02/09/2011 00:45 CEST - INTERVISTE

Gael Monfils (01-09-2011)

Q. Have you ever been so well received by a crowd on losing a match? Everybody was standing up, standing ovation.
GAËL MONFILS: I mean, maybe, yes, one time. But this one was very good. It was like very lovely. It was a good feeling. Even though I lost the match, it was a good feeling.

Q. Did you ever think with all the support you were getting out there, This is a little bit like Roland Garros?
GAËL MONFILS: Yeah, it can have. But is totally different. In Roland Garros I get both my parents, my family. It's missing a couple important people.
But the crowd was very good behind me. You know, it was like a great feeling.

Q. How disappointed are you in the result?
GAËL MONFILS: It's not bad, you know. I think I'm disappointed because I lost the match. But, you know, I think I give my best.
Today I have a big fighter against me. I lost the match on a few points. But, you know, I take only the good side of this loss. So I'm disappointed because for sure I want to go deep on the tournament, but I think I made a great game. I think it's tennis.
Today is a good day for me. It's my birthday. My mom was there. You know, all the time my mom say, You win, you lose, you give your best. I think today I sort of smile at my mom even though I lost, so I was quite happy.

Q. Will you celebrate your birthday tonight?
GAËL MONFILS: Yes, of course. My mom is there. It's not often she comes in a tournament with me. So, yeah, I will even though the loss, you know, is happen. Is life. I will keep going, focus, practice. You know, I think I see a lot of good thing on this match.
I'm not worried. I'm happy. I mean, I lost. It's okay. But I'm happy the way I was.

Q. There was one incredible dive fairly early.
GAËL MONFILS: I think some things just switch off in my mind. I just see the ball and I'm like, Well, you have to do it, and then I dive. Then, you know, I forgot is like hard court, clay court, grass. I do the move and then see what happen.

Q. Do you ever say, Oh, no, once you take off in the dive?
GAËL MONFILS: Every time you're like, Oh, no. I know the dive is so good for two second. Then you're like, Oh, shit, is still hard. And sometime you're in the shower, dive, like you first crash. The shower is tough. Happens.

Redazione