Monfils on his Monte-Carlo 2016 final against Nadal: "I lost 6-0 in the third set after an extraordinary match".

In 2016, Gaël Monfils fought for the biggest title of his career.

In the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000, the Frenchman challenged Rafael Nadal, king of clay. In a podcast, the 38-year-old looked back on the match, which he eventually lost in three sets.

"On the morning of the match, I said to my coach: 'Here I go'. I spoke to him then, and I was really determined. I'm in the final of a Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo.

Everyone was telling me that this was my year, with Rafa playing a little less well. It's the best clay-court match I've ever played in my career.

I lost 6-0 in the third set in an extraordinary encounter. He killed me physically, but I gave it my all.

Tennis-wise, I couldn't have played any better. I was hitting Martian forehands and backhands like I'd dreamed of doing all my career.

We were mano a mano. It's now 7-5 for him, 7-5 for me, and we've been playing for two hours. At one point, the gas was gone and I couldn't restart.

People don't realize that. You can't start, but he's still accelerating. It was really incredible. Me, I'm exhausted.

Opposite him, he put me 6-0 up. It wasn't even a situation where he was right on top of me and leaving me the crumbs! I was at the top of my game. He slapped me in the face!