Gael Monfils warns: "Berrettini is a very, very good player" – US Open (H)

"You have flown your eighth final against Pablo Andujar.

It was a good game, well done from start to finish. It had to be good because there is no easy match. You had to be serious, do well. I was happy to be able to win it quickly.

Is it nice to confirm in a match when you are so favorite?

I tried to take all the pressure that comes from the media because it is not your coach who will not tell you that you are a favorite, it comes mainly from you. He was going to try to play on that, to get back into the game quickly. It was up to me to bury him, to show him that I was going to serve well, that he quickly realized that he was going to have to play a very, very big game.

What do you think of Matteo Berrettini, your opponent in the quarter-finals?

I think he's a very, very good player, it's going to be a big game. The guy is 25th in the world, he won what two tournaments this year. He beat Richard (Gasquet in the first round) who played very well. There was no favorite against Rublev (8th) but he is seeded and he plays well.

But it's an affordable quarter, right?

(he smiles) I have the impression that when you do not play Roger, Djokovic or Nadal in a quarter, we say you have pussy. You have to remove all three … And I also think that you (reporters), you are good in saying that there are other players than the Big 3! Matteo, he's really good, he's got a great shot and he's super aggressive. He does not fit in the rallies too much. The only game where he slightly disappointed me is against Roger (Federer) at Wimbledon because I was expecting a bigger match. It may have been his first against Rog 'and it's the only time he's been a little out of his game.

Your companion Elina Svitolina is also in quarter at the US Open. Do you inspire each other?

I do not know if we are "inspired" but we are in a positive spiral necessarily. It's good to see everyone win, it gives us even more desire to win and keep this positive spiral in 'family'. "