Paris (AFP)

Exhausted by a long season, Gael Monfils admitted that he did not have "weapons" to counter Denis Shapovalov Friday in the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 in Paris because he was not "a robot".

He also announced that he would go to London next week "for personal reasons", more than to hope for a withdrawal that would allow him, as a second substitute, to play the Masters that gather from November 10 to 17 the eight best players of the season.

QUESTION: The obstacle Shapovalov was too high?

ANSWER: "We are going to say that today he has played well, he played at the level where I thought he was going to play, a guy with confidence, in shape." Just today, I did not have the I do not have the same level of play as this summer, I'm going to say that I have an average level that allows me to win some games that bring me here (in quarters). I have not been home since Zhuhai (September 23, Ed.) I think I'm a little tired ... "

Q: You're not too disappointed not to go to the London Masters?

A: "Honestly, it's a huge set of circumstances, because in fact, everything is put on me, but even if Jo (Tsonga) did a great match on Berrettini, it's Berrettini who misses his Bercy. do not have the keys in hand ... Every time we say: + Gaël, Gaël ... + but Bautista, Berrettini, it was they who had the keys in hand, I had a tiny chance. of the tournament, I had a lot of success, already that Roger (Federer) withdraws, it clears the table My goal, as I said, was to finish in the 10 (world first at the end of the There was a cherry on the cake too hard ... I'm going to London (as a second substitute) I'm not going to train a lot, I have to rest a lot. I go for reasons a little more personal: Elena (Svitolina, his Ukrainian companion, ed) likes to spend time in London, I go a little more for that.

Q: Are you relieved not to be at the Masters?

A: "I'm not going to say I'm relieved, but I'm tired, I feel like you're mistaking me for a robot, it's been a lot of time training, trying to improve. This month, I was not playing very well, not a lot of confidence, I did not play well in tennis, but I won some matches, I managed, in my current state, to delude myself maybe even playing at the Masters, and you have to see that positive side. "

Interviewed at a press conference

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