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Gael Monfils
ATP Tennis Players, Roland Garros, Tennis News

‘I put that win on the crowd’ – Monfils credits victory to ‘incredible’ support


Gael Monfils admitted that the backing from fans in Paris really helped carry him to his win over Albert Ramos Vinolas.

The Frenchman clearly benefitted from the return of crowds at the French Open, the popular showman acknowledging as much after the encounter.

“Incredible, it was incredible,” Monfils said of the crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen in his post-match press conference.

“It was not like a full crowd but it was enough to make a decent spirit. I could feel the energy, I could feel that every day I’m working to be on a big stage like that, with crowds.”

The win was Monfils’ first at a Grand Slam since the 2020 Australian Open, having lost in the opening rounds of the 2021 event in Melbourne and the 2020 French Open, as well as foregoing the 2020 US Open.

 

 

“I struggled at the beginning,” Monfils said. “I couldn’t really find my range, my timing. I think my legs were not moving enough.

“And then, slowly, I got [into] the match. Made it tough, made Albert [Ramos-Vinolas] work.

“I made a lot of mistakes but as I said I’m trying to be more aggressive, so I need to accept [those mistakes] but also be able to adjust.

“To actually conclude the first big win here, it’s easy to say but I put that win on the crowd, on my parents [being there], I think that helped me quite a lot.”

Gael Monfils will next face Mikael Ymer for a place in the third round.


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