Gael Monfils conceded he's both "dead" and driven after his entertaining conquest of compatriot Benoit Paire in Paris.

The elastic Monfils edged Paire 6-4, 7-6(4) advancing to the Rolex Paris Masters round of 16 vs. Radu Albot. 

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Admitting he's physically depleted, the 13th-ranked Monfils says he's driven to finish the season ranked in the Top 10. 

"Since Asia, I'm dead," Monfils told the media in Paris. "I'm exhausted physically and mentally. It's all this pressure accruing on me, because I really wanted to finish in the top 10. And people keep on talking about the London Masters, you know, since Asia, and I have enough of it, you know?

"Of course my goal is to aim for the top 10 finish, not really the London Masters. And I have had too much pressure because, okay, I'm close to the London Masters, but I'm still not that close. And I stress myself too much."

Monfils lone season-ending Top 10 finish came in 2016 when he finished world No. 7.

Now, he has another Top 10 finish in his sights and is determined to fight fatigue and nerves to achieve it.

"When you really want to be part of the top 10 well, the rest of the tension I manage, because there's so much tension anyway," Monfils said. "But I want to reach my goal. I want to wrap up the season on a good note and to fulfill my goal for this year, which was to be back in the top 10.

"And we know how daunting it is. I'm nearly there. So, whew, I'm going to continue to get close to that goal."

Photo credit: Christopher Levy