Monfils Is Ready; He Hopes His Body Is

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 14th January 2013

Qatar ExxonMobil ATP Open Tennis tournament 2013

Monfils Is Ready; He Hopes His Body Is

epa03523163 Gael Monfils of France serves to Daniel Brands of Germany in their quarter final match of the Qatar ExxonMobil ATP Open Tennis tournament at Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, 03 January 2013. EPA/STRINGER |

Injury-prone Gael Monfils will be hoping that time will help him be ready for the start of the Australian Open. The Frenchman who limped thorough the week in Auckland into a semi-final which he lost to German Tommy Haas, is concerned about trying to find fitness after knee injuries during much of 2012 and a sore hamstring which has been bothering him,

It was all or nothing for the flamboyant player who once stood inside the top 10 as he went down to Haas. But the on-again, off-again schedule of a Grand Slam may be more forgivving to his body.

“It’s different in Australia, with one day on and then you have a day off, so for sure it can help me,” said the Frenchman, who opens in Melbourne against Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.

“It’s always tough to play him, he has a tricky game so it’s going to be a great match. I’ll will try to be fit, there will be a lot of running for sure.”

Monfils is aiming to slowly recover his lost form in time for a solid showing on the spring clay of Europe as he works his way back., over hoped to be at full fitness for the clay court season in the European spring.