Monfils sees injury break as 'perfect timing' to experience fatherhood ahead of Indian Wells return: "I try to see the positive in the negative"

Gael Monfils missed plenty of time due to various injuries but he focused on the positive in that as he got to spent a lot of time with his daughter.

Monfils last played at the Montreal Masters where a foot injury forced him to retire. He didn't think it was a major issue but it proved to be one as he hasn't competed since then. His return will come at the Indian Wells Masters and he's excited to get back to it. Ahead of the event, he sat down with the ATP to talk about his time away from the sport and fatherhood:

“I feel great. It’s been a couple months now I’m away. At the same time, I have a couple weeks without my little princess. It’s the first time, it’s the first feeling like that. It’s a mixed feeling, but in a positive way.”

He's excited to be back to playing tennis but feels a bit odd after leaving his daughter behind:

“I was with her since day one and now to get back on the road, it’s a different experience for me. I’ve been great. I’ve been blessed. So far she’s healthy and myself too, [I have] gotten back in shape and healthy. I have only positive vibes coming here.”

He didn't really want to be away from the sport with an injury but his daughter came at the right moment to fill his days:

“Perfect timing. I say always I try to see the positive in the negative and that was almost the best timing. I could be with my wife at the end of her pregnancy and support her, because it’s never easy the last days and everything. And then of course at the beginning as a parent, taking care of the little one as a team. It was great timing for me and also very important. At the end, that’s what matters. That’s life, that’s real life. To be a team there for our baby was great for me.”