Monfils: "Every second of this journey has been something I couldn't even dream of"

The passage of Gaël Monfils through  Indian Wells continues to deliver special moments. The Frenchman started his participation in the 2026 edition with a victory against Alexis Galarneau (6-3, 6-4) and is now preparing to face Félix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the Californian tournament.

The desert Masters 1000 also holds a very special place in his career. With 17 participations, it is the tournament he has played the most throughout his journey. After his victorious debut, Monfils took the press conference as an opportunity to reflect on more than two decades on the tour, recall his beginnings, and contemplate the next chapter of his life.

Image

Indian Wells, a special tournament

Monfils has never hidden the affection he feels for the Californian tournament, one of the venues where he has felt most supported throughout his career. "The crowd has been incredible. As I said a few days ago here, I have been very fortunate because the public always gives me enormous energy and support. Indian Wells is undoubtedly among the five most significant tournaments in my calendar, my regular calendar. It is one of those events that I really want to come and play."

From that young man in 2004 to continuing to compete in 2026

"It was in November 2004, in Bercy, when I had that wildcard. I beat Dupuis and Mahut in the Super 9 qualifying, as it was called back then. I was talking about this with Thomas Enqvist. I defeated him in the first round, in my first night session. Since then, everything has changed a lot. Then I played against Lleyton Hewitt, who was world number 2, and lost 6-3, 7-6. But I thought: 'I'm not far from the world number 2. Maybe I can do things.' From then on, I thought: 'Wow, I'm on this amazing journey.' I tried to enjoy every moment. And here I am in 2026, still playing."

The crucial role of his family

Monfils wanted to especially acknowledge his parents, whom he considers essential for his career development. "It has been a very long journey, and I feel very blessed. There were bumps, of course, especially with injuries, but every second of this career has been something I couldn't even dream of. For me, it was impossible to imagine. In the end, I can only feel gratitude and thank my parents. I dreamed, but they were the ones who truly believed in that dream. When you dream, you need help. And the greatest help I have had has been from them. I thank them, and I hope they are proud."

"Even when I reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2008, my mother couldn't really say that I was a good tennis player. In the back of her mind, there was always the fear that I could get injured, and everything could end suddenly. So I had confidence, from when I was 10 or 11 years old until now, but always with the idea that everything could stop at any moment because my mother was very afraid of that. She always told me to enjoy. And I think the young Gaël hasn't changed much. I have always had great confidence in myself. Perhaps that's why all these things have happened to me."

His future in the finance world

"Everything has an end. I am happy to be able to feel the people's affection for one last time and to be able to thank them for accompanying me during this long journey. The next chapter, I hope and am sure, will be even better. For now, next year I will work in finance, so it will be something entirely different from tennis. It might be related to some athletes and that I will stay somewhat close to sports, but not necessarily tennis. But yes, my next chapter is probably the world of finance… and definitely family."

Crossing paths with the Big 3

Monfils also reflected on why countries like France or the United States have taken so long to have male Grand Slam champions again. "I don't think it's fair to measure a country's success by Grand Slam champions. In my era on tour, we had three monsters… and then there were the rest of us. Let's say three legends and three beauties of tennis. Roger, Rafa, and Novak dominated the sport in an incredible way. They were legends. And they barely left space for anyone else. The little they left was seized upon by three amazing players: Andy, Stan, and Marin… and also Juan Martín Del Potro. They managed to pick up some of the crumbs, so to speak, and they too were legends."

"For us, it was very difficult. We were just below them and couldn't find a way to beat them. We weren't as good as Stan, Marin, or Juan Martín, who were there at the right moment and knew how to raise their physical and mental level. Italy waited a long time for a Grand Slam champion, and now they have Jannik. I don't think the country is what matters, but the individual. I hope that in France too, we will have one soon. Who knows, maybe in the coming years, it will be a South American or an American who troubles Europeans like Carlos and Jannik."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Monfils: “Cada segundo de esta carrera ha sido algo con lo que ni siquiera podía soñar”