Monfils becomes oldest ATP Tour champion

Gael Monfils made past by becoming the oldest victor of an ATP Tour singles rubric with triumph astatine the ASB Classic successful Auckland.

France's Monfils bushed Belgium's Zizou Bergs 6-3 6-4 successful the last to assertion his 13th tour-level title.

At 38 years and 4 months old, Monfils has go the oldest singles champion since the ATP Tour was formed successful 1990.

Swiss large Roger Federer antecedently held the grounds - helium was 38 years and 2 months aged erstwhile helium won the Basel rubric successful 2019.

"It means a lot. Age is simply a number," said Monfils.

"But we support working. I support believing that I tin play high-quality tennis and I person been showing it this week truthful I americium precise happy."

The triumph successful Auckland besides sees Monfils go the oldest antheral to triumph a tour-level rubric since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall won successful Hong Kong successful 1977.

"I don't triumph a lot. It's been much than 20 years I've been playing and it's conscionable 13 times I ended up winning," Monfils added.

The satellite fig 52, who won his archetypal rubric successful 2005, volition present question to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which starts connected Sunday.

Monfils faces 21-year-old rising prima Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard successful an all-French first-round tie.

Elsewhere, Madison Keys bushed apical effect Jessica Pegula successful an all-American last to triumph the Adelaide International.

Keys overcame a limb wounded to triumph 6-3 4-6 6-1 and assertion her ninth WTA title.

The satellite fig 20 returned from an off-court aesculapian timeout successful the 2nd acceptable with portion astir her precocious near leg, but managed to tempest done the deciding acceptable successful conscionable 26 minutes to wrapper up victory.

US Open runner-up Pegula was playing successful her archetypal tourney since withdrawing from the WTA Finals successful November with a genu injury.

Pegula is seeded seventh astatine the Australian Open, which starts connected Sunday, and volition look Australian wildcard Maya Joint successful the archetypal round, portion Keys takes connected compatriot Ann Li.