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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 29, 2009

Gael Monfils

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

G. MONFILS/M. Safin
5-7, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was seemed like Roland Garros out there. Did you notice all that? Did it just help you come back from that 5-2 deficit?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: Yeah, of course. I mean, I very enjoy it. Every time, it's very nice. When you have some support like that and even from the American and saw a lot of Frenches on holiday I know during this period. So I feel, yeah, I feel comfortable on the court. Definitely helped me in the end of the match.

Q. A lot of French players are up right around the Top 15. What does it feel for you? Is this a pride thing when your countrymen are doing so well in the sport finally?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: I mean, it's an individual sport, so, I mean, it's okay. I'm happy for them. But still, it's an individual sport, so I'm happy for the country. But I look at myself.

Q. Is Roland Garros still the ultimate dream, to win the French Open as a French person? And how tough is it that Rafael Nadal is the barrier that you must climb over?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: I mean, before, to think about Rafael, you got some other that are very tough. Yeah, for sure, it's a dream for French guy.
Still, we work on it, and then, no, we never know. In two weeks, I mean, we never know if you play your best tennis. We don't know the condition and don't know how you feel.
Every year I still believe I can get it.

Q. You have Andy Roddick next. He's a tough player, obviously. What do you have to do to beat him?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: Yes, I'm not going to tell you. I will keep it for me. But yeah, it will be a tough match. We will see.

Q. Safin is talking about retirement. Did it seem like this guy is a guy that looks like he's ready to retire?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: He's still compete hard and hitting very hard and flat the ball. It's his choice. I mean, he will be missed for the tennis maybe, but maybe if his body is sore or can't have the motivation to travel around the world every week, so I mean, sometimes you can understand.

Q. Seemed like you were just trying to make him miss, just taking pace off the ball until he made a mistake. Was that your strategy a lot?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: Zero strategy. Nothing. My mind was empty.

Q. What do you mean?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: I mean just pushing the ball back and see what happened.

Q. Really? That's what you were doing?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: Yeah.

Q. Do you feel like you can get to the top, doing that kind of game?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: No. It wasn't a good match for me today. I played very bad. I mean, I just survive. In pure game, zero.

Q. But you never give up. Is that something you're proud of?
GÃ„EL MONFILS: This is part of me. I never give up on the court. I had luck because he miss two shot on his match point, but purely tennistically [sic] it was very empty today. Nothing.
Maybe I have a good serve sometime.

End of FastScripts

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