ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2024

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

G. MONFILS/T. Seyboth Wild

6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. So I guess you're quite satisfied with your match, because you were a bit ill, but are you better? You had a bit of a down moment and then you put the turbo on.

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, I'm better. I'm a lot better. Quite honestly, I was feeling good for Lyon. I lost the first round in Madrid, the first in Rome, so I worked really hard. I worked hard physically and I felt good, but unfortunately I got sick.

You know, as usual here, things are a bit different. So as soon as I knew that I would be able to play, from that point on, I know that I can perform. I didn't know if I could play well but I knew I could perform. For the match I started well. I felt good.

At one point, I made two or three mistakes on the shot and he dived right into it, and he made fewer faults at that point. I had opportunities that I didn't manage to break, but I think I was very calm today. Even at the beginning of the third set, I wasn't doing that well on the serves and the volleys, but I went for it, because I felt good.

I felt that I was playing well. Then I had to find the right pace and I managed to do so.

Q. Tell us about Amelie's strategy to get you to play the night session. She wanted to make sure you were up for this because that was her plan?

GAEL MONFILS: No, I think that's something that everybody knows. I don't think Rafa likes playing in the evening. That's no secret. And even myself in the past. At the beginning I was supposed to play Tuesday and then she said two days ago there's a night. I didn't want to disappoint, because you have to play well at night. I was sure, because the doctor gave me antibiotics, and he doubled the dose. So I felt a lot better. So I said, yeah, okay, let's go for it. No problem.

It was a bit of a caricature, but that's how it went. All of a sudden I was feeling better, and yes, she trusts me. I like not to disappoint. You can win or lose, but you have to give a good performance. I was 100%. I think on Friday I said, don't worry, I'll be good.

Q. It's a bit like last year. We learned that you were injured.

GAEL MONFILS: Well, you know that I hurt my wrist during the match. No, honestly. I scared myself, because I hit the Lacoste sign with my racquet, and I kind of twisted my wrist. But yeah, let's not do any tests.

But no, honestly it's okay. It should be okay. We have two days of rest, and that's why Amelie said two days. I only had one day last year. No, I feel well. A little bit tired, but okay.

Q. So you watched the beginning of Nadal's match because it was important?

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, it's important, because he's our legend. He's everybody's legend. He's back. It's impossible not to watch him, impossible. When I say it's important, it's more than that. I know that I love him whatever happens.

But I don't think there is a single tennis player who hasn't watched Rafa. It's impossible. When I say it's important, it's because we all respect him so much, even though we are friends with him. He is the king of clay courts. He's back, he's playing. It's really important to watch. Times like that, will there be more of them? I was happy because he was hitting a good forehand. He's not over. He was being pushed, but he put a good forehand in.

But maybe in two months... Well, I thought it was fantastic to watch. I was happy to watch him.

Q. (Off microphone.)

GAEL MONFILS: I watched the beginning, and I have to be honest, when he was broken, I just went off to have a nap. You know when you have a short nap and I woke up and I wanted to know what the score was, and it was 6-3, so I said, no. I didn't sleep too much, but I was planning my preparation. So I was between the two, and I saw the second.

Honestly, Zverev did something incredible in the second mentally speaking. Yes, there were two breakpoints at the beginning, and he took it and he did a straight game and he came back at the break. It was incredible when he made a mistake on the forehand and hit a passing shot and I said it's going to turn.

But the guy is really mentally strong. Well done to him. Because today Rafa, what Rafa showed us today, well, you know, he would beat so many on the draw, so many.

Q. We saw you at the match looking for the French friends demonstrably. What was happening in your head when you have all of Chatrier celebrating you and encouraging you during the match? What happened? Did it change your game?

GAEL MONFILS: Well, necessarily in a match it helps you amazingly. You necessarily get all of the positive energy and adrenaline. When you have more adrenaline you feel like a conqueror, and you're more engaged in your shots and you have an energy boost. That's exceptional.

And at the end when I won, I had loads of things in my mind. Not necessarily about the spectators, but my physical coaches spoke about that and said, okay, yeah, he's there, that's the first time he's calm. I said, oh, I have to do that special dance.

I was so happy also to win this match, because it wasn't an easy match, and I was happy. I was really happy, you see. I was thinking about why I was doing this, and it was because I was ready and I was happy to say, okay, I didn't play well on clay court before, but I knew that in Roland I would perform.

So there was this reference for my physical coach and then a great deal of satisfaction.

Q. Olympic Games, we don't have a list yet, but I think you said before it would be a dream for you to play and represent France.

GAEL MONFILS: That's obvious.

Q. What would it bring you to play here at Roland Garros with the French team? Would it be a boost?

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, it would be an incredible privilege. It would be my fifth Olympic Games and the fourth that I would play, because I was injured in London. I don't think there are that many players who have played five Olympic Games. That's a lot.

But I was injured in London, so only the fourth that I would actually play. Olympic Games haven't been held in France in 100 years, so it is a centennial opportunity. To play Roland Garros in best-of-three sets, that's something. It's different. It would be really great.

Above all, when I said it, you must remember that when I said that it was at one point to give myself an objective. I am almost there, so now I'm just crossing my fingers.