New York (AFP)

"When I get back on this court, I like it" ... Before facing the terrible Italian Matteo Berrettini in the night of Wednesday to Thursday (in France) in the quarterfinals of the US Open, Gael Monfils knows that will be able to feed on the energy released by the audience of the court Arthur-Ashe.

Since his tournament debut, he has not yet had the opportunity to play in this cathedral of nearly 24,000 seats, which constantly bursts and sometimes explodes to the exploits of the players.

This atmosphere scares many players, intimidates most.

Monfils, he says "different": it is like home. "I have shivers, but what's the difference! I say it's amazing, the chance to play on it," he says.

For starters, the black American player who gave his name to the speaker "is (his) idol," he says.

And since the time he comes to Flushing Medows, where he has been hired for the 13th time with a half-best result in 2016, the 33-year-old French player has played on this court several times. Unlike Berrettini who totally discovers the US Open, his gigantism and his ambience far from the cozy lounges that are the Philippe-Chatrier courts of Roland-Garros or the Center Court of Wimbledon.

- Crazy matches "-

"Me, I lived crazy matches on this court, beautiful matches, great wins, big defeats, defeats that hurt a little, games with panache," recalls Monfils.

Also, he predicts a "big game" against Berrettini, the player who seems to be able to tear the trees with his arms.

"He's really good, he's got a great forehand, and most of all he's very aggressive," said Monfils, who has played at a very good level since the start of the fortnight but is wary of the Italian, 25th in the world at 23 , "a very, very good player," he insists.

But his opponent is also aware of what awaits him: "I remember watching him play since I was really small, he's amazing, he's an athlete, first an athlete and then a tennis player. The way he moves on the court, the way he jumps, it's really something crazy, "said Berrettini.

This season, the injuries have forced Monfils to many drops or passes, as before his quarter-final at the Masters 1000 Indian Wells, before his semifinal at the Masters 1000 Montreal, the first round at Wimbledon, even before the start of the tournament in Miami, Monte Carlo and Washington.

- Ovation of the public -

But in New York, his "second home", as he repeats after every turn to the public who ovationne, the world N.13 is in top form.

Athletic, spectacular, effective, he was manhandled in the third round by the rising star Denis Shapovalov (33) who pushed him to the 5th set.

But that day, "I knew I was strong in the fifth set, especially with the support of you, the public," he had told the audience.

"I like the way the public supports me, I like the energy that emerges here ... I'm happy," he said.

In 8th against Pablo Andujar, which he dispatched in 1 h 26 min, Monfils played "a good game, well conducted from start to finish", according to his terms. "I had a good game plan, you had to be serious, you can catch fire, you can get through, but you have to be careful," he said.

"It was huge" throughout the match, said Andujar for whom Monfils was unlucky in his career to have played at the same time as champions like Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, because "he not the career he deserved ".

Although physically, to the point tactically galvanized by the public, Monfils seems very strong in New York. He knows he can only stay one Sunday night after the final ... and he intends to be that one.

© 2019 AFP