Monfils becomes the oldest player to win an ATP Tour singles title

At 38, Gael Monfis becomes the oldest victor of an ATP rubric by beating Zizou Bergs successful New Zealand.

French seasoned Gael Monfils has go the oldest subordinate to triumph an ATP Tour rubric aft beating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 successful Auckland.

Monfils claimed his 13th circuit rubric 20 years aft his archetypal and astatine the property of 38 years, 132 days. He took implicit from Roger Federer, who was 38 years, 74 days aged erstwhile helium won the last circuit rubric of his career, the Swiss Indoor rubric astatine Basel successful 2019.

Monfils is presently ranked 52 and is the oldest subordinate successful the ATP Tour’s past to beryllium ranked successful the apical 100.

Pancho Gonzalez was 44 years, 7 months and 4 days aged erstwhile helium won a Kingston, Jamaica singles rubric successful 1972, earlier the enactment of the ATP Tour successful 1990.

Gael Monfils won his archetypal ATP rubric astatine the property of 18 [Phil Walter/Getty Images]

The Auckland last was delayed connected Saturday by a aesculapian exigency successful the crowd, but Monfils showed the aforesaid substance of aggression and tenacious defence to assertion his archetypal rubric since the Stockholm Open successful 2023.

Prior to the commencement of the Auckland tournament, Monfils spoke astir however his emotion of tennis kept him going.

“I emotion tennis. I emotion what I’m doing so, of course, each the sacrifices you do, they are a small spot easier. When you emotion something, it’s easier to support pushing,” helium said.

“I’ve been enjoying myself since the archetypal time I played tennis and [at] 60 years aged I volition inactive person this joy. Practice, it’s easy. It’s successful the DNA. Stay successful shape, it’s easy. It’s much the travel.”

After collecting the Auckland trophy, Monfils headed consecutive to the airdrome for a formation to Melbourne wherever helium volition look Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard successful the archetypal circular of the Australian Open.

Zizou Bergs of Belgium, left, and Gael Monfils of France airs with their trophies pursuing their men’s singles last connected Day 13 of the ASB Classic [Phil Walter/Getty Images]

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