“I’m a perfectionist – even my wife thought that was funny” – Hard worker Monfils on people’s wrong impressions

Gael Monfils says that lots of people have the wrong impression about his personality and work ethic – and that includes his wife, Elina Svitolina.

In the latest episode of All on the Table, the Frenchman tells compatriots Benoit Paire and Patrick Mouratoglou that he is really a very calm, hard-working person – not at all eccentric or flamboyant.

“Above everything, I’m a perfectionist,” he said. “Generally, people, and even my wife, thought, ‘That’s funny!'”

The 37-year-old added: “Not only am I serious, but sometimes too serious.

“People feel like I am, let’s say, absent-minded. The reason is that yes, I enjoy my life. But I am really able to dedicate myself when the moment comes.”

He reflected on his career so far, recalling: “I remember myself spending so many hours on court to erase my weaknesses.

“People don’t realise that I have had a long journey.”

And Paire agreed, explaining how hard Monfils works: “If he reached the top 10, it’s because he worked.

“We had some practice sessions together, like, in January. I just could not follow the pace. The workload he is able to take on, I know very few people able to do the same.”

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