AUCKLAND/STARNBERG, January 11, 2025
Gael Monfils etched his name in history at the ASB Classic in Auckland on Saturday, becoming the oldest man to claim an ATP Tour title since Ken Rosewall, who won the Hong Kong trophy at 43 in 1977.
The 38-year-old triumphed over Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the ATP 250 hard-court final, securing his 13th career tour-level title and his first since the 2023 BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm.
Oldest ATP Tour Champions (since 1990):@Gael_Monfils: 38 years 4 months | #ASBClassic25
Roger Federer, Basel 2019: 38 years, 2 months
Roger Federer, Halle 2019: 37 years 10 months
Feliciano Lopez, Queen’s 2019: 37 years 9 months pic.twitter.com/aPyfFNWMVK— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 11, 2025
Monfils, who beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez, Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, Argentine lucky loser Facundo Diaz Acosta and US-American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy en-route to the championship match struck four aces and won 88 per cent of his first-service points.
He saved all six break points he faced and capitalized on two of his own five break-point chances to prevail after one hour and 37 minutes.
The winning moment! What a fight from @Gael_Monfils #ASBClassic25 pic.twitter.com/PK6wTNFglH
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 11, 2025
“It means a lot [to win]. Age is a number,” Monfils said in his on-court interview. “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,” he added.
