AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2022

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

G. MONFILS/M. Kecmanovic

7-5, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Another quarterfinal at a Grand Slam and a very good start of your Australian summer. You won eight of nine matches. What's been your secret so far since you got to Adelaide?

GAEL MONFILS: I don't know if it's a secret, but I guess is a lot of work, a lot of belief, strong mindset, you know, coming up this new season, you know, and just want to be better in 2022 than 2021. Of course a bit of luck of everything.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. I'm just curious, the start of the season for you, the way you've been able to do what you're doing right now, what does it mean to you?

GAEL MONFILS: To be honest, just like hard work. As I say, last year at the end of the season, I was feeling great, feeling better. I was unlucky. And most people I think they don't believe I was unlucky in Bercy, and I was waiting for this match, my match, you know, in a way at home, and I was feeling great, you know, beat actually Adrian who has been good, Mr. Kecmanovic was playing good, and I was ready, you know, and to battle with the World No. 1.

Then I felt like even before, playing good in Vienna, was a bit unfortunate a little bit against Diego, played good in Sofia against Jannik, played good in US Open against Jannik. So the momentum was back. I think it was just a little bit luck. When I say "luck," it's not like you have to be lucky, but it's just like something, you know, plus quarters against John, you know, one or two hits, better with the confidence, whatever, in the semis in a 1000.

I was very close, and I think at the beginning just like keep, as I said, believe and working hard, and I was a little bit more lucky at the beginning of the season, and so far, you know, so good.

Q. Your possible opponents, Berrettini or Pablo, if you can just talk about them separately, how do you see the challenge that they pose?

GAEL MONFILS: If I start with Pablo, really tough, beat me in Metz. Again, you know, I was a little bit -- I don't know, you know, the word in English, because in English I say "lucky," but it's not like lucky.

THE MODERATOR: Like a success?

GAEL MONFILS: Yeah, but success, it means like, against Pablo, when I played him, it was 4-2 for me, I think 30-Love, and, you know, I missed something, and it was not like lucky, but it's lack of success, confidence, whatever you call it in English. It was better and then he beat me 5 and 6 or 6 and 5, something like that. He was there. He was there, and of course gonna be very tough. He's a good opponent. Never give up any points, anything, so it's going to be tough.

Matteo, a lot of confidence for last two years, you know. I think he played extremely aggressive, big serve, flashy tennis with the forehand. Going for it. Last time I played him, again, I was a little bit, whatever you call it, unlucky or not, it was very tight, five-setter in quarters, as well, in a slam. It's gonna be a tough match no matter what, who I play on Tuesday.

Q. When you say that you're sometimes like really close and these small things that make the difference, how do you use that moment in a positive way and not get down on yourself and feel that I was so close and I didn't get there, you know?

GAEL MONFILS: You know, it's a mixture of everything. Sometime you need to try more and you're not trying, you know, you have the ball to hit, and you're not going for it. So you don't have the guts for it.

Sometime you go maybe too crazy because you really want to go and too much, so that's the other side. And sometime you just go in the right position, and you just miss. But it was great.

You know, sometime is just a breaker in the fifth, and see you next time, you know, and try to get back in the situation and to have the same opportunity and try the same, you know, with a bit more confidence or whatever, you know, you make it. So that's a little bit battle that you have to face, you know, every week as a tennis player.