In sports, one of the most unique measures of excellence is longevity.
While athletes' peak performance is always something to appreciate, sustained greatness over a long period often places them in another echelon. That holds true across all sports, from baseball and basketball to football, hockey, and tennis.
And while Father Time has proven to be undefeated eventually, there are select standouts who have pushed the limits of those expectations.
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In the world of tennis, Venus Williams has not been bound by the limits of time, returning from a one-year hiatus to get back on the court in 2025, over 30 years after officially turning pro. At 45, Williams put her name on the right side of history by winning a match at the DC Open.
Here's where the seven-time Grand Slam champion ranks among the oldest players to win a WTA-level singles match.
MORE: Updated WTA rankings
Oldest players to win on WTA Tour
Williams is second on the all-time list behind Martina Navratilova.
At 47, Navratilova won a match at the 2004 Wimbledon tournament, where she advanced past the first round.
| Rank | Name | Age | Event |
| 1. | Martina Navratilova | 47 | Wimbledon, 2004 |
| 2. | Venus Williams | 45 | DC Open, 2025 |
Navratilova's final tour-level match win came in 2004, but she did not officially retire until 2006, 32 years after she turned pro.
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Williams' win at the 2025 DC Open comes 31 years after her first-ever tour-level win when she was 14. After the win, Williams jokingly admitted, "I had to come back for the insurance because they informed me this year that I'm on COBRA.
"So it's like, I got to get my benefits on, started training. … I'm always at the doctor, I need this insurance."
Venus Williams after becoming the oldest WTA match winner since 2004:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 23, 2025
“I had to come back for the insurance, because they informed me this year that I’m on cobra. So it’s like, I got to get my benefits on” 😭😭😭😭
pic.twitter.com/Npu7d6c5Wt
As it stands, 39-year-old Billie Jean King became the oldest player to win a singles title on the WTA Tour in 1983, while Venus' younger sister, Serena, is the oldest WTA No. 1, reaching the top ranking at 35 in 2017.
Oldest tennis player to win Grand Slam
Serena Williams is the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam, winning the 2017 Australian Open at 35 years and 124 days old. The win was Williams' 23rd major title, and she did so while pregnant with her first daughter.
Williams is also the oldest runner-up in a Grand Slam. She was 37 when she lost in the 2019 US Open championship.
Oldest tennis player to win WTA title
King is the oldest player to win a WTA title, a list that also includes Serena Williams and Navratilova.
| Rank | Name | Age | Event | Year |
| 1. | Billie Jean King | 39 years, 7 months | Edgbaston Cup | 1983 |
| 2. | Kimiko Date-Krumm | 38 years, 11 months | Hansol Korea Open | 2009 |
| 3. | Serena Williams | 38 years, 3 months | ASB Classic | 2020 |
| 4. | Tatjana Maria | 37 years, 10 months | Queen's Club Championship | 2025 |
| 5. | Martina Navratilova | 37 years, 4 months | Open Gaz de France | 1994 |