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Carlos Alcaraz and Gael Monfils, both competing in Toronto, got into a friendly match of Ping Pong Tennis, a quirky tennis game played by Novak Djokovic for the last decade during practice sessions. Monfils won the encounter and punished Alcaraz with a set of push-ups.
Watch a series of videos from the match below.
Djokovic was seen playing the same "Ping Pong Tennis" game about a decade ago.
Monfils believes Alcaraz will achieve "exceptional things"
After being defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the 2022 edition of Indian Wells, Gael Monfils praised the young Spaniard for his talent and forecasted a bright future for him.
"At this stage, there is no longer any age that matters. He has his whole life ahead of him to accomplish exceptional things and that's what's he is going to do. What he imposed on me was too hard today," Monfils said after the match, per Sportskeeda.
Monfils, however, won't have many more chances to play Alcaraz in the ATP Tour. The French revealed after his first round victory in Toronto over Eubanks that he plans to retire and take care of his daughter. “It was good (spending time at home) It’s the next chapter.
It’s tomorrow, I feel. I feel like my team, my wife, everybody want me to keep playing. But to be honest, when I spend time, at home with my daughter, this is it. To be honest, this is it. It’s been 20 years I’m doing that, so this is it for me.
As I said last year, it was a little bit different. I was 15 in the world. I didn’t have to compete that much in a way just to keep my ranking. Now if I want to get back, I need to play weeks after weeks. Do I want to do that? I’m not sure. I’m not sure, but I will see. And then, you know, time will tell," Monfils said.