Wed Apr 09 12:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Veteran Monfils Marks 20 Years Since Monte Carlo Debut, Laments Changing Climate
**MONTE CARLO, Monaco** – Gael Monfils, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Monte Carlo Masters debut, secured a hard-fought victory over Fabian Marozsan on Monday, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. The win, however, was overshadowed by the French veteran’s concerns about the increasingly unpredictable weather impacting clay-court seasons.
The 38-year-old, currently ranked world No. 44, pointed to a noticeable shift in climate conditions over the past two decades, noting that the typically hot weather associated with Monte Carlo and the French Open is becoming a rarity. “The weather is worse and worse,” Monfils stated, “The whole period on clay has changed. It’s been a long time since we had two beautiful weeks at Roland Garros. It feels cold every time now.”
Despite the chilly conditions, Monfils delivered a strong performance, exceeding his own expectations. He praised his movement, shot-making, and serve, highlighting his ability to recover after losing the first set. This win marks a crucial step for Monfils, who has only one victory across the three major clay-court tournaments this year. His next opponent will be seventh seed Andrey Rublev, who recently added Marat Safin to his coaching staff. Monfils expressed cautious optimism about Safin’s influence, believing his experience in tight matches could be beneficial for Rublev.
The win improved Monfils’ season record to 15-5. His lone clay-court title came in Sopot, Poland, 20 years ago, marking the start of a career that has spanned two decades and seen him face down some of the biggest names in tennis, including a young Rafael Nadal in his very first Monte Carlo appearance.
First Piper 