Monfils could become the oldest man to win a grand slam title. But it’s not his dream

And if he went on to win the championship, he would supplant Ken Rosewall as the oldest man to win a grand slam singles title. Rosewall was 37 years, one month and 24 days when he won the 1972 Australian Open.
Federer’s somewhat unexpected Australian Open win in 2018, when the Swiss maestro was 36 years, five months and seven days, is next on the list.
“I don’t look at the stats; I feel like I’ve just been fortunate today to win,” Monfils said.
“Maybe, at my prime I was higher ranking, and I couldn’t maybe play the highest ranking before – maybe that’s why it is not so easy on the stats. I feel like numbers are numbers. On the court, you play a four, 10, 100, is a battle out there.”
A dejected Taylor Fritz walks off the court.Credit: Getty Images
The “prime” Monfils is talking about was when he was ranked No. 6 in 2016.
“I think I’m the best athlete at 38 years old on the tour,” Monfils joked. “That’s for sure.
“With my form now, I have more experience, so I can adjust myself. As you say, my game plan was a bit different [today]. I knew how to slow down, how to change rhythm a little bit. Unfortunately for him [Fritz], I felt actually great today with my movements, so I could hold this for a long time.”
Fritz tended to agree with the Frenchman, and said he didn’t have any answers for the questions Monfils asked on court.
“It’s just a really good match from him. He served incredible, mixed up his spots well. I never could get a read on where he was going to serve on a big point. He served a very high percentage, hit good spots,” Fritz said.
“When he didn’t make his first serve, he was serving huge second serves. Really tough for me to do anything on the second, even if I knew where it was going, it was really hard to return … It seemed almost too easy for him to hurt me for how much I was struggling to hurt him. He played really, really well.”
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Monfils will face either American Ben Shelton or Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the fourth round.
And while Monfils doesn’t back himself to win the title, Fritz thought he was a real threat, especially after his title in Auckland, where Monfils became the oldest singles champion since the ATP tour was formed in 1990.
“I forget that he’s 38 because obviously when I came on tour he was still one of the young guys. I don’t think I think of it like that,” Fritz said.
“Today’s match was physical, it was hot. If he can continue to play like how he played today for five sets, I think he’s going to be tough for anybody to beat.”