Active tennis players above the age of 40 ft. Roger Federer and Serena Williams
Tennis is regarded as a sport for young people. In this sport, wit and experience are thought to inevitably lose out to youth and energy. This hypothesis has been amplified by the recent success of young people like Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek, and Carlos Alcaraz.
But there are always exceptions. There are certain players who, despite having crossed that threshold, have made the decision to continue playing and are doing so elegantly.
On that note, let us take a look at the players who are 40 years of age or older and are still swinging their rackets on the court like a pro.
#3 Venus Williams
Venus Williams, the elder sister of the legendary Serena Williams, is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history. Her record proves her success, having won seven singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Majors with her sister Serena. She also became World No. 1 in 2002.
At 42 years of age, Venus is still active on the WTA tour. After a protracted hiatus from the sport, just as fans began to wonder if she would decide to retire, Venus Williams made her comeback to tennis at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, inspired by her sister Serena.
At the grass-court Major, she paired up with Andy Murray's brother Jamie Murray to play mixed doubles. However, their run was cut short by the wildcard pairing of Alicia Barnett and Jonny O'Mara, to whom they lost 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(16), in a match that lasted two hours and 12 minutes.
Welcome back, Venus. 💚💜
@Venuseswilliams | #Wimbledon https://t.co/fdOjq0RYwY
#2 Roger Federer
With his tennis prowess, Roger Federer has captured the hearts of nearly everyone. Impressed by his skill at his trade, fans even gave him the moniker "Swiss Maestro."
Since making his ATP debut in 1998, the Swiss player has amassed an outstanding resume that includes 103 ATP singles titles, including 20 Grand Slams. Even at the age of 40, Federer is still active on the courts and has not announced his retirement yet.
After losing to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, Federer took a significant break from the sport. He has not competed in any Grand Slams since, and missed Wimbledon for the first time in his career this year, where he has won a record eight titles.
The Swiss has provided updates on his comeback, though, by recently announcing that he will compete in the 2022 Laver Cup as well as his home tournament in Basel later this year.
👀🔜🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺 twitter.com/LaverCup/statu…
#1 Serena Williams
Serena Williams, one of the strongest and most dominant players in tennis history, has had a remarkable impact on the sport. Since the late 1990s, Serena and her sister Venus have been a mighty force in women's tennis.
Serena is just one Major away from equaling Margaret Court's incredible record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. At 40 years of age, Serena Williams is still quite active on the WTA tour.
After being injured for a year, the American made a comeback at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Williams warmed up by playing doubles with Ons Jabeur at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne prior to the start of the competition.
However, she failed to make it past the first round at the grass-court Major. The seven-time Wimbledon champion had her run cut short by World No. 115 Harmony Tan, with a final score of 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(7).
"She's beaten a legend."
After three hours, 10 minutes, Harmony Tan beats Serena Williams in a first round epic
#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 https://t.co/IQst8AzXxv
Nevertheless, Williams has expressed her desire to compete at this year's US Open, a tournament she first won in 1999.