"I feel like Ben Shelton & Yibing Wu were protected, and I wasn’t" - 'Unhappy' Gael Monfils accuses Atlanta Open of scheduling favoritism
Gael Monfils has come out swinging against the Atlanta Open organizers, accusing them of favoritism with the scheduling.
Monfils was in action at the UTS (Ultimate Tennis Showdown) last weekend, where he was joined by the likes of Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Yibing Wu, all of whom are competing at the Atlanta Open this week.
Fritz, being the top seed, gets a bye to the second round. Monfils, Shelton and Wu, meanwhile, will play their first-round matches, with the Frenchman taking to court on Monday, while the other two play on Tuesday.
Since the UTS (played in Los Angeles) ended only on Sunday, it will mean Monfils has to take the flight to Atlanta and jump straight into his opener against Thanasi Kokkinakis. Speaking to Tennis Majors, the 36-year-old was not amused about the inconvenience, lamenting that he was not protected as much as the other two.
Nevertheless, the former World No. 6 maintained that "it is what it is" and hopes to do well there and get some good support from fans in attendance.
“It’s going to go very bad. I will land tomorrow and go straight on the court. I’m the only player from here who is playing tomorrow. I feel like the other two guys (Ben Shelton and Yibing Wu) were protected, and I feel like I wasn’t,” Gael Monfils said.
“I can’t say I’m happy about it. I am happy to go to Atlanta for the first time. I will fly overnight, and I will need rest. But it is what it is, and I can’t complain. I will do my best, and I heard I have some good support there,” he added.
"It gives me confidence on my body and on my wrist" - Gael Monfils happy with UTS experience
Gael Monfils is happy to get the UTS experience, saying that it was nice to play a fun format and that it has given him confidence on his physical fitness. The Frenchman was satisfied with the practice he got in Los Angeles, which he considers a "big win" heading into the North American hardcourt swing.
“I was quite happy. I was hitting a strong ball. The backhand is so much better. That was a huge question mark before I came. Even today, I was smashing the backhand. I am just happy. Overall playing such a format. It gives me confidence on my body and on my wrist,” Gael Monfils said.
“It was great for me. The format is great. The goal for me was to see if I’m fit. Day after day, I was able to play good practice. That, for me, is a big win,” he added.
Victory against Kokkinakis in the Atlanta Open first round will pit Monfils against another Australian - second seed Alex de Minaur.