for you for the coming weeks and months?

GAEL MONFILS: No, I'm not worried at all. No, I'm not worried. Once again, I keep trying to be realistic.

I'm a lot less strong than I was physically beforehand in my tennis, but I'm here. I'm really enjoying it.

As I said, I think that on the clay court I can try to perform, but, you know, I was not great. It's impossible. And it's been like that for years.

So to answer your question, I'm going to try to play well on surfaces where I'm a little bit more at ease, where it's in two sets so it's easier to express myself. It's easier for me, less constraining.

I haven't been worried for a long time, because I'm just enjoying myself. It's cool, because I've not let go. Even though it was three sets, I didn't let go. These are the moments that are always pleasant but in a different way. I see them differently.

I was already super happy and surprised having managed to win my first match, and I wasn't very far from taking him out. He's a very good player on a clay court, but I tried to build my confidence and tried to enjoy myself. I have my little objectives till the end of the year that I want to try to achieve, which are high for me, but far less high than the younger Gael.

If I achieve them, it will be tremendous; if I don't, well, it's tremendous too (smiling).

Q. (Question off microphone.)

GAEL MONFILS: In the short term, I'd like to qualify for the Olympic Games. I hope that I'm almost qualified. I'll be happy when it will be official. That is an objective. It will be cool.

Then after that, I would like to play a final in a tournament. This year I stopped in the semis. I'm going to try and do that. Yes, I would like to end the year with an honorable ranking. I hope that I will manage to win as many matches and points as I can so that I have a good ranking at the end of the year.

Q. What is the outlook for the coming weeks? Are you going to play the grass court season or for the Olympic Games and stay on clay and prepare for that?

GAEL MONFILS: Strangely I wanted to go and play the grass courts, because it's a bit faster. So I will be playing on grass, but I signed up for Queen's, but I'm 38th, and therefore I'll go to Mallorca. If I get to Queen's, I'll go to Queen's. Otherwise I'll go to Mallorca and Wim. I haven't played Wim for a long time, and also, trying to play good matches there. It could be good. I don't have many left.

So with regard to the Olympic Games, to answer your question, I think that after Wim, of course I want to play well, but yeah, let's not lie to ourselves. I'll need time to prepare to play on clay, and therefore I think I will go and play the week after, which is Hamburg or Bastad but I think it's Hamburg, one of the two. I can't remember.

Q. (Question off microphone.)

GAEL MONFILS: No, you know how things go. I don't sign myself up. My agent signs me up. I say that because I wanted to play in Hamburg, and Bastad, Gunter Bresnik wanted me to come. I don't know where we stand, so that's why. But I want to go to Hamburg, so it's a 500. I have some better memories in Hamburg than in Bastad.