Gael Monfils picks the toughest defeat of his entire tennis career which he thinks may have cost him a Grand Slam title

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Gael Monfils enjoyed a brilliant run down under to kickstart his 2025 campaign as he continues to impress on the ATP Tour.

The Frenchman began his season at the Brisbane International, taking down young American Nishesh Basavareddy before losing to Novak Djokovic.

Monfils won the ASB Classic shortly after, as he beat Belgian star Zizou Bergs in the final, 6-3, 6-4, clinching his 13th tour-level title.

Heading to Melbourne full of confidence, Monfils beat his fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to advance to the second round, after five sets of grueling action.

A win over Daniel Altmaier followed before Monfils knocked out Taylor Fritz, in one of the shocks of the tournament.

Monfils then retired against Ben Shelton in the fourth round, as his Australian Open run came to an end.

After a first-round exit in Dubai, the 38-year-old is now set to make his return to the court at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 event.

Before traveling to California, Monfils took the time to look back on some of his toughest defeats, as he admitted one may have cost him a shot at Grand Slam glory.

Gael Monfils picks defeat to Roger Federer in the 2014 US Open quarter-finals as the toughest of his career

Speaking with French NBA legend Tony Parker, Monfils was asked to name the toughest defeat of his tennis career.

“In 2014 I lost with two match points against Roger Federer, in the quarter-finals of the US Open,” he said.

“This is the year [Marin] Cilic won, so I’m not saying… but there could’ve been a way [to win the title].

“You play Cilic in the semis, I didn’t know he was going to win, so already it’s not Rafa [Nadal] or Novak [Djokovic], and he plays Kei Nishikori, in the final.”

Monfils had match points on Federer’s serve at 15-40 in the fourth set before an excellent drive volley from Federer saw him save the second of his two match points.

Federer fought back to win in five sets, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, crushing Monfils’ dreams of Grand Slam success.

The pair played once more in 2014, as Monfils was left frustrated when Federer missed the same ‘drive volley’ in the final of the Davis Cup.

“Then I played him in the Davis Cup final in November,” he said.

“Afterwards, I’d managed to win, I was happy, and that same volley, he missed it on his set point.

“I thought ‘if you could’ve missed it in September’ [that would’ve been much better], it’s true, I told myself that.”

Monfils beat Federer in three sets, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3, leveling the tie at one a piece, before Switzerland took the title with a 3-1 victory.

Gael Monfils says defeat to Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 was the ‘best moment of his career’

Monfils’ defeat to Federer in 2014 wasn’t the only tough defeat of the Frenchman’s career, as he also looked back on a loss during his earlier years on the ATP Tour.

“I’ve got one, you see, it’s my best game ever,” he said.

“It’s the best moment of my career, and that’s when I said to myself, ‘Yes I really want to be a top-level sportsman, I really want to get there.

“It’s 2004, I qualify for the [Paris] Bercy tournament, and in the second round, I lose to Lleyton Hewitt, who was number two in the world.

“I’m just 18, I was 300 in the world, and I lost 3-6, 6-7, I’m discovering all of this and I’m thinking, I’ve got to go [to the top].

“I was far away but it felt possible.”

Monfils began his charge towards the top shortly after, securing his first top-ten win in 2005.

“I told myself that it was possible, and that defeat is one of my fondest memories,” he said.

“The proof is in the pudding, in [2005] I won my first time against a top-ten player, I beat Gaston Gaudio in Doha.

“But this defeat, yes, I went out I told my parents, next year, I’ll also play Bercy.”

Monfils enjoyed real success at the Paris Masters during his career, reaching the final of his home tournament on two occasions.

• 2009 – Lost to Novak Djokovic, 2-6, 7-5, 6-7
• 2010 – Lost to Robin Soderling, 5-7, 7-5, 0-6

The world number 42 came closest to victory in 2009, as he narrowly fell to defeat in a third-set tiebreaker against Djokovic.

Monfils will now turn his attention to the 2025 Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament, as he takes on Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.