Ageless Monfils Becomes Oldest Montreal Winner Since Gonzales

A 56-Year Record Falls in Montreal

Gaël Monfils delivered one of the most stirring moments of his farewell season on Tuesday night at the National Bank Open in Montreal, defeating Poland's Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-4 to become the oldest man to win a match at the Canadian Open since Pancho Gonzales did so in 1970 — a record that had stood for 56 years. At 39 years and 335 days old, with his 40th birthday arriving on September 1, Monfils kept an enthralled Centre Court crowd on their feet until nearly midnight and wrote himself into the tournament's history books in the process.

Pancho Gonzales was 42 when he last won a match here; Monfils, nearing 40, becomes only the second man in the tournament's modern era to win at such an age. The achievement lands in a season that the Frenchman has framed as a prolonged goodbye — part world tour, part sporting valediction — and it provided Montreal with the drama it always seems to produce when Monfils is on court.

Wild Card, Final Season, Last Chance

Monfils entered on a wild card. His 2026 campaign had been difficult before Monday: three wins, seven losses, with only a victory at Monte-Carlo in April offering any encouragement. He has publicly announced this will be his final year on the ATP Tour, and this Canadian Open marks his 15th and last appearance at a tournament where he has spent over two decades building one of the most loyal fan bases in professional tennis. On Tuesday, he played like a man with something to prove.

"I felt great," Monfils said after the match — an understatement for a performance that included 8 aces and 25 winners. The key number was his first-serve win rate: 84 per cent, converting 26 of 31 points when his delivery landed — this despite a first-serve percentage of only 45 per cent. When the serve went in, Majchrzak had little reply. Monfils converted 4 of 9 break opportunities and won the match 74 points to 65.

Majchrzak Pushes Hard

Kamil Majchrzak, Poland's No. 1 and a first-time participant at the event, was no token resistance. He saved one match point and fought through extended baseline exchanges, unwilling to concede until the final moment. The Pole's debut in Montreal may have ended in defeat, but he made Monfils earn every game, particularly during a spirited push in the second set before the Frenchman closed it out 6-4.

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Monfils' 38 unforced errors were the only real blemish — and even those barely registered against the backdrop of the theatre he provided. The crowd, which has loved him across multiple generations of Montreal summers, stayed until the match's end and gave him an ovation that felt less like a celebration of a first-round win and more like an early send-off for a career that deserves one.

Tien Awaits in Round Two

The second round brings Learner Tien, the 12th seed and one of the most electric young Americans on the ATP circuit. Tien is a significant favourite: his power on hard courts, aggressive baseline game, and strong Montreal form make him a formidable obstacle. But Monfils has already produced the most talked-about result of the tournament's early days, and a partisan Montreal crowd will again be hoping he can extend this farewell chapter by at least one more round.

The National Bank Open presented by Rogers continues through August 13.