Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world. Aspirations never end when it comes to tennis. But age is the biggest obstacle in the way of those aspirations. So let us know about those top 5 players who overcame the age obstacle and became the oldest to win a Grand Slam.
Top 5 Oldest Tennis Players to win a Grand Slam
1. Kenneth Robert Rosewall – 37 years, 2 months, and 1 day old
Ken Rosewall is an Australian-born former amateur and professional tennis player. He is regarded as one of the greats before the open era. With 8 Grand Slams in the singles category and 9 Grand Slams in the doubles category, Ken Rosewall boasts a career with 147 career titles. He completed a Career Grand Slam in doubles. In singles, Ken never won the Wimbledon trophy, even though he reached the final on four different occasions. The former world number 1 won the 1972 Australian Open when he was 37 years, 2 months, and 1 day old. This made him the oldest player ever to win a Grand Slam title. Also Read: Top 10 Greatest Tennis Players of all time
2. Roger Federer – 36 years, 5 months, and 7 days old
Regarded as the greatest of all time, Roger Federer has won everything related to tennis; a Career Grand Slam, Olympic Gold and Silver medal, Davis Cup, Hopman Cup, Tour Finals, etc. Throughout his career, he has won 103 career titles, which is the second most in the Open Era. People loved to watch him play, so smooth were his shots. He has won 20 Grand Slams with a record 8 times Wimbledon Champions. His love for grass courts is unmatchable. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had the greatest rivalry in the Open Era. He was the number one tennis player for 310 weeks, out of which 237 were consecutive weeks. The Swiss maestro became the second oldest player to win a Grand Slam title when he won the 2018 Australian Open aged 36 years, 5 months, and 7 days old.
3. Novak Djokovic – 35 years, 8 months, and 7 days old
Novak Djokovic is the joint-highest Grand Slam winner with Rafael Nadal. Both of them have won 22 Grand Slam titles each. He is the reigning world number 1. Novak has been at the peak of men’s tennis for 380 weeks. He has won a total of 93 titles in the Open Era. With $167,014,841 prize money, he is the leading tennis player in the Open Era. The Serbian had to face Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray at their peak and still came out on top. After clinching the 2023 Australian Open at 35 years, 8 months, and 7 days, he became the third oldest player to get his hands on a Grand Slam title. Read More – Top 10 Indian Tennis Players in History
4. Serena Williams – 35 years, 4 months, and 2 days Old
Serena Williams is a household name in tennis. She is one of the greatest female tennis players to ever grace the tennis court. With a career full of trophies, she has won 23 Grand Slams, four Olympic Gold, Fed Cup, Hopman Cup, etc. Only Margaret Court is ahead of her in terms of Grand Slam titles. Her rivalry with Maria Sharapova is one of the greatest in lawn tennis. She has been the number one female player for 319 weeks. Serena’s glaze and glamour on the court are unmatched. She won her last Grand Slam in 2017 when she defeated her elder sister, Venus Williams, in the Australian Open final aged 35 years, 4 months, and 2 days. That is why she is fourth on this list. Read More – Top 10 Greatest Tennis Players of all time
5. Andres Gimeno – 34 years, 10 months, and 1 day old
Andres Gimeno Tolaguera was a Spanish-born tennis player. He had a strange career. Till 1972, Andres Gimeno had reached the final in several tournaments. He has been in the finals of the US Pro, Wembley Pro, French Pro, and even the Australian Open. But he never won any of them. It was until the 1972 French Open that he shocked the world when he lifted the trophy at 34 years, 10 months, and 1 day old. His only Grand Slam title. This feat made him earn the fourth spot on this list. Read More – 5 Best Knee Braces For Tennis Players