A slam dunk smash and a shot between the legs failed to mask the uncertainty surrounding the current state of Gael Monfils’ form at this week’s ATP Finals in London.
Starting his campaign on Sunday against fourth seed Milos Raonic, the Frenchman was dismissed 6-4, 6-4, in what was his first ever taste of playing in the prestigious tournament. Unable to grab a single break point against the fast-serving Canadian, Monfils has refused to be downbeat as he makes the most of playing at the 17,000 capacity venue.
“I love it. Big court with a great atmosphere. I simply love it. It’s a big court, wide on the side, and super deep.” He said about the venue.
Monfils’ preparation for his maiden tour finals has been marred by injury. The 30-year-old was forced to pull out of the Paris Masters earlier this month due to a rib injury. Besides his ribs, Monfils has also been troubled by a muscle tear in his chest, which he suffered during the Stockholm Open.
“I came here with not even a week of practice. I came here with three, four days of real practice.” Said Monfils. “Even when you’re 100%, it’s tough to beat those guys.”
“I was really happy to lose with just a break in each set.”
Few can criticise Monfils for committing himself to the tournament despite his current concerns. This season he has already achieved 44 wins on the tour, the most he has ever won in a single season. Since January, the Frenchman has jumped from 24th to 6th in the world following a series of strong results, including his first ever ATP 500 title in Washington.
The next test for Monfils will be rising star Dominic Thiem, who recently took a set off Novak Djokovic. They have played each other once before in the 2015 Umag Open, where the Austrian triumphed in three sets. Hoping to get revenge, Monfils remains cautious about how his body will hold up for the upcoming meeting.
“It’s going to be a tough one. Not much time for me to recover. To be honest, I’m a bit sore. I can feel it straightaway, so it’s not a good sign.” Monfils admitted.
“Dominic is a fantastic player. He plays from the baseline. Maybe give me a bit more time than Milos (Raonic).” He added.
Monfils is the 9th Frenchman to participate in the year-end championships since 1970.
