Gael Monfils wasn't impressed with a troll calling him out over the comments he made about the Carlos Alcaraz matchup as the Frenchman suggested that the critic didn't know much about tennis if couldn't understand why he made the statement that he made.
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After edging out Ugo Humbert in tight three sets to set up a Shanghai Masters round-of-16 match against the four-time Grand Slam champion, the Frenchman was asked about his chances of upsetting the favored Spaniard. Not only that the former world No. 6 didn't sound optimistic, but he pretty much gave himself a zero chance of winning that match.
"I think he will beat me. He will crush me a hundred percent, you know. I think I was just lucky, as I said. Last time I was very fortunate, and it was not a good match from him, and one of my good match from me. His level is unbelievable. I have also done great myself, but he's, as I say, coming up legend. So, I guess he will crush me, but as I say, I will do everything to not be crushed too easy, in a way," Monfils said before the match.
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Monfils responds to a critic
In tennis and sports in general, it is rare to see a player that directly stating that he was probably going to get crushed. But the 12-time ATP champion did exactly that. And to no one's surprise, some were quick to use that as a reason to bash the 37-year-old.
"LOL, the statement, wow, it makes us understand the career now." one person wrote on X.
Monfils noticed it and fired back: I thought you knew tennis?! Actually you're just here to troll! Not cool!
Truth be told, Alcaraz is having a major year since he won the French Open and Wimbledon this year while also winning silver at the Paris Olympics.
On the other side, the 37-year-old Frenchman is past his prime and longer one of the best in the game.
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But when they met on Wednesday, Monfils didn't embarrass himself or get crushed as he fought well before Alcaraz ultimately sealed a 6-4 7-5 win.
