NEW YORK -- The first game of Gael Monfils' match against Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden hadn't even come to a close before the Frenchman started unleashing his full arsenal of trick shots. His first move: a midair, no-look volley from the service line.
After that, he tagged a leaping, between-the-legs shot from beyond the baseline. Next came a left-handed groundstroke (Monfils is a righty) followed by a long slide to turn what appeared to be a surefire winner from Wawrinka into a down-the-line forehand from Monfils that swung the point in the Frenchman's favor. And while his attempt at a soccer-style headed volley didn't work out, a no-look rocket from the baseline a couple of games later had the crowd buzzing.
In fewer than two hours, The Garden had been properly "Monfil'd" -- getting a full dose of the 6-foot-4 Frenchman's athleticism, quickness, power and finesse. (Monfils won the exhibition 7-6, 6-3.)
The crowd ate it up. Announcers rained down superlatives about Monfils' shot-making skills. Highlight videos made the media rounds. Monfils hit all the right shots for an exhibition. But there was some irony in the performance: On the heels of perhaps his most disappointing season as a pro, it may be that Monfils' highlight-reel approach is the very thing holding him back from staying healthy, rejuvenating his career and reaching the next tier.
"Last year was pretty much a microcosm of his whole career," said ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, who called the match. "He's the human-highlight reel. But half of his career he's been injured. He can do what no one else can do [in terms of shot-making], but it's too hard to use that in a match. It hurts his body and he loses focus. I think the past injuries have come from so much of his diving and acrobatics."
Monfils, 29, struggled throughout last year with both fitness and form. He failed for the second straight year to win a tour event and didn't make it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam, particularly struggling during the hard-court season, which culminated in a first-round exit at the US Open after retiring with a back injury. He parted ways with coach Jan de Witt in August after just eight months and ended the year ranked No. 24.
"I think last year was maybe the worst season I played ever on the tour," Monfils told Australian Open TV in January.
But much has changed for the Frenchman since the US Open, starting with a new coach, Mikael Tillstrom. Upon coming on board in October, Tillstrom told French-based L'Equipe that a Grand Slam was within Monfils' grasp, and that one of the keys to winning a major involved being more focused, efficient and aggressive in early-round matches. (In 2015, seven of Monfils' 10 Grand Slam matches went four or more sets.)
"He must spend [as] little energy as possible to be at 100 percent during the second week," Tillstrom said to L'Equipe. "This can be done by having extreme concentration in every game of each set. ... He must serve and volley more often ... I want him to be more aggressive and more creative. He has touch and incredible acceleration, and he must take advantage of it."
Part of the focus is a new approach to training and preparation. And while Monfils declined to say exactly how he's rebooted his training regimen -- he's offered some hints via social media, posting pictures from beach-based training sessions in the winter -- he mentioned Tuesday that he's now 100 percent healthy and has a renewed emphasis on his mental approach and in-game tactics.
"I switched my team. I have a new coach and a new way to work," Monfils said following the exhibition. "We have a different training approach. I'm practicing good. I've worked on all my shots to get better.
"I'm playing a bit different this year," continued Monfils. "[Tillstrom] is working with me to save some energy. My mentality changed. I'm trying to be more into it, more focused. I think I'm more calm. And I think I've done pretty good so far."
Those focus areas -- incorporating more serve and volley, conserving energy and efficiently closing out early-round opponents -- have been on display so far in 2016. Monfils lost just one set in the first four rounds of this year's Australian Open, where he made it to the quarterfinals, losing a tough four-set match to Milos Raonic. And a couple of weeks later, he stormed to the finals in Rotterdam, dropping just one set in his first four matches before losing the title to Martin Klizan in three sets. He's now ranked 16th.
"At the Australian Open, there was a big difference," Gilbert said. "He was much more muted, more focused. No diving shots and no 'tweeners. I noticed him serving and volleying a bit more; with his athleticism and skill set, his volleying has improved a lot. He should take advantage of that."
Gilbert likened Monfils' optimal game to that of a pragmatic vehicle as opposed to a sports car.
"Tactically, he needs to be like a Chevy truck," Gilbert said. "He needs a little more meat and potatoes in his game. Fewer highlights. He can play with more offense; he's a bit reluctant at times to use his speed and length. And I think he could beef up his serve. It's a weapon but could be an even bigger weapon. He's 6-4 and has that same motion and delivery on it as Andy Roddick. It's something he could get more out of."
So where does Monfils go from here? On Saturday, he'll begin his quest at Indian Wells against Pablo Carreno Busta. With a win, Monfils, seeded 13th, could face another showman in Nick Kyrgios. In terms of goals, the Frenchman has his sights set on specific objectives, including some major ones -- literally.
"My goal is playing deeper in bigger matches, tournaments, like Indian Wells, Key Biscayne. To really be focused on the 1,000 [level] events," Monfils said. "I need to win more matches to be back in the top 10. And for sure try to catch a big one."
Monfils' top Grand Slam finish remains his semifinal run at the 2008 French Open. Otherwise, he's made it to the quarterfinals in six majors, the last and most notable being the 2014 US Open when, after going up two sets on Roger Federer, he let two match points slip away before losing.
Focus and fitness will continue to be key for Monfils' resurgence and potential rise.
"It comes down to being on the court," Gilbert said. "I can't remember him playing 12 straight months. He's gotta be healthy."
Monfils last ranked in the top 10 in October of 2011. Can he climb back into that tier five years later as a soon-to-be 30-year-old?
"Yes, definitely. I feel great. I have no pain," Monfils said. "So far I'm playing great tennis. Hopefully I'll keep it going for the rest of the season."
That may depend on how much of his highlight-reel game remains edited out of his arsenal.