2015 Player Preview: Gael Monfils

When Gael Monfils said this year that when push comes to shove he values winning matches more than entertaining the crowd I’m not sure I quite believed him. Monfils is arguably the sports’ greatest showman, regularly pulling off a range of shots and on-court antics that makes headlines whether he wins or loses.

A variety of personalities in any sport is great and arguably essential in making it worth following. The men at the top of the tennis world have separated themselves from the rest with their hunger and single-minded focus on achieving success. Monfils is of a different mould, as whilst he may have the tools to be a top player, his mental attributes have stopped his transitioning into that next level and realising his true potential.

Monfils has a career high of number seven in the world, achieving this in July of 2011 and the 28 year old Frenchman currently sits at number eighteen in the year end rankings.

The fascinating aspect of where Monfils’ career is heading is that he has more say than most about his success

It was another mixed year for Monfils. who didn’t progress past the third round at any Masters event, yet made the quarter finals at two Grand Slams. Inconsistent and erratic are two words that apply to not only his year, but his career so far.

Part of the Monfils puzzle is that he mixes the sublime with the downright awful so regularly that you can’t even predict what you will see from him match to match. He looked disinterested in his second round defeat to Jiri Vesely at Wimbledon, whilst at the US Open he was a man possessed, taking Roger Federer to five sets in the quarter finals, having won the first two sets. His subsequent demolition of Federer in the Davis Cup Final 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 was astonishing but strangely not entirely shocking.

Sep 4, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Gael Monfils (FRA) reacts during his match against Roger Federer (SUI) on day eleven of the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Monfils, more than most players, seems to need the big occasion to narrow his focus. The bigger the game, the more likely you are to see Monfils locked in, chasing down every ball whilst bombing forehands and serves with a captivating swagger.

His performances in the IPTL have served to highlight his ability when he can maintain his concentration. Playing for only one set, he has dispatched a number of top ten players in the past two weeks in the exhibition event, thrilling crowds in the process.

The fascinating aspect of where Monfils’ career is heading is that he has more say than most players about his success. It is impossible to say that he is one of those players that is maximizing the skills he has available to him, if he were to do so I think he would be a top ten player.

He is a phenomenon from a physical perspective, with a number of fellow players saying he is the fastest man on tour. This gives him a huge edge in movement over opponents and it means that when he is up for it, he can challenge anyone.

More from Opinion

Nevertheless, I think that Monfils is stuck in mindset that he will find difficult if not impossible to change. He is a born entertainer, and no matter how clichéd that is, it is hard to deny. When a ball clips of the net, wrong footing him, his instinct it to position himself for a between the legs shot, rather than dispatching the ball for a simple winner.

It’s almost not even show-boating for Monfils as it happens so naturally. Similar to how the top guys are embedded in the mentality of fighting for every point, I fear for Monfils his career will be defined by these spectacular shots rather than the trophies he wins.

Ranking Prediction: 18th

Next: Lob and Smash 2015 Grand Slam Predictions

More from Lob and Smash

Home/Opinion