France's top tennis player Gael Monfils admitted it would be the worst case scenario for him to face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the French Open where the veteran hopes to play his last tournament before retiring.
Monfils and Tsonga have known each other since their early teens. Together with Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet they were part of a talented crop of French players dubbed les quatre mousquetaires in homage to the novel by Alexandre Dumas.
Last week Tsonga revealed he wanted to end his 18 years on the circuit after the French Open where he twice reached the last four.
"I've been wondering about playing Jo at Roland Garros," Monfils admitted just after announcing his withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters due to a foot injury.
"Honestly, I'd have a really hard time playing Jo. I'm praying that it doesn't happen."
Friends
The two have met eight times on the circuit. The last encounter came in 2018 in the last-16 at the Anterwerp Indoor tournament. Monfils won the match in three sets to make it four wins apiece.
"Jo, since he was very young, has always been the driving force, the big brother, even if we are only one year apart," said 35-year-old Monfils.
"I have never been so happy as when I was selected for the French Davis Cup team: I had the chance to play with Jo and for me it was exceptional.
"In training at the national sport institute, he was the only one who was allowed to wear his cap backwards, he was the strongest guy. You are 14-years-old and you want to be Jo Tsonga."
Monfils said he had tested his foot injury during a training session with Tsonga on Saturday.
"I said to myself: 'I don't care, I'm training with him because these are his last training sessions. These will be the last moments when we are still players together even if we are friends for life.
Success
"As a fan I want to see him play a little bit more because these last years have been harder for him physically. These last years do not represent the great player he is."
Tsonga, who will be 37 on 14 April, collected 18 titles during his time on the circuit including two Masters events - considered just below the Grand Slam tournaments in terms of prestige to distinguish him as the most successful of the mousquetaires and second to Yannick Noah who claimed 23 trophies including the 1983 French Open.
Tsonga also spent time in the top 10 reaching a career high of five in 2012.
Simon, 37, and Gasquet, 35, were, like thier compatriot, ranked among the world's top 10 during their halcyon days. Currently Monfils is the highest placed of the quartet at 21.
"We talk about retiring openly," said Monfils. "We joke about it. One of them will say to me: 'You're not making any progress, what are you doing here?'
"But at the end of the day, we all love tennis. Letting go is not easy.
"But retirement is coming ... I'm the only one for whom it's a bit different. I'm younger physically so they know that if everything goes well, I will be the last to say goodbye.
"I plan to push on until I'm 40 if my body allows it ... I've got four more years of giving the youngsters a hard time!"
