ATP Auckland: Monfils becomes second oldest finalist since 1990

French veteran Gael Monfils advanced to the final of the ASB Classic by beating American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (5), 6-4 in Auckland on Friday.

The win makes Monfils the second oldest player to reach an ATP Final since 1990 (Ivao Karlovic at 39 years and 10 months is the oldest when he did the same in Pune 2023). This is also his 35th career ATP final (also his first since his Stockholm title in October 2023).

Monfils also is now the fifth on the list of active players to make the most ATP finals.

• Novak Djokovic 141
• Daniil Medvedev 38
• Marin Cilic 37
• Alexander Zverev 36
• Gael Monfils 35

Monfils, ranked No 52, will play the winner of the match between Portuguese Nuno Borges, the No 7 seed, and Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs for the title.

The 38-year-old Frenchman won against Spaniard Pedro Martinez Portero (1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3), German Jan-Lennard Struff (6-1, 7-6 (5)) and Argentinian lucky loser Facundo Diaz Acosta (6-3, 6-1) ahead of his win today.

Earlier in the week, Basavareddy, ranked No 133, won against Argentinian lucky loser Francisco Comesana (6-2, 6-2), Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, the second seed (6-4, 5-7, 6-4) and No 8 seed Alex Michelsen (2-6, 6-2, 6-4).

Auckland ATP 250, other semi-final match (ASB Tennis Arena, hard, USD 766,290):

• Nuno Borges vs. Zizou Bergs