THE MODERATOR: Gael, bad luck today. Your last match at Indian Wells. Give us your thoughts on how the day went.

GAEL MONFILS: Yeah, it was a tough one, obviously, playing Felix. He's in great shape, top-10 player. He's never easy to play in those matches, but I fought pretty well, I guess. You know, I tried to push him the harder that I could.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Even though you make your living playing tennis, it's a game. Can you have fun when you lose?

GAEL MONFILS: I always have fun, you know, when you step on the court. It's something that I think my parents teach me to, no matter what, have fun. You can be disappointed as a competitor, but at the end, as you just say, it's a game, so I'm always happy.

You know, for me, it's always a privilege to be on the court, and as you just say, I call it my job, but first, it's a sport and a game.

Q. Congratulations on an amazing career. You have had periods where you haven't had a coach. I wonder how that works for you. Yeah, how did you manage that?

GAEL MONFILS: Sometime you need to reset yourself and see exactly what you're looking for. I felt, you know, it helped me to reconnect a little bit with myself.

I'm traveling alone, and then, yeah, I think you are even more aware about what to do, what to not do. I felt it was helpful for my, you know, experience. Of course it's a bit difference. You need to do everything yourself, but it's fine (smiling).

Q. What did you learn about yourself and your game?

GAEL MONFILS: You know, it was a little bit like that moment that a lot of people wanted me to do stuff that I don't really see it that way, in a way, in my game, and just like reinforce, you know, my belief, my own strategy for my identity on the court, because most of the time of course coaches want to impose a little bit identity and reinforce it.

And sometime, you know, for me, it was sometimes different because people see my game differently, and then it was great that I could, you know, reset myself, to be in the best line and reinforce that belief.

You know, I had the actually unbelievable result alone, and I liked it.

Q. Congratulations.

GAEL MONFILS: Thank you.

Q. Talk a little bit about what this tournament has meant to you throughout your career, what you enjoy about it, and talk a little bit about the emotions that you felt when Stadium 3 were all on their feet for you as you exited.

GAEL MONFILS: It's unbelievable tournament for me. I'm a little bit sad. You know, normally not down, but a little bit sad that, as I say last time I came here, 2005, I had the chance to, for the first time, come with my mom, and, you know, as a kid, always wanted to play in big tournaments, big crowd, big venues, and this one was matching all my expectations from day one until now.

The infrastructure is just unbelievable. Could see the evolution now for two decades, and it's been great. I had different, let's say, way that I appreciate the tournament. Of course when I was super young, with friends, a little bit in the way with heavy team, to walk out. Then family, then family with my daughter and parents. You know, for me was always a happy place, a place that, you know, I could grow my own self, as well. I always sit here in peace.

I was super happy, you know, that I could get this invitation, because I think it's the most, I mean, it's the tournament where I played the most, and I think it's for a reason, because here I always felt good.