And if Gaël Monfils' already slim hopes of victory against Novak Djokovic - whom he has never beaten in 17 games - had vanished in the second game of his match won (2-6, 7-6, 6 -2) against Adrian Mannarino?

A few minutes after Stefanos Tsitsipas retired due to injury, the Frenchman was in turn playing bad luck on his first faceoff in the Franco-French duel on Wednesday, giving rise to fear of the worst.

“It's muscular,” explained the Monf in conf.

I did not twist my leg or anything, I took an insignificant support, then a good blow of electricity to the leg.

It's boring, but at first I feel like it's okay.

Then I do 2-3 points and I felt that it was not going too well.

When changing sides, the physiotherapist told me to go out because I had to handle myself and put the strap high enough.

Then [I take] anti-inflammatory drugs, and there you had to grit your teeth for 20 minutes.

At 6-2 for Mannarino, I was pessimistic.

"

A @Gael_Monfils full of character defeats his compatriot @AdrianMannarino in 3 sets 2-6 7-6 6-2.



Tomorrow, it is none other than the world number 1 who stands in front of him!


🔥 Show time guaranteed :-)



⁰ # RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/Y2SnYc0qwr

- ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) November 3, 2021

Depression then rebirth

They were not many to believe it more than Monfils on the central Bercy, where the ambient depression was felt at the start of the second set.

Not an "olé" to accompany shy "popopolololo".

In short, anguish.

And yet, little by little, the French number 1 is starting to win his service games again and annoy Manna about his putting in play. The madness even ends up returning, like a volley "dunk" at the net in mid-second set.

We then wonder if all this is reasonable in its condition, but the leg is holding.

“Günter [Bresnik, his coach] told me to be aggressive and to serve well.

Then I warmed up on the muscular side and started to focus more on what I was doing rather than the injury.

And finally, the decisive moment is this tie-break where we go blow for blow.

I was more aggressive and I felt Mannarino more feverish on the last points.

On the third I tried to make him run and build up the intensity.

Physically I think he was more affected and I did well.

"

"Trying to embarrass" Djokovic

Short-lived joy. In less than 24 hours, Monfils is therefore supposed to face the best player on the circuit and he is in a hurry, to go through the ultrasound box, praying that it is a contracture and not a strain. . Whatever happens, the Frenchman comes out “frustrated” from his second Parisian match. “At 100%, I won't beat him, it's not 60% that I will have a chance. "

If the doctors give him "the green light", because it is not yet known whether he will play on Thursday, Monfils will always be able to rely on his almost victory against Nole in Dubai, last year - he had obtained three match points.

“In terms of tennis, it's always the same.

I lost 17 times against him, every time I try to piss him off.

The trick is to try to embarrass him as much as possible.

Few on the tour can hope for better against the boss.

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  • Sport

  • Novak Djokovic

  • Masters 1000 Paris-Bercy

  • Gaël Monfils