Australian Open 2021: 'Emotions can be overwhelming' - Gael Monfils confident he'll bounce back

ByRichard Newman

Published 10/02/2021 at 10:12 GMT

Gael Monfils says he’s looking forward to a “better tomorrow”, after thanking his fans for their support having broken down in tears following his surprise first round defeat at the Australian Open. The world number 11 says he has “every confidence” he will get back on track “in the near future”.

Gael Monfils insists he’ll bounce back and is getting “back to work” after his Australian Open campaign ended in tears at the first stage.

The French world number 11 was beaten 3-6 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3 by Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round in Melbourne on Monday.

After the match, Monfils gave an emotional news conference, in which he confessed to losing confidence and not knowing when his “nightmare” would end.

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Monfils breaks down in tears in post-match press conference

But in a post on social media on Wednesday morning, he was much more upbeat.

“Dear all, I have been amazed by the number of appreciation messages I have received from my family, my girlfriend Elina (fellow tennis player Svitolina), my friends, my team, my agent, my sponsors and the many fans who have always supported me on this journey”, he said.

“I want to thank you all for your ongoing support despite the up(s) and downs”, he said, paying tribute to a number of people, including his girlfriend and fellow player Elina Svitolina, his fans and his team.

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"As you can imagine, this is not an easy period but I have every confidence that I will bounce back in the near future.

"Emotions can be overwhelming after a close defeat, especially when you have put long hours to get there and your expectations are high.

“When I put things in perspective, I will always reach the same conclusion: tennis is my biggest passion and I am extremely fortunate to be able to live from it.

"A quick glance at the current world we live in is all I need to be reminded that the only possible way is to look forward for a better tomorrow.

“Thank you all again, and now back to work!”

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