After starting off his comeback to tennis barely winning a game after the birth of his daughter Skai, Gael Monfils has shown why at age 37, the fire still burns bright with a remarkable comeback win at the 2023 Stockholm Open.
Monfils wins his first title since January 2022 and it is also the second time he has struck gold in Sweden after winning the title 12 years ago 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
It is also the tournament of 12 as it is his dozen of ATP titles. The lowest ranked player to ever win this tournament and will be back in the top 100 tomorrow. What a story for the entertaining Frenchman.
Watched on by his wife and fellow pro, Elina Svitolina who looked stressed in the box watching the final, she had good cause to be as he was on the verge of defeat.
But Monfils as ever showed absolutely no signs of quitting and found a way against Pavel Kotov. He was down 4-6, 5-5 0-40 at one point but managed to turn the second set around in a tiebreak.
He then took the final set 6-3 to return to the winners' circle in a superb story. He is just the fourth 37 year old to win an ATP title since 1`990.
He joins Roger Federer with five, Ivo Karlovic with two and Feliciano Lopez with one after making history by even getting to the final with 19 consecutive years reaching a minimum of one final. This was equalling Rafael Nadal and Jimmy Connors with only Federer again doing better. Magnifique from Monfils.
37yo Gael Monfils smiles again, comes back to beat Pavel Kotov 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 and win the 12th title of his career in Stockholm. Lowest ranked player to ever win this historic event. 2nd title in this tournament, 12 years after the first. Back on top 100. What a story.
