New Delhi: French tennis veteran Gael Monfils has become the second-oldest player since 1990 to storm into a men’s ATP final. Monfils scripted history at the age of 38 years and 131 days after he beat American opponent Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6, 6-4 in the semifinals at Auckland on Friday. Monfils, who had been out of news for a while, dominated the headlines in the tennis sphere on January 10.
Former Croatian player Ivo Karlovic holds the top record of being the oldest player ever to have reached an ATP finale. Karlovic, back in 2019, entered the final in Pune at the age of 39 years, 311 days. Earlier, the French player had edged past Stan Wawrinka, who was aged 38 years and 124 days when he reached the final at Umag, Croatia in 2023.
Federer, Nadal part of top 5 list
Meanwhile, Karlovic had also reached the final at Den Bosch in 2017 at the age of 38 years and 110 days while Swiss ace Roger Federer reached the Basel final in 2019 at the age of 38 years and 80 days. Rafael Nadal had stormed into the Swedish Open final at the age of 38 years and 48 days. All these players feature in the top five list.
Monfils has been on a roll in Auckland and has broken multiple records to reach his 35th ATP tour final. The veteran tennis player beat Jan-Lennard Struff to enter the quarterfinals earlier, becoming the oldest player in the professional era to storm into the last-8 in Auckland. He also became the oldest-ever semifinalist when he defeated Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-1 to reach his 73rd ATP Tour semifinal.
Serbian ace Novak Djokovic is the only the tennis player to have played more. Monfils will face Zizou Bergs of Belgium in Saturday’s final. ‘Everybody knows I’m a warrior on the court, I don’t give up easy,’ Monfils said after his semifinal. ‘I’m very pleased with the way I got through today, it wasn’t easy’.
Gael Monfils, French tennis player, has become the second-oldest since 1990 to storm into a men’s ATP final at the age of 38 years. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
