Gael Monfils made history by becoming the oldest winner of an ATP Tour singles title with victory at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
France’s Monfils beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-3 6-4 in the final to claim his 13th tour-level title.
At 38 years and four months old, Monfils has become the oldest singles champion since the ATP Tour was formed in 1990.
Swiss great Roger Federer previously held the record – he was 38 years and two months old when he won the Basel title in 2019.
“It means a lot. Age is a number,” said Monfils.
“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.”
The victory in Auckland also sees Monfils become the oldest man to win a tour-level title since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall won in Hong Kong in 1977.
“I don’t win a lot. It’s been more than 20 years I’ve been playing and it’s just 13 times I ended up winning,” Monfils added.
The world number 52, who won his first title in 2005, will now travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which starts on Sunday.
Monfils faces 21-year-old rising star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in an all-French first-round tie.
