"I sometimes pissed him off, I was not far away a lot of times" - Gael Monfils on his 0-17 record against Novak Djokovic

Gael Monfils feels he was close to beating Novak Djokovic on a few occasions

Gael Monfils believes his miserable head-to-head record against Novak Djokovic does not accurately paint the picture of their rivalry. The Frenchman has lost all 17 previous meetings with the Serb, but will have a chance to get on the scoreboard when they lock horns in the second round of the Madrid Open.

Speaking to French magazine L'Equipe, Monfils stated that he came close to beating Djokovic on several occasions in the past, including the Dubai semifinals two years ago.

"The last time I was good, I was leading by a set and a break ( in the semi-finals in Dubai, in February 2020 ). After I had the match points (three in the tie-break of the second set), he played well and afterwards I was a bit burnt out (2-6, 7-6, 6-1 defeat).

"I sometimes pissed him off, I was not far away a lot of times, but clay, hard, it's the same: he has a way of playing that I don't like. He manages to find my weaknesses every time. Quite simply, he is stronger than me. A lot of people really have a hard time understanding it. Maybe you can beat him once, twice, three times. Me, I never succeeded. But there aren't many guys who beat Usain Bolt."

"We talk a lot about Novak Djokovic, but I'm not 100% either" - Gael Monfils

Gael Monfils takes on Novak Djokovic in the second round of the Madrid Open

Monfils recently withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Open due to a foot injury. The Frenchman made his comeback in Madrid, where he won his opener against Carlos Gimeno Valero in straight sets.

The Frenchman said that much like Djokovic, who has struggled with lack of match play this season, he too isn't fully fit.

"He is gradually gaining strength, he is playing better and better. Tomorrow (Tuesday) it will arrive well. It's going to be complicated. I haven't played for a month. I never tell myself it's time. I tell myself above all: I will try to play a good game. We talk a lot about Novak, but I'm not 100% yet either."

With these factors taken into consideration, it'll be interesting to see who wins on Tuesday. The winner will take on either Andy Murray or Denis Shapovalov for a place in the quarterfinals.

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