Gael Monfils reveals he is ‘not sure’ if he has ‘the level to win matches’
Gael Monfils has reflected on his disappointing return to the ATP tour, with the Frenchman still winless in 2023.
Monfils missed most of the second half of the 2022 season, after undergoing heel surgery and then picked up an injury to his foot when playing the Masters 1000 event in Montreal in August.
The 36-year-old returned to the tour this year in Indian Wells, but has been unable to find the same form that enabled him to reach the Australian Open quarter-final last year.
The former top 10 player has dropped to No. 322 in the ATP rankings, and spoke to L’Equipe about his struggle to find results this year.
“I’m not far, I’m very far from that level! And so, you have to work to hope, perhaps, to be far away. Because there, I am very far,” Monfils explained.
He added, “Yes, trying to win matches. I’m not even sure that I really have the level to win matches. For the moment, I am far from winning matches.”
Gael Monfils matches in 2023
Monfils has played four matches since his return, and the former No.6 has only won one set.
Here are those results in detail:
Indian Wells (ATP 1000) – Monfils lost to Jordan Thompson (No. 91), 3-6 1-6
Phoenix (ATP Challenger) – Monfils lost to Alexander Shevchenko (No. 98), 4-6 7-6(2) 3-6
Miami (ATP 1000) – Monfils lost to Ugo Humbert (No. 72), 3-3 (retired)
Banja Luka (ATP 250) – Monfils lost to Jiri Lehecka (No. 36), 4-6 3-6
Monfils had this to say about his most recent defeat to Lehecka, “Today, clearly, Lehecka is much stronger than me. There is not much to say other than the guy is much stronger than me. So a tough game.”
Clinical evening for @jirilehecka 🌅
Lehecka defeats Monfils 6-4 6-3.#srpskaopen pic.twitter.com/p4317Q92md
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 19, 2023
Monfils also revealed that he would be missing the Madrid Open next week and returning to the challenger scene, “I’m going to play a Challenger in Ostrava next week.”
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