French veteran Gael Monfils has become the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title after beating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in Auckland.
Gael Monfils, at 38, captured the ATP title in Auckland, becoming the oldest winner before retiring from the Australian Open due to injury. Despite impressive performances, his long matches took a toll.
French tennis star Gaël Monfils became the oldest ever player to claim an ATP Tour singles title when he won the ASB Classic in Auckland on Saturday, surpassing the previous record set by Roger Federer in 2019.
Gael Monfils claimed his 13th ATP title in Auckland. The Frenchman played in his 35th ATP final and ousted Belgium's Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 37 minutes, lifting a trophy and writing history books.
Monfils was struggling with a back injury at the start of the fourth set as Ben Shelton advanced to the quarter-finals
Zizou Bergs is playing his first ATP Tour final, while Gael Monfils is competing in his 35th, at the ATP 250 in Auckland. But the Frenchman’s record in championship matches isn’t the strongest (12-22) and he’s nearing the end of his illustrious career.
Gael Monfils has joined Roger Federer as the only men to reach the Australian Open’s fourth round at age 38 or older since the tournament field expanded to 128 players in 1988
AUCKLAND – Gael Monfils became the oldest singles champion in ATP Tour history when the 38-year-old Frenchman swept to victory in the final of the Auckland Classic on Jan 11.
Former world number six Gael Monfils clinched a 7-6(5) 6-4 win over Nishesh Basavareddy in the Auckland Classic semi-finals on Friday to become the second-oldest player to reach an ATP Tour final since 1990.
Monfils upset fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz of the United States 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in the third round at Melbourne, Australia. When Monfils made his Australian Open debut in 2005, Fritz, now 27 years old, was 7.
After his historic win, Monfils returned to Margaret Court Arena and sat in the stands to watch his wife, Svitolina, eliminate the women's No. 4 seed, two-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 at night.