‘We do it all together’ – Gael Monfils gives heartfelt fan message after disappointing ATP loss
After rolling back the years to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open for a second time last month, Gael Monfils crashed out of the ATP Open Sud de France in Montpellier in disheartening fashion.
Seeded third at the ATP 250 level tournament, the 35-year-old received a bye to the second round.
There Monfils took on 23-year-old Mikael Ymer after the Swede ousted another maverick Frenchman in Corentin Moutet in the first round.
Unfortunately for Monfils, he was off while the Swede was on as he went on to lose 6-1, 6-2 in under an hour on court.
“I was not good tonight,” Monfils admitted in a Twitter thread addressing his fans following the defeat.
“I don’t want to tweet only the victories and the positive side.
“I played badly and it would be too easy to say that I should have done it like this or like that.
“I know that many of you were expecting me at the highest level for my first tournament of the year in France and I am the first to be disappointed.”
Monfils has won the Montpellier event three times before, in 2020, 2014 and 2010, making it his most prolific ATP event in terms of number of titles claimed there.
“The season is just beginning,” Monfils continued by reassuring his supporters.
“There will be great matches, rotten matches, disappointments and victories.
“But that’s also tennis.
“We win together but we also lose together.
“Now it’s time to recover well and prepare for the next tournament.
“Thanks for the support.”
Meanwhile, another veteran Frenchman is have far more success in Montpellier, that man being Richard Gasquet, who defeated young compatriot Ugo Humbert and then Korean talent Soonwoo Kwon to face Ymer in the quarter-finals.
Like Monfils, Gasquet has won the Montpellier event three times, in 2016, 2015 and 2013, making the duo the joint most successful champions there.
On gagne ensemble mais on perd aussi ensemble. Maintenant il est temps de bien récupérer et se préparer pour le prochain tournoi.
Merci pour le soutien #lesvrais ??
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— Gael Monfils (@Gael_Monfils) February 3, 2022
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