Powered by Borscht: Gael Monfils is living his best life, on and off the court, at 38

There must be something in the borscht.

How else can you explain the way Gael Monfils, a 38-year old, beloved and battle-scarred veteran, has powered his way into the history books and, in recent weeks, outdueled both seasoned veterans and promising youngsters nearly half his age?

If the idea sounds far-fetched, take it up with Monfils’ wife, the Ukrainian WTA star Elina Svitolina. The other day, she posted a picture of Monfils chowing down on a bowl of the traditional Ukrainian dish on her Instagram story, her message (she chose to use the traditional spelling): “Powered by Borsch.”

Monfils won the Auckland ATP event earlier this month, becoming the oldest man since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall—the OG ageless wonder—bagged the title in Hong Kong nearly 50 years ago. Monfils also eclipsed Roger Federer, a more familiar name to today’s audience, who was aptly celebrated when he claimed the Basel title in his hometown in 2019 at a slightly younger 38.

On Tuesday at the Australian Open, Monfils knocked off one of the most promising young pros on tour, fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a 21-year old who, in any given match, can hit an ace for every letter in his musical name.

“Gael did some amazing stuff,” Perricard told reporters afterward. “Sometimes on the (changeover) bench I say to myself, ‘He is not 38.’”

Monfils’ take: “I don’t really look up my age. It is just a number. I try to avoid thinking about it, but I can tell you that tomorrow morning I will be [feel] more 48 than 38.”

That confession ought to give Daniel Altmaier, Monfils’ next opponent, some hope. A 26-year-old German, Altmaier overcame some early-career injury woes and has worked his way up to the big show by doing yeoman’s work at the Challenger level (he is 7-5 in finals at that level). He’s currently ranked No. 93, although he’s been as high as No. 47 (October 2023).

Altmaier earned major props during that career-best year, highlighted by a sensational win. In the third round of Roland Garros, he upended No. 8 seed Jannik Sinner in a five-set match that ate up five hours and 26 minutes. But that’s been his only penetration that deep into a Grand Slam draw. By contrast, Monfils has been a second-week regular at majors, with two semifinals on his CV.

Time may not be on Monfils’ side, but the hard courts of Melbourne Park are. Altmaier’s preferred surface is red clay. (The Madrid 1000 is the only Masters event where he has reached a quarterfinal.) In his first-round match, the 6’2” German defeated fellow clay expert Francisco Comesna. but his fastest serve was a returnable 123 m.p.h. That’s good news for Monfils.

Elite athletes love to say “age is just a number.” That’s a catchy oversimplification when, in reality, age is also a weapon. For the young, it offers stamina, strength and enthusiasm. For older players it can provide wisdom and a greater appreciation of nuance, as evidenced by Monfils’ analysis of the challenge presented by Perricard.

“I feel like some people, they make a mistake when you play a guy like Giovanni, John [Isner], Reilly [Opelka], “Monfils said, explaining that focusing on breaking serve is looking in the wrong direction. It’s more important to use tactics that enable you to hold serve at any cost.

“The main focus of your serve is actually to try to not face break point, because at that moment you are under pressure. So, many points when you serve [demand] that you need to play smarter. Today I was able to do it with some very good service games. . . The focus was there, and I was happy with that.”

Gael did some amazing stuff. Sometimes on the (changeover) bench I say to myself, ‘He is not 38.’ Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

This doesn’t exactly sound like the electric warrior that fans worldwide have come to love, despite the way Monfils’ urge to express his remarkable athleticism sometimes torpedoed his chances. Even in the sweet spot of his career, circa 2016, he often seemed like the guy who would rather play and lose a spectacular point than win a textbook one. Monfils patrolled the court more like a baseball center-fielder than a man with a plan. He clearly enjoyed being improvisational, creative and unpredictable. It cost him, but it also brought him legions of fans.

It would be foolish to begrudge a fella for plying his craft exactly the way he wishes, but advancing age brings the horizon of what is physically possible into sharper focus. Even world-class athletes can’t ignore that, and most of them make the required adjustments. Oh, Monfils is still sure to throw in a spectacular, scissoring smash, or an around-the-net-post retrieve now and then. A leopard doesn’t change its spots, but an aging one learns to hunt more efficiently.

⬆️ La Monf magic! At 38, Gael Monfils clinches 13th ATP title with Auckland final victory over Zizou Bergs ⬆️

The other tempering influence on Monfils has been marriage and fatherhood. The relationship between Monfils and Svitolina took many by surprise because they are such dissimilar characters: he a riveting showman steeped and lionized in hip culture, she a diligent, self-effacing WTA pro who wouldn’t say “boo” to a ghost. Gael and Elina have a daughter Skai, who will be three in May.

The familiar “opposites attract” theory is borne out in this relationship, but it seems to go a little deeper than that. They don’t just give each other things the other partner doesn’t have, or needs. They have found stability and reaped the personal and professional benefits therein. It’s no wonder Monfils dedicated the win in Auckland to Skai during the trophy presentation, the transformative impact of the child seems undeniable.

“She might just wake up [from her nap] now,” said Monfils. “It’s my second final as a dad, and I’m really happy—super happy—that I could win a tough final.”

Fatherhood clearly agrees with Monfils, and so does Borscht.