Top five oldest men's singles champions at Wimbledon

Swiss icon Roger Federer is the oldest to win the Wimbledon championship.

“Age is just a number” aptly describes this pool of tennis players, who have defied all odds and demonstrated the true meaning of resilience and longevity. Even at the fag end of their career, a few players have managed to win the most prestigious and potentially the toughest slam of all.

Grass is a surface that requires great versatility and adaptiveness, due to the short grass season. Here we take a look at the oldest men’s champions who have etched their names in the history of Wimbledon.

5. Jimmy Connors – 29 years, 9 months, and 19 days

Jimmy Connors captured his second Wimbledon title in 1982, defeating John McEnroe in a dramatic five-set final: 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(2), 7–6(5), 6–4. Connors’ route to the title included wins over Steve Denton, Brian Teacher, Mel Purcell, Kevin Curren, Mark Edmondson, and Tim Mayotte.

Known for his relentless baseline play and fighting spirit, the American reached six Wimbledon finals and won two titles in 1974 and 1982.

4. Rod Laver – 30 years, 10 months, and 14 days

Rod Laver’s 1969 Wimbledon title was part of his legendary second Calendar Grand Slam. Laver defeated John Newcombe 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4 in the final, with earlier wins over Roy Emerson and Arthur Ashe.

The Australian threw in a masterclass on court coverage, and adaptability was on full display throughout the campaign. In total, Laver won four Wimbledon singles titles (1961–62, 1968–69), two as an amateur and two in the Open Era, and remains one of only two men to achieve the Calendar Grand Slam.

3. Arthur Ashe – 31 years, 11 months, and 13 days

Arthur Ashe made history in 1975 by becoming the first Black man to claim the singles title at the All England Club. The American’s campaign was defined by tactical brilliance, notably in the final, where he outsmarted defending champion Jimmy Connors 6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4.

Ashe’s route included victories over Tony Roche, Roscoe Tanner, and Björn Borg. Although it was his only Wimbledon singles crown, Ashe’s triumph at nearly 32 years old set a new benchmark for longevity at that time.

2. Novak Djokovic – 35 years, 1 month, and 5 days

Novak Djokovic’s 2022 Wimbledon title came in his early 35s, making him the second-oldest men’s singles champion at SW19.

The Serbian’s campaign was highlighted by his resilience, including a comeback from two sets down against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals and a four-set win over Cameron Norrie in the semifinals. In the final, he defeated Nick Kyrgios 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 7–6(3) to claim his seventh Wimbledon title.

Arguably the greatest ever on grass after the Swiss icon, Djokovic’s legacy at Wimbledon will be forever remembered due to his ability to prove people wrong every time they questioned his abilities. The Serbian had the opportunity to top this chart, but was prevented from doing so by Carlos Alcaraz in the 2023 and 2024 finals.

1. Roger Federer – 35 years, 10 months, and 26 days

Roger Federer’s 2017 Wimbledon campaign was a historic and dominant run that saw him become the oldest men’s singles champion in the Open Era. Federer won the title without dropping a set, defeating Marin Čilić 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 in the final. His path to the title included victories over Alexandr Dolgopolov, Dušan Lajović, Mischa Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Milos Raonic, Tomáš Berdych, and finally Čilić.

This eighth Wimbledon crown broke the previous men’s record held by Pete Sampras, making him the most successful player in the tournament’s history. Such was the Swiss maestro’s dominance during 2017 that he spent just 11 hours and 37 minutes on court to win his 19th Grand Slam title.

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