Oldest Tennis Player To Win A Major List

Ken Rosewall is the oldest tennis player to win a Grand Slam at the age of 37 years. His last major win against Laver was watched by 23 million. 

Rosewall was also the finalist of the US Open in 1974 at the age of 38. He won against multiple competitors but Rod Laver was his fiercest rival.

Ken was the winner of the WCT Year-end championship against Laver in Dallas in 1972. In the same year, his highly talked about Grand Slam final was against Malcolm Anderson in the Australian Open. 

While securing eight Slam titles, he came close to increasing his legacy, as Rosewall has become runner-up eight more times in Grand Slam. 

Rosewell Major Career Stats

• 16 Grand Slam finals: 8 titles and 8 runner ups
• 19 Pro Slam Finals: 15 titles and 4 runner ups
• 2 WCT year End championships against Don Laver in the US. 

Roger Federer joined the list of oldest Grand Slam winners in 2018. Federer defeated Marin Clinic in the Australian Open Final at the age of 36.

The Swiss champion dominated the first three sets in his major final. He again reached the finals of the Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2019, where he lost against Novak Djokovic.

In retrospect, Federer turned professional in 1998. He was successful in winning his first ever major singles title at Wimbledon in 2003. 

Roger is also an Olympic medalist securing Gold (doubles) in Beijing in 2008 and silver (singles) in 2012 in London. The Swiss maestro is one of the most accomplished and decorated players.

Roger Federer Major Career Stats

Singles

• 31 Grand Slam appearances: 20 wins and 11 losses
• Olympic Games: 1st runner-up
• 10 Year end Championship appearances: 6 wins and 4 losses
• 50 ATP Masters 1000 appearances: 28 wins and 22 losses
• 31 ATP Tour 500: 24 wins and 7 losses
• 34 ATP Tour 250: 25 wins and 9 losses

Doubles

• Olympic Games: 1 Gold
• 3 ATP Masters 1000 participation: 1 win and 2 losses
• 4 ATP Tour 500 participation: 3 wins and 1 loss
• 6 ATP Tour 250 participation: 3 wins and 3 losses

Novak Djokovic is the active oldest tennis player to win a Grand Slam. Djokovic was 36 years and 6 days when he lifted the 2023 French Open.

Nole defeated Casper Rudd 7–6, 6–3, 7–5 in the final. Djoko earlier triumphed past tournament favorite Carlos Alcarez Garfia in the semi-final.

The Serbian athlete is known for making right-handed plays. He is also prominent for defeating his opponent with a two-handed backhand playing style. In the course of his career, he has stuck with a single coach Goran Ivanisevic. 

Novak turned pro in 2003, he achieved his first major title in the 2008 Australian Open. Since then he has won 94 singles titles and accumulated prize money of nearly $170 million. 

Novak Major Career Stats

• 34 Grand Slam appearances: 23 wins and 11 losses
• 56 ATP Masters 1000 appearances: 38 wins and 11 losses
• 18 ATP Tour 500 participation: 15 wins and 3 losses
• 17 ATP Tour 250 participation: 12 wins and 5 losses

Despite turning 36 years old in 2022, Rafael Nadal clinched two Grand Slam titles. El Nino won the 2023 Australian Open and the French Open.

Nadal defeated Daniel Medvedev in Australian Open on a hard surface and Casper Rudd on his favored clay surface to record an amazing year.

Interestingly, the Spanish star was 2 sets down and a point away from facing a break at 0-40 in 3rd set during the final of the Australian Open. He made a phenomenal comeback against the odds and ultimately won the match in thrilling five sets.

Rafa holds 14 French Open titles and has a record of 81 consecutive wins on clay which is the longest single-surface streak in the Tennis Open. 

This left-handed server is known for its flamboyant playing style. He earned his first title by defeating Federer in the Wimbledon final in 2008. 

Nadal Majors Career Stats

Singles 

• 30 Grand Slam Appearances: 22 wins and 8 losses
• Olympic participation: Gold
• 2 Year-end championships: 2 losses
• 53 ATP Masters 1000 participation: 36 wins and 17 losses
• 29 ATP Tour 500 participation: 23 wins and 6 losses
• 15 ATP Tour 250: 10 wins and 5 losses

Doubles

• Olympic game: Gold
• 3 ATP Masters 1000: 3 wins
• 3 ATP Tour 500: 1 win and 2 losses
• 8 ATP Tour 250: 6 wins and 2 losses

Serena Williams has won the most Grand Slams female. Serena was 35 years and 4 months old when she won the Australian Open in 2017.

The King of WTA lifted her 23rd major title defeating her sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the final, which also happens to be her last major win.

One year later, she reached the final of the 2018 US Open where she lost in straight sets against Naomi Osaka. The match stirred controversy as Willaims called the referee racist after suffering a harsh loss.

Nevertheless, the American tennis icon has a plethora of titles. Serena Williams is also regarded as the greatest female tennis player of all time.

Major Career Stats of Serena 

Singles 

• 33 Grand Slam appearances: 23 wins and 10 losses
• Summer Olympics: Gold
• 7 WTA Tour Championship: 5 wins and 2 losses 
• Grand Slam Cup: 1 win
• 33 WTA 1000: 23 wins and 10 losses
• 23 WTA Tur: 20 wins and 3 losses

Doubles

• 14 Grand Slam appearances: 14 wins
• 3 Summer Olympics participation: 3 wins
• 2 WTA 1000 participation: 2 wins 
• 5 WTA Tour appearances: 4 wins and 2 losses
• Mixed Doubles Grand Slam 4 appearances: 2 wins and 2 losses

Flavia Pennetta won the 2015 US Open with a victory over Roberta Vinci. Pennetta was 33 years old when she won the major tournament.

Pennetta also retired after playing her last tournament at WTA Finals singles debut in 2015. This Italian athlete performs right-handed plays and also uses two-handed backhands. 

In the course of her career, she has already made more than $14.1 million. She also received the honor of being Knight of Order of Merit of the Republic in 2007. 

Favia has only once won a Grand Slam but she remained in the game and became one of the oldest athletes to lift the coveted US Open title.

Major Pennetta Career Stats

Singles

• Grand Slam: 1 win 
• WTA Elite Trophy: 1 loss
• WTA premier Mandator & 5: 1 loss
• 22 WTA Tour appearances: 9 wins and 13 losses

Doubles

• 3 Grand Slam appearances: 1 win and 2 loss
• WTA Finals: 1 win
• 10 WTA Premier Mandatory appearances: 4 wins and 6 losses
• 20 WTA Tour: 9 wins and 11 losses

The female oldest player to win a major title is Martina Navratilova. Martina was 49 years old when she won the 2006 US Open mixed doubles.

It had already been 32 years since her major title in 1974 (French Open). She celebrated her 50th birthday shortly after winning her 2006 title and bid adieu to her professional career in the same year.

The left-handed server is ranked among the greatest female tennis players. Navratilova had her first major singles title at Wimbledon in 1978. Moving on, she and Bob Bryan defeated Kveta Hrdlickova and Martin Damm in 2006 to secure the title. 

Martina Major Career stats

Singles 

• 32 Grand Slam appearances: 18 wins and 14 losses
• 14 Year-End Championships participation: 8 wins and 6 losses
• 193 WTA tour participation: 142 wins and 52 losses

Doubles

• 37 Grand Slam appearances: 31 wins and 6 losses
• 11 Year End Championship Appearances: 11 wins
• 175 WTA Tour: 135 wins and 40 losses.

Andres Gimeno holds the record of the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion. Gimeno won his first and only major title in 1972 at the age of 34.

Andres magnificently came down from a set down in the final match to ultimately prevail over Patrick Proisy and win the 1972 Roland Garros title.

Gimeno might not have had multiple trophies and accolades but he succeeded to achieve his tennis aspirations in the last years of his career. 

This right-handed server turned pro in 1960 and retired in 1974. He has 41 career titles, one Grand Slam title, the other titles from Tour finals, US pro, Wembley pro, and French pro. 

After retiring from tennis he founded "Club de Tenis Andres Gimeno" in Castelldefels, Barcelona. Andres Gimeno was later inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009.