Gael Monfils – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you expect so tough match, especially first set?

GAËL MONFILS: You always expect a tough match, but I wasn’t expecting that he had so much power with his forehand. You know, his forehand was super fast and deep.

Wasn’t missing that much. Wasn’t really expecting that he be tough in a long-term, you know, match. I think it was great, actually.

Q. What did you make of the atmosphere out there? We don’t get a lot of Arabs playing in this tournament, so the people stayed. What was it like playing out there?

GAËL MONFILS: It was nice, you know. I knew it was late and that many people have been staying. And I was very happy, you know.

I think they were happy, too, because Mohamed was playing very good tennis, you know, fantastic tennis.

I guess that’s we like, you know. For sure he’s pleased about his performance. You know, he had a wildcard and nothing to lose. Well, he played a tough one.

Q. What parts of your game were you happy about today? What do you kind of want to work on?

GAËL MONFILS: It was tough for me a little bit today. You know, I arrive here. I haven’t played a single ball, you know.

It’s been two days I haven’t played, so it was tough. I arrive, and this guy is shooting. So it was a bit tough for me to adapt myself also outdoors.

I need to work everything, you know. Could do much better, but I think with matches it will come.

Q. How are the courts playing? Last week the girls said they were playing very fast.

GAËL MONFILS: Yeah, it’s quite okay. I think it’s bouncy, a little bit. I think the ball, the Melbourne I think is the Australian Open ball, make it a little bit slower a little bit.

But I feel it was bouncy, and I did not feel it was too fast.