ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 5, 2026

Gael Monfils

Press Conference

G. MONFILS/T. Griekspoor

6-7, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Strange match. Many things happened. A lot of tension, smiles. It was tennis.

GAEL MONFILS: In the beginning, I was indeed a bit tense. I don't believe he was tense. I just was lucky, because he lost his rhythm with his serve, which allowed me to come back into the match.

After that, I had myself some trouble finding my track. He was just doing a point, an error, a point, an error, so it was difficult to find my rhythm.

But after that, I was able to find my rhythm, and I was able to control what I was trying to do. And in the end, he was going for it, and everything was going in. So I was able to serve better, which was extremely good for me.

Q. You're playing Bublik next round. How do you see that match?

GAEL MONFILS: It's going to be a very tough match. Alexander is top 10, maybe top 11 now, but a top 10 is tough. It's been a year and a half he's been playing very well, very clean.

I expect a difficult match on a surface where I always believed he was one of the toughest to play. That's where he's the most difficult to play.

Q. You were saying that physically you didn't know exactly how you were feeling. How was it today?

GAEL MONFILS: It's difficult to say. I was moving better and better, but with the tension I felt in the beginning, I had trouble moving.

But it improved with the match getting along. I'm happy I have a day's rest tomorrow. It was my first match on clay, so I am progressively getting used to it.

Q. Are you happy with this victory? Now you have 145 wins in a Masters 1000, better than Gasquet.

GAEL MONFILS: Well, winning against a top-30 player is a good thing, and I hadn't beat him before, so I was happy. But I didn't know what you were talking about, the 145. I didn't know. Let's say I take that.

Q. The crowd was on your side, once again, today. Does it change something for you? Does it help you win?

GAEL MONFILS: It gives me an adrenaline boost. At 5-4, I really needed this kind of energy. This is exactly what I need to find the energy I need before my serve.

It's extremely important for me. They really gave me that boost at the right moment. The crowd is decisive on many matches of mine, and that was the proof of it today.