Top five oldest players to win a WTA match

Venus Williams became the latest inductee on the list after she defeated Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Citi Open.

Tennis is often considered a sport for young players. The professional stage has seen prodigies like Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Tracy Austin, and Martina Hingis bloom early in their careers. Today, the court is witnessing the rise of talents like Mirra Andreeva and Victoria Mboko.

However, few players have managed to defy the odds. Longevity is often overlooked in tennis, yet great players such as Venus Williams and Martina Navratilova have won matches into their 40s.

On that note, here we take a look at the top five oldest players to win a match on the WTA Tour.

Oldest players to win a WTA match-

5. Billie Jean King: 40 years and 8 days

Tennis legend Billie Jean King defeated Laura Bernstein in the first round of the 1983 Australian Open at the age of 40.

At that time, the Australian Open was played between November and December, and this tournament marked her final major appearance. Seeded seventh, the American bowed out in the second round after losing to France’s Catherine Tanvier.

4. Kimiko Date-Krumm: 42 years, 11 months, and 27 days

Kimiko Date-Krumm’s win over Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova in the opening round of the 2013 Pan Pacific Open makes her the fourth-oldest player to win a match on the WTA Tour.

Date-Krumm first turned professional in March 1989 but retired in November 1996. After nearly 12 years away from the game, she made a remarkable comeback in April 2008 and won the Korea Open in September 2009.

3. Venus Williams: 45 years and 34 days

Venus Williams became the third-oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour when she defeated compatriot Peyton Stearns in straight sets in the first round of the 2025 Citi Open.

Williams made her professional debut at 14, and 31 years later, she etched her name into history by becoming the oldest match-winner on tour since 2004. The 45-year-old also competed at the 2025 Cincinnati Open but lost to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round.

2. Renée Richards: 46 years and 9 days

Renée Richards, who was at the center of a landmark legal case regarding her gender reassignment, enjoyed a professional career from 1977 to 1981. Her best Grand Slam showing came at the 1979 US Open, where she reached the third round before losing to Tracy Austin. Richards’ last WTA Tour win came against Zenda Liess in the first round of the 1980 US Open.

1. Martina Navratilova: 47 years, 8 months and 4 days

The oldest WTA player to ever win a match is Martina Navratilova. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion recorded her final singles victory against Catalina Castaño in the second round of the 2004 Wimbledon Championships.

She lost in the following round to Argentina’s Gisela Dulko. Navratilova retired from singles competition in 2005, ending one of the most remarkable careers in tennis history.

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