Top 10 Tennis Players with the Longest Careers in Age; Two are Still Active

Tennis is one of the most watched and celebrated sports on the planet with year round tournaments and some of the top athletes of the world showcasing brilliant skill sets on the court. The game is not just physically compulsive but demands more mental strength and patience and tests your agility with the years of experience that puts one through wins and loses. 

Only a handful of the thousands make it to the professional level and even odd numbers make it to the table top and find the grit in themselves to sustain the position. Apart from the pressure on and off the court, players are put through a tough physical regime that makes them work and hustle for months to prepare for a tour. 

Many top seed players start young and carve a way for themselves but only few make a name for themselves with consistency and managing their form even after some tough years. Here are some of the legendary Tennis players who have played for the longest years and their stats. 

Top 10 Tennis Players with the Longest Career Span

No.PlayerAge at Final Match / CurrentCareer SpanHighest RankingFormatNotable Titles / Stats
1Martina Navratilova49y 326d1975–2006No. 1 (Singles & Doubles)Both59 Grand Slam titles (18 S, 31 D, 10 XD), 2,189 match wins
2Billie Jean King471968–1990No. 1 (Singles & Doubles)Both39 Grand Slams (12 S, 16 D, 11 XD); pioneer of WTA and equal pay
3Kimiko Date46y 364d1989–1996, 2008–2017No. 4 (Singles)Singles22 WTA titles; comeback at age 37 and competed until 46
4John McEnroe461977–1992, doubles until 2006No. 1 (Both)Both7 Grand Slam singles, 10 doubles majors; legendary Davis Cup star
5Ken Rosewall461953–1980No. 1 (pre-ATP era)Singles18 Grand Slams (8 majors, 10 pro majors); oldest Slam finalist at 39
6Jimmy Connors431972–1996No. 1 (Singles)Singles109 ATP titles (record), 8 Grand Slams
7Rohan Bopanna*43y 326d (Still active)2003–presentNo. 1 (Doubles, 2024)DoublesOldest ATP No. 1; 1 Grand Slam (2023), multiple Masters titles
8Feliciano López43y 8m 27d1997–2023No. 12 (Singles), No. 9 (Doubles)Both7 singles titles, 6 doubles, record ATP appearances
9Ivo Karlović42–432000–2021No. 14 (Singles)Singles8 titles; over 13,500 aces; oldest ATP finalist (age 41)
10Novak Djokovic*~37y 9m (Still active)2003–presentNo. 1 (Singles – record 428 weeks)Singles24 Grand Slam titles; most major wins after age 30

*- Still Active

Vinodhini

A Journalism and Communication graduate who is ever curious and comprehensive about the happenings of the nation. Interested in knowing and breaking down regular news and updates in entertainment, sports, travel and current affairs, has an eye for detail and research from multiple perspectives.

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