Tennis showman Gael Monfils bowed out of Wimbledon in five sets on Friday — but the Frenchman was more sage than sour as he reflected on a career that has danced between the sublime and the spectacular.
The 38-year-old fell 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 to Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in a match carried over from last night, yet emerged from defeat with the perspective that comes from two decades in professional tennis and a life now enriched beyond the baseline.
"I've been fortunate enough to be a tennis player in such a big sport," former top-10 player Monfils said after his exit, before recalling his first intoxicating moment on a tennis court more than 20 years ago.
"A moment that stands out for me is 2004, my first Bercy (Paris Masters)," he said of playing before a raucous French crowd. "Unreal energy ... that was a special moment."
While Monfils admitted he struggled with conditions when play resumed at Wimbledon on Friday after an overnight suspension, he refused to indulge in any what-ifs.
"To tell you that I would have won the match is too much. I don't really know. I wish I could win this match today, but that's sport. I'm going to rest a couple of days and go back on court and try to be ready for the US tour."
More revealing, though, was his evolved view of the sport's place in his world. Married to fellow player Elina Svitolina and now a father, Monfils offered a refreshing take on priorities.
"Tennis is part of my life, but tennis is not my life," he said. "My life outside of tennis is my real life."
The Frenchman smiled when he was asked what it meant to be on the tennis tour together with Ukrainian Svitolina.
"It's a tough question in a way, because you see my wife as a tennis player; I see my wife as a wife. It's completely different. But of course, it's great that we can share the same passion. I'm lucky enough to raise a child, and hopefully we'll get more someday ... just grateful every day."
SERVE, SET, MATCH! SPEEDY SHELTON REACHES THIRD ROUND IN ONE MINUTE
Talk about a man in a hurry – 10th seed Ben Shelton required just one minute to finish off his interrupted match against Australian Rinky Hijikata and reach the Wimbledon third round on Friday as he completed a 6-2 7-5 6-4 victory
The American was left seething the previous evening when the contest on Court Two was suspended by umpire Nacho Forcadell because of fading light with Shelton serving for the match.
That did not sit well with the 22-year-old who earned the sympathy of the crowd who chanted "one more game".
After a night to sleep on it, Shelton made no mistake when play resumed, serving three aces, two clocked at 140mph, and an unreturned second serve to take his place in the last 32.
The official reason for the previous night's stoppage was that automated Hawk-Eye line calling, which has replaced line judges this year for the first time, was unable to operate in low light conditions.
"The umpire said it was like a five-minute warning until the Hawk-Eye was going down. That was, like, including the changeover, so there wouldn't be enough time to complete the game," Shelton told reporters after his win.
"I was telling him, I only need 60 seconds. That's kind of what my goal was when I went out there today."
Shelton's biggest gripe was that the match should actually have been curtailed earlier on Thursday as the court was becoming slippery, rather than at 5-4.
"To stop when you're serving for the match, isn't ideal," he told reporters. "I thought we could have stopped earlier. My opponent was complaining since the end of the second set.
"It seemed like there were better times if they knew they were going to stop it, to stop it before it got to that point."
Shelton said he had walked back on court prepared to play another two hours if necessary. Thankfully for him, he was required to strike the ball only five times.
"I'm just happy with the way I handled it coming out today and taking care of my business. I don't think that physically there's any big deal for me playing one game," he said.
"But it's never ideal mentally having to wake up another day and be on and know that it's a match day. Obviously I went out there prepared to play two and a half sets.
"You can't just go out there be like, 'Yeah, I'm going to hold (serve)'. What happens if you don't?"
The big-serving Shelton has enjoyed a consistent run in the Grand Slams, now having reached at least the third round in his last eight appearances, including a semifinal run in Australia at the beginning of the year, his second major semi.
Shelton will play lucky loser Marton Fucsovics in the next round after the Hungarian also completed a resumed match against French veteran Gael Monfils.
Victory in that would see the American match his best result at Wimbledon, having reached the last 16 this time last year.