Veteran Gael Monfils reaches his 35th ATP final in Auckland aged 38

By Canadian Press on January 9, 2025.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Gael Monfils has become the second oldest player in more than 30 years to reach the final of an ATP Tour event after beating American Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the semifinals at Auckland on Friday aged 38 years, 131 days.

Ivo Karlovic is the oldest, having won through to final in Pune, India in 2019 at the age of 39 years, 311 days. Monfils edges Stan Wawrinka who was aged 38 years and 124 days when he reached the final at Umag, Croatia in 2023.

Karlovic also reached the final at Den Bosch in 2017 aged 38 years, 110 days while Roger Federer (Basel in 2019 aged 38 years and 80 days) and Rafael Nadal (the 2024 Swedish Open at 38 years and 48 days) also are in the top five.

Frenchman Monfils has been breaking records steadily in his winning run at Auckland. When he beat Jan-Lennard Struff to reach the quarterfinals, he became the oldest player in the professional era to reach the last eight in Auckland.

He became the oldest-ever semifinalist in Auckland when he beat Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-1 to reach his 73rd ATP Tour semifinal. Only Novak Djokovic has played more.

Saturday’s final will be his 35th at tour level.

The 19-year-old Basavareddy also has been making waves in Auckland. He is the youngest American since Reilly Opelka to reach an ATP Tour level semifinal on hard courts. Opelka did so aged 18 in Atlanta in 2016.

The Stanford University alumnus turned pro in December after a stand-out 2024 season on the ATP Challenger Tour.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

The Associated Press