ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2025

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/G. Monfils

6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Gael, to begin with, can you just talk to us about Jack Draper and what you thought about his game on the court. No doubt very different in the forehand and the backhand in terms of the power and effect. What do you think about the player and the progress he has made this year?

GAEL MONFILS: I love that player. I love this player. I love the way he plays, because he plays a very fast backhand, and he breaks well as a backhand. When Jack was young, he really had the best backhand. Maybe he had fewer points.

But he was more solid in the backhand, and he's progressed a lot on his forehand now. Now he really produces pure power with his forehand, and he manages to really roll the ball along the line. He's a left-hander who goes very fast along the line. That's not common, and he moves really well on the court.

Where he's really progressed is that he really returns really well. He's far from the baseline, and the ball's always in at the right speed, the right course, and he's made a tremendous amount of progress in that regard.

So a Jack who is feeling very self-confident like that is very difficult to maneuver.

Q. You're coming out of this match saying, Oh, dear, at 5-3, things could have turned around and a crazy night. And you said, Well, it was a great night in Roland Garros here.

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, a great night. 5-3, 30-Love. Every point was hard. No easy points. He was really returning the balls very well. He really played his game well. Honestly, I couldn't do a lot. You know, I played my forehand down the line. It went out. And he played well after that.

A great night. A great match. Above all, I was happy, because of course he's feeling very self-confident, but I did manage to, you know, tease him a little bit.

Q. Richard lost today, and Gilou as well?

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, I knew this for a while now. Each time it's different. I didn't see Richard this year actually. So I have got used to not seeing the guys for a while, Grand Slams, having dinner with them, watching them training. We necessarily train together and do lots of things together, so it's different.

You know, it's a new page, and it's a new page for us to do something else. So we see each other a lot outside of tennis, and that's cool. That's great too.

I must say that it's even far more tempting to go off and meet up with them quickly, because yeah, tennis is cool, but with Jo, for example, we live near each other, and when we see each other with the kids, it's great. This evening we see our kids playing together, and that's real life. And we are very proud of what we have done, for sure.

But we're like old friends with real lives, kids. I mean, we are really happy, and those moments are precious.

Q. On the court, Arthur Fils, beginning of the fifth, thought about you, how you came back in Roland Garros, and Jack also. So what's it like to inspire these new generations who you have marked out your entire career?

GAEL MONFILS: Well, I'm honored. I'm really happy. You know, maybe it's the last generation with whom I'll play. But I have been lucky enough to play with a lot of generations. This one is really cool. They're fun, they're different. They're much younger than me. I'm practically double their age.

So necessarily, I can only be honored. You know, it's amazing to go and see them and chat with them. If that's what they say, it's just an honor.

Q. The question is no doubt abrupt, as you're coming out from a defeat in Roland, but you're talking about Jo's kids playing with your kids. Do you wonder today whether you might play a final, or you're going to sit down and talk about that with regard to next season? Is that something you've already started thinking about?

GAEL MONFILS: Well, I know that I will play next year, whatever happens. I have said that. That's obvious. There is something I wondered about, and quite honestly, I found that Jo and even more Richard, I think it's really hard to stop playing at Roland. It's hard, because generally when you stop, it's because you're not up to the level.

Both of them played a fantastic last match. You know, hats off to Jo and Richard. And even Gilles. It was, you know, a bit of his last Roland, but he did win a game here. I think that, you know, if I do try to go further, it will probably be a bit tricky.

But honestly, the way I feel physically for the time being, I wouldn't say it's my last Roland. It's more in the head. It depends more what I want to do with myself. So it will necessarily depend on what I want to do, the sacrifices I have to make.

Today, once again, I played a big match against, you know, the fifth player. He plays Masters 1000s, and I was playing hand in hand with him. So I can't say that physically, you know, I think if I work, I think it will be okay. But it's more a question of what I really want to do in my life.

Maybe at the end of the year, I might say, No, it's over.

Who knows?

Q. Is Saturday's program already determined or not?

GAEL MONFILS: Yes, it is, but I know that I'm going to Munich tomorrow. I have a big day. First of all, my daughter has trampoline, which my wife wants me to stay. And Munich, yes, I know that on Saturday whatever happens, I know where I will be.

There are a number of places, because I can say that my wife wanted me to stay, so if she wins, I think I know where I will be (smiling).