Gael Monfils Becomes Oldest ATP Champion In 45 Years With Auckland Triumph
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Gael Monfils is an incredible athlete, and he once again confirmed it at the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland.
The French player entered the ATP 250 tournament in Auckland after losing in the second round of the Brisbane International to Novak Djokovic. It was his 20th loss against Djokovic in what is the most lopsided rivalry in the history of the ATP Tour.
But playing in Auckland after the tournament in Brisbane was a brilliant decision. But it didn't look like it initially. In the first round, Monfils was down 1-6 and 2-5 against Pedro Martinez. Miraculously, he was able to win the match in three sets.
Since then, the Frenchman has been unstoppable. He beat Jan-Lennard Struff, Facundo Diaz Acosta, and Nishesh Basavareddy to find himself in the final against Zizou Bergs, who was having a great week himself.
In the final, Monfils delivered a serving masterclass. He won 93% of points after his first serve in the opening set of the match, as he managed to avoid facing any break points.
At the same time, he put Bergs under pressure on the Belgian's serve, creating a total of four break point chances. Monfils used only one, but thanks to his perfect serving, it was more than enough to win the first set 6-3.
In the second set, Monfils was the first player to break again, as he led already 3-1, but he then had plenty of work to keep that one-break lead. At 3-2, he had to face three consecutive break points when he was down 0-40.
Winning five points in a row, he managed to do that, but it was not the end of the second-set troubles for the 38-year-old player. When serving for the set, he faced three more break points.
Monfils managed to save all six break points in the second set, and thanks to that, he was able to win the match 6-3, 6-4 to win the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland and become the oldest ATP Tour-level champion since 1977.
In 1977, Ken Rosewall won a title in Hong Kong when he was 43 years and 5 days old. Since then, Roger Federer won the 2019 Swiss Indoors in Basel when he was 38 years, 2 months, and 13 days old.
The Swiss Maestro also won in Halle that year when he was 37 years, 10 months, and 9 days, and Feliciano Lopez won the 2019 Queen's Club Championships when he was 37 years, 8 months, and 27 days.
Monfils now surpassed Federer's feat when he won this tournament at the age of 38 years, 4 months, and 10 days, becoming the oldest player in 45 years to lift a Tour-level trophy. After the match, he was obviously delighted about this rare achievement.
"It means a lot [to win]. Age is a number. But we keep working. I keep believing that I can play high-quality tennis and I have been showing it this week so I am very happy."
"[My first title] was 20 years ago. I still have the passion to play tennis. I feel I [can] still strike the ball very well. Hopefully, many more to come."
