9 oldest male players to have won a Grand Slam title in the Open Era

When Roger Federer won his 17th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2012, not only did he extend his record of most Grand Slam titles won in men's history, he also became one of the 10 oldest players to have won a Major.

Now, he has won his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2017, thus climbing even further up the list of oldest Slam winners.

Here’s a look at the nine oldest tennis players in the Open Era to have won a Major.

#Note: Only Open Era wins have been considered.

#9 John Newcombe (Australia)

Australian John Newcombe beat World No. 1 Jimmy Connors in the Australian Open final in 1975 at the age of 30 years, 7 months and 9 days to make it to this list at ninth place.

Newcombe beat Connors with the following score-line: 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(9-7).

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#8 Jimmy Connors (United States of America)

In the 1983 finals of the US Open, 3rd-ranked Jimmy Connors defeated 2nd-placed Czech star Ivan Lendl to become the eighth oldest person to have won a Major title.

At that time Connors age was 31 years and 9 days old. He won the match 6-3, 6-7(2-7), 7-5, 6-0.

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#7 Pete Sampras (United States of America)

When Pete Sampras beat compatriot Andre Agassi in the 2002 US Open final for his 14th Major, he also made another record. He became the seventh oldest person to have won a Grand Slam title at the age of 31 years and 27 days.

Sampras won the final with the score line 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

#6 Rod Laver

Rod Laver beat compatriot Tony Roche in the US Open finals of 1969 to become the sixth oldest person to have won a Grand Slam title. He was 31 years and 1 month old at that time.

Laver defeated Roche in four sets: 7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

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#5 Arthur Ashe (United States of America)

Arthur Ashe beat top-ranked Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon finals. Ashe was 31 years, 11 months and 25 days old at the time of the match, making him the fifth oldest Slam winner in the Open Era.

The score line read: 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

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#4 Andre Agassi (United States of America)

In 2003, Andre Agassi beat 31st-ranked Rainer Schuttler in the Australian Open final to earn another place in the record books as one of the oldest players to have won a Major. He was aged 32 years, 8 months and 28 days at the time.

Agassi won the match in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.

#3 Andres Gimeno (Spain)

Andres Gimeno won the French Open title in 1972, when his age was 34 years, 10 months and 1 day. Grimeno was 6th ranked at that time, and he beat the 9th-ranked Patrick Proisy.

Gimeno won the final by the scoreline 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

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#2 Roger Federer

Former World No. 1 Roger Federer, considered the greatest male tennis player of all time, was in 2012 among the oldest players, at the then-age of 30 years and 11 months, to win his 17th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. In a competition which he had won six times before, Federer beat Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to reclaim the World No. 1 ranking.

In 2017, Federer, at the age of 35 years and 174 days, defeated arch-rival Rafael Nadal to win the Australian Open 2017 in five sets to win his 18th Grand Slam title – the most of any male player in the history of the game.

He did not stop there as he went on to win the Wimbledon that very year by defeating Marin Cilic in straight sets and followed that up with another Australian Open title in 2018 (aged 36), defeating Cilic once again, this time in 5 sets. He is currently leading the race of the most number of Grand Slams won, with 20 to his name.

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#1 Ken Rosewall (Australia)

When Ken Rosewall beat Malcolm Anderson in the Australian Open finals of 1972, he etched his name in the history books by becoming the oldest Grand Slam winner in the Open era.

Ken won the match in straight sets 7-6(7-2), 6-3, 7-5. He was 37 years, 2 months and 1 day old at that time.