ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 9, 2025

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/G. Monfils

6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Hi, Gael. Commiserations. You mentioned the other day about the weather. Obviously today was another quite cold day here. How were you feeling on the court?

GAEL MONFILS: Yeah, it was also a bit cold, a bit warmer than my first round, but different conditions. Tried to adapt myself.

I felt like I gave what I had to give today, so, you know, you can just be happy to give the 100% of what you have.

Q. How are you feeling about the rest of the clay season going forward?

GAEL MONFILS: I don't even know. You know, I just lost my match. I don't think about it, to be honest. I'm a little bit disappointed, so I will see later.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Of course there is some disappointment after that match. Can you tell us what happened, especially during that game at 5-4? You had an opportunity to break back one set all? You made mistakes? How do you see this?

GAEL MONFILS: Well, it's not just that. It's the whole match. This is the culture of the present moment you're talking about, but it's the whole match.

I had opportunities before that, even in the first set, and I made bad choices at 15-30, for example. I should have done better. I didn't play a good serve. I played two serve games very poorly.

At 5-4 I served very poorly, and I'm not happy about it. I should do better than that. I should be better tactically, make better choices. It was not what I wanted today. Even before 5-4, I had a break and I should have done better. I really have to do better choices, and I was not able to do that today.

Q. So maybe you are too much involved in the fight because he hits so hard, or you didn't find a solution?

GAEL MONFILS: I'm saying I didn't make the right choices on my side. I didn't place myself in a good position. It's difficult. It's tough for me to explain. It's partly me, and of course partly him, so it's difficult right now to say exactly what, but there were some moments when I really should have done better, dictate a bit more. Sometimes I should have even slowed down.

There are things that I know I should have done. It's not clear right now, because I'm just out of the court, but I know I have to change some things I did, but I can't tell you right now.

Q. We feel you are very committed and very disappointed. We know that clay is maybe not a top priority.

GAEL MONFILS: Well, it might not be a priority, but I'm always competitive and I like to fight. I know I can do better than that. Even if I don't have a specific goal, I'm still in competition with a bit more of this or a bit more of that, and I could have done better.

And I am disappointed, of course. Well, I'm just out of the court right now, but I am disappointed. It's not that bad, but it's just because I'm just coming out of the court, and I'm disappointed and I want to change two, three things.

Q. But also, you might be disappointed that you won't be able to play Arthur Fils next round, or you don't think about that?

GAEL MONFILS: Honestly, I was far from thinking about that. I didn't even know he had won. That's it.

Q. A question about Richard.

GAEL MONFILS: He lost?

Q. Yes. He said it was tough in the third set. Did you talk with him? Are you going to do something with him?

GAEL MONFILS: Well, we'll wait for the French Open.