Seven months have passed since his last game. It was August 11, in the eighth of the Masters 1000 in Montreal. Opposed to Jack Draper, Gaël Monfils had suddenly collapsed full length, when he had just returned from injury. The Frenchman, now 210th in the world, took the time to heal his right foot and will therefore make his return this Wednesday, at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, against Jordan Thompson, 87th player in the world. 209 busy days of recovery.
A happy dad
Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina and Monfils, married since the summer of 2021, welcomed their daughter, Skaï, on October 15. A happy event that shook up the career plan of the Parisian, who still hoped to play at least until he was 40 before his last big injury. ” The more I’m with my daughter, the more I tell myself that I want it less “, he relativizes now in an interview with Canal +. The convalescence allowed him to fully live his new role as a father.
And when one of his subscribers asks him, in a question and answer video on Youtube, how he reconciles tennis and fatherhood, the player answers with a smile: « For the moment, it’s going very well, but I can’t wait to answer you better when I start going back to the tournament. » If he is no longer certain of wanting to push until 40 years old, he still hopes to chain the matches, find his level and dreams of playing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
A hyperactive videographer
Very present on social networks, follower of Twitter and lives on the Twitch platform, Gaël Monfils also launched on Youtube during his convalescence. Since November, the Frenchman has posted eight videos on his channel, which already has more than 36,000 subscribers and where he interacts directly with them. This community was also the first to be informed of his package for the Australian Open.
The player notably chained the vlogs, filming all the facets of his injured life. In another video, he invited nine subscribers to step onto the clay courts of Roland Garros to face him. On Twitch or Youtube, Monfils also exchanges regularly with personalities from the world of tennis such as Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Stan Wawrinka.
A new activity that could give him ideas for his post-career? In one of his videos, he gives other leads as to a possible reconversion: “I have lots of ideas and in the end not really a fixed idea. I would like to work in finance, in watchmaking, in events. Why not be a magician? I would like to give lectures. »
A well-prepared return
In son premier vlog, he filmed, without filter, his preparation for the Rolex Paris Masters and revealed the reasons that led him to throw in the towel before the start of the tournament. A blessing in disguise since he was able to benefit from the protected ranking allowing him to take part in major tournaments despite his fall to 210th in the world.
« I’m a little too tight, I’m also getting used to my new shoes. I will do everything to play for Marseille. But if I don’t hurt myself, the American tour is 100% yes “, he then explained in a Twitch video, before his package for Marseille, in mid-February.
Recently, it was with Casper Ruud (world No. 4) and Hubert Hurkacz (world No. 11) that he was seen on the Californian courts for the final preparations before his return.