French tennis star, Gael Monfils is returning to Auckland and the ASB Classic in January with his unique style of play.
Monfils currently ranked 55th has completed his 21st season as a professional tennis player. The 38-year-old, often described as the fastest and most flamboyant player on the Tour, has never ended a season ranked outside the Top 100 since starting his career in 2004.
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He has won 12 ATP titles, reached a career-high No. 6 in the world rankings in 2016 and played at least one final for 19 consecutive seasons.
This year he made the semifinals in Doha and Mallorca, and the fourth round at both the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Shanghai.
His season includes two victories over players in the Top-10, over Polish talent Hubert Hurkacz at Indian Wells and the second at Cincinnati over 2024 French Open and Wimbledon champion, and World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz.
He thrilled fans at the ASB Classic in January with one of the standout matches of the 2024 tournament going down to Hungarian Fabian Marozan in a third set tiebreak in the first round.
Monfils remains one of the most charismatic and multi-talented players on Tour, able to pull off some of the most athletic and seemingly impossible shots.
Monfils, admits 2025 will be a pivotal year, however he is not ready for retirement yet.
“It's really hard because I think it will be one of the most important seasons of my life in a way. During or after this one, of course, I will have to make some decisions, some adjustments,” said Monfils who will be playing in Auckland for the fifth time.
“So right now, I don't really think about it, to be honest, because I know it's going to be tough. But I'm ready. And I will see what life gives me.”
His priority is his daughter Skai.
“It changed everything, changed my view, but also myself, because being a sports athlete, you need to be super-selfish and, and now you can’t be anymore. She's the absolute priority.
“When I go back home or I call my daughter, she doesn’t even really know if I win, if I lose, it’s all the same for her. And that brings you straight away back to the reality, which is important.”
ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin will add Monfils to his list of already confirmed players in the form of defending champion Alejandro Tabilo, American Ben Shelton and Auckland-raised Cam Norrie.