"My wife looks super-professional, I don’t… But that's not the case" - Gael Monfils opens up on being compared to Elina Svitolina
Gael Monfils recently opened up about being compared to his wife Elina Svitolina concerning his work ethic. Monfils is essentially known for his gaiety and showmanship with the racket on court.
The Frenchman went through dire times in the 2023 season as he slumped down to 394th in the ATP rankings at one point, having begun the year as the World No. 85. His slump was notably a consequence of recurring injuries.
Monfils, however, recalibrated his mindset for a turnaround but struggled to find professional company and guidance as, in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, he recalled getting rejected by coaches.
"Last year, I was home and trying to call people: ‘Hey, you want to work with me?’ People forget that I still have it and you try to convince the people you still have it. ‘Yeah, but you’re 37...'," Monfils said.
Monfils revealed getting compared to his wife Elina Svitolina, who cuts out a more intense figure on the court.
"Some people try to compare my wife and I. My wife looks super-professional in a way and me I don’t look professional in a way. But that’s not really the case because I have my work ethic. I’m working. It’s funny but in the end, it’s not hurting me," the Frenchman added.
Gael Monfils: "I wake up at seven, I run for two hours"
In the same interview with The Guardian, Gael Monfils further suggested that most people he reached out to had preconceived notions about his diligence because of his on-court personality but in reality, he has always been a hard worker.
"Let's say you don't really know me, I call you and you've heard a lot of stories, you've seen my personality on the court. It’s tough [to believe] when I tell you I wake up at seven, I run for two hours, that I can do this work. It’s like this. ‘Yeah, I do it," Monfils stated.
The 37-year-old is currently training under Miakel Tillstrom, who played professional tennis for nine years between 1991 and 2000.
Monfils has defied all odds to climb up the men's singles rankings after being on the verge of dropping out of the Top 400 in May 2023. He won the 2023 Stockholm Open men's singles title on his journey to redemption and is currently ranked 38th in the world.