Gael Monfils won his 13th ATP Tour title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, defeating Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in the final. This was his 12th title on hard courts. Monfils has always been one of the most talented players on the tour and even at this age, his incredible speed and shotmaking were on full display this week. Monfils had a great run. Dispatching a tough veteran in Jan-Lennard Struff, handling the young blood in Nishesh Basavareddy and a solid performance in the final against Bergs.
Monfils was almost eliminated in the first round against Pedro Martinez when he trailed by a set and a break. But after that match, he didn’t drop a set and remained unbroken behind his serve. Since losing the second set against Martinez in the first round, Monfils saved 16 break points in all matches combined, showcasing his clutch serving.
In clinching the title in Auckland, 38-year-old, Gael Monfils became the oldest tour-level champion since Ken Rosewall in 1977 with Monfils eclipsed Roger Federer, who won his last title at the age of 38 years, two months, and 10 days. This highlights the incredible longevity of the Frenchman.
After the win, Monfils expressed his determination to continue competing at the highest level:
“I’ve got a great family behind, great support, somehow no one wants me to stop, and it’s not like I want to stop but one day I will have to stop that’s for sure. But I still have faith, I still have the belief that I can produce good tennis. Great week so I feel like I need to keep playing tennis”.
This victory adds a significant chapter to Monfils’ career, which began with his first ATP title in Sopot 20 years ago in Poland, in 2005. With this title, Monfils will be back inside the top 50. The former world #6 is set to face his compatriot, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the Australian Open. It is a tough draw for Monfils but he will arrive in Melbourne full of confidence.
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