News & Photos / Interviews / Interview with Gael Monfils

R. FEDERER/G. Monfils

7‑6, 6‑2, 6‑4

An interview with:

GAËLMONFILS

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English first, please.

Q. Probably a huge disappointment. How do you look back on the match?

GAËL MONFILS: Yeah, I mean, I'm disappointed, because inthe first set I think I have two or three opportunities. I miss like a break point at 6‑5. I think I had the point in the one way,because I tried to rally him and play too much on his forehand and maybe try toset up more on the backhand in the important times.

Also with the setpoint, I think I was thinking aggressive, but I wasn't. On my second set serve I stood back a littlebit. That's why I give him a lot of timeto aggress me. I went totally off forthe second set, and this is big exception for me. Because if I want to be the very best, I haveto manage with that.

Just, okay, I drop the first set, but bemore focus in the second set because it was a tough fight.

Then in the third, I mean, I wentback, but he played all right. Then Ithink I made few errors because I was under pressure. I mean, it was all right, for him it was easier. I think I will learn with this lose, for sure.

Q. Youhad some problems with your knee, I think. Did that influence the game?

GAËL MONFILS: No, no, I think today it was okay. It was okay. But I mean, maybe today I feel like I have like not many matchbehind me, and maybe I was not in good shape for me. But actually, my knee was okay today.

Q. If you look at Federer today, is he the man to win the tournament?

GAËL MONFILS: I mean, he played all right. I wasn't expect ‑‑ I was expect he wasmissing maybe more. I mean, today, henot miss a lot. Still have twotough match if he wants to win.

But I think he can doit. He have like a good clayhistory. He made three final. He should be very motivated to win it. So, yeah, why not?

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Is there anything you regret as far as the three break points areconcerned in the first set?

GAËL MONFILS: Oh, was it three I had? Well, yes. Yes, and movement. Well, ofcourse I have regrets. As I said, whenit was 6‑5, you know, this rally is something I wanted to focus on.

I could have tried tohit more on his backhand, but I was playing his forehand. I had two balls when he really was into thegame. I should have opened up and Ishould have found more angles. This wasnot easy. That's true.

And then the set point was the same. I knew more or less that he would kick theball, so I thought, let's be aggressive. Let's seize this opportunity. I'll really cross the ball into the court.

But then the ball was shorter than Ithought. Rather than moving onwards ortowards the net, I decided to, in fact, play differently, and I walked back alittle. I was not clear‑sightedenough. I should have hit the balldifferently, more in the center of the court.

But that's not really serious. What I really regret is the second set. It was really not a good set. I got angry about it. You know, to beat these guys I must be 100%in the match. This rally wasinteresting. The match was interesting.

But then I sent him this message,you see, that I got angry, and that's not good. And then it was better. I managedto get into the match again, but that's like a gift to him. He was up two sets and he could sort ofrelax. It was totally different. That bothered me.

Q. Whatis it that got on your nerves, Gaël?

GAËL MONFILS: Well, first, because I lost the first set,that is something that I didn't like. Then I got angry at myself, the way I managed his chips. He would have chipped balls. I made stupid errors, unforced errors, andthen it was his dropshot. I couldn't hitback. It got on my nerves, so I didn'tlike this moment.

Q. I had the impression that the first set was mainly about tactics. You were looking for a tactical fight. You were trying to hit his backhand andmoonballs.

GAËL MONFILS: Yes, it was tactics, but it was not anexcellent type of tennis. It wasokay. Not too many unforced errors. I was gaining points. It was not about tactics. It was like the one who would really get intothe court, the one who was more bold or daring.

This is what hedid. The set point is the evidence ofthis. He had the upper hand.

Q. You played many dropshots. Do youthink it's good in terms of antics? Because he plays close to the lines and he has an excellent touch.

GAËL MONFILS: I didn't play that many dropshots. Perhaps five dropshots only.

Q. (Off microphone.)

GAËL MONFILS: I'm not sure. My coach would have told me immediately.

Q. He said on the contrary you shouldn't try and play too many dropshots?

GAËL MONFILS: No, not necessarily. What he wanted me to play was winningforehands. I like dropshots, but it's aquestion of feeling.

I don't think I'veplayed too many dropshots today.

Q. You wanted the physio to come onto the court. What was the problem?

GAËL MONFILS: I didn't really feel good. I had a stomachache like, sort of, andphysically I was a bit down. So I askedfor vitamins, and also there is a gel type of thing, a booster type of gel witha lot of sugar in it. That boosted me.

Q. Now, don't you think that the difference between you and Roger Federeris the experience he has in such matches?

GAËL MONFILS: Well, of course. You could look at things this way,certainly. You could look at things thisway, but that's not my point of view. Ithink today he played better than I did. He was stronger than I was, and he managed to read the game better thanI could.

He's got experience,okay. But I've been playing against himtwice now more or less the same level, and I think the difference is based onthe fact that his game is really a pain in the ass, you know, more thananything else, more than any other player.

I have to work on this, you know. I have to find solutions. I have to be much more focused, much moreconsistent. But I like it. It's a new challenge. It's not that often, I think ‑‑ well, Idon't mean often, but more and more now I've reached, you know, thislevel. And more and more, if I want towin the title, I have to beat and defeat these guys. More and more often I hope so. I like it.

Q. Whatis it that you really regret? Is it thatyou were not an attacker enough?

GAËL MONFILS: No, no, it's my second set, my mentality, ifyou will. The set is okay. It's my mindset, my mentality. If I want to win a Grand Slam, I shouldn'taccept these moments when I'm down or off, which was the case during the secondset.

And then after, youknow, tactics and the game, all this is all right. It's a match. Sometimes it's good; sometimes it's poor. That's okay. I've played a match, right? Butit's mentally, to remain strong at these moments.

It's an interesting experience, you see,because before perhaps I could have gone totally berserk and wrong. It's this thing that I missed during thesecond set, which is disappointing.

Q. Whatdid you say at the end of the match? Youwhispered to him.

GAËL MONFILS: No, I said, That was excellent. All the best to you. I hope that this time you win the tournament.

Q. Maybe they've asked the question before, but what about your knee? What are you going to do next? Are you going to have a rest?

GAËL MONFILS: My knee was okay today. But here again, it's the same oldhabits. That is, I will take care of myknee, as usual, because soon it's going to be on grass that we're going toplay, and it's going to be even harder for me, physically, I mean.

As far as my knee isconcerned. So I'll take care of myknee. I'm lucky enough, I think, youknow, Zamar, they are located in London. This machine is in London, so I'll continue on this machine.

I'll even buy one, as well. Also, you know, this is the way it is. It's quarterfinals here, but then in threeweeks I have another opportunity perhaps to do something excellent during aGrand Slam. So I'm really well‑focusedfor the upcoming three weeks.

Q. Whatis it that bothered you in Federer's game?

GAËL MONFILS: Well, how can I say? Well, when he plays against me, what he doesis that he changes. He varies the way heplays.

Sometimes he's veryaggressive, between inverted commas. Andwhen he hits the ball just after the bounce, I don't really know where to placemyself on the court. It's the way I movearound. You know, he's one of the onlyguys who can make me slide a little.

I sometimes hesitate. He plays a lot of really wrong‑footedballs. Even though I know this, it's sofast. He's one of the only men who ‑‑you know, when he is an attacker, when he attacks, I'm like anybody else.

Others can be attackers. I know I'm going to run, no problem, betweeninverted commas again. With him, I willtry and slide on one side. He hides hisshots, you see. You know, his short chipis like, oh, a pain in the ass, a real pain in the ass.

At the end of the day, it gets on mynerves. I think I'm going to getit. I'm going to get it. And, oh, like it's the rotten shot again. It pisses me off. I can't do anything.

Q. Howare you going to get prepared for Wimbledon?

GAËL MONFILS: Well, what I will do soon is go to London for Queen's. Then after this, I don't know. Maybe this weekend I'm going to leave. I think that Roger told me that he's got aninteresting recipe for me.

Well, first he wants meto take a rest, to have a rest, and then he said positive things to me. He said that he thinks he's got the solutionfor me so that I enjoy playing on grass more. If I listen to him carefully, we'll have a very good Wimbledon. So I don't really know.

Q. Do you regret the fact that the crowd was not very enthusiastic?

GAËL MONFILS: Well, what is difficult is that, you know,the French public really respect Roger, so it's difficult for them. To start with, they have mixed feelings. They supported us both, and then when it wastwo sets all ‑‑ or two sets love, it was different.

But, you know, when youplay against Roger, it's difficult here in terms of the crowd because Roger isrespected. People want Roger to win forthe first time here, so, you know, getting the support of the crowd is moredifficult in this case.

Q. People respect him. Does thatmean that you too respect Roger too much?

GAËL MONFILS: No, I don't think so. I have overcome this now. You know, with the support of the crowd, itwould have helped me more. But Iunderstand them, and I hope I can defeat him one day.