Auckland, New Zealand

French tennis player Gael Monfils made history at the Auckland tournament, becoming the oldest individual to capture an ATP Tour title after overcoming Zizou Bergs with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.

At 38 years and 132 days old, Monfils secured his 13th career title, marking an impressive 20 years since he won his first. He now holds the record, surpassing Roger Federer, who was 38 years and 74 days during his last victory at the Swiss Indoor Championships in Basel in 2019.

Currently, Monfils is ranked 52nd in the world and has etched his name into the history books as the oldest player ever to be in the ATP Tour’s top 100 rankings. The record for the oldest player to win a singles title remains with Pancho Gonzalez, who was 44 years, 7 months, and 4 days old during his 1972 victory in Kingston, Jamaica, prior to the establishment of the ATP Tour in 1990.

The final match on Saturday experienced a delay due to a medical situation in the crowd, but Monfils displayed a powerful blend of offense and commendable defense to secure his first title since triumphing at the Stockholm Open in 2023.

Before the tournament commenced in Auckland, Monfils expressed that his passion for tennis keeps him motivated. “I love tennis. I love what I’m doing, so all the sacrifices become more manageable. When you are passionate about something, it’s easier to keep striving,” he noted.

He further added, “Since the first day I picked up a racket, I’ve enjoyed myself, and I believe I will still feel this joy at 60 years old. Practicing is easy; it’s in my DNA. Staying fit is simple, but the traveling can be challenging.”

After celebrating with the Auckland trophy in hand, Monfils quickly made his way to the airport to catch a flight to Melbourne, where he is set to compete against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the upcoming Australian Open.