Roger Federer won a title at every age across 20 successive years; where does his streak rank in the Open Era?

Roger Federer turned 40 earlier this week, but he is still actively competing with far younger players - including those who idolized him in their formative years. Some of Federer's opponents these days are nearly half his age, and yet he manages to hold his own every time he takes the court.

That said, Federer has been having a difficult time making his way back to the top of the game following a prolonged injury layoff. The Swiss, in fact, hasn't lifted silverware since winning at Basel in October 2019.

Federer had won a title at every age from 19 to 38; it was only as a 39-year-old that the streak was finally broken. The incredible run began at the 2001 Milan Indoors, where Federer lifted his first career trophy.

How does Federer's streak of 20 successive trophy-laden ages match up against other stalwarts from the Open Era? Here, we take a look at nine men who have won a title for 12 or more successive years.

9. Andy Roddick - 12 years (32 titles through ages 18-29)

Andy Roddick finished his career with one Grand Slam title. But that number hardly does justice to the force that Roddick was throughout his career.

While his numbers were heavily scarred due to the presence of Roger Federer, the American still won titles on a consistent basis. Roddick, in fact, remained a top player for as long as he was active.

The 2003 US Open champion won a title at every age from 18 to 29. His 32 career titles were distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
18	3
19	2
20	5
21	5
22	4
23	2
24	2
25	2
26	2
27	2
28	1
29	2

8. Andy Murray - 12 years (45 titles through ages 18-29)

If Andy Roddick's career was hurt by one man, Andy Murray had the misfortune of playing in the same era as three all-time greats.

A contemporary of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and a junior to Roger Federer, the Brit has managed to win 'only' three Grand Slams in his career thus far. However, his constant presence at the top of the game is better reflected by the number of titles he racked up over the years.

Murray won at least one title at every age from 18 to 29, and one more at the age of 32. His 45 titles within the streak are distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
18	1
19	1
20	3
21	6
22	3
23	2
24	6
25	4
26	2
27	5
28	2
29	10

7. Boris Becker - 13 years (49 titles through ages 17-29)

It's not like stiff competition didn't exist in the past. Every generation has its own set of champions and challengers, some of whom outshine the rest - and hence acquire the status of an all-time great.

The remaining entries on this list have all won at least six Grand Slams in their careers, and one of the most proficient of those players is Boris Becker.

Becker broke through at a very young age, and is one of the most accomplished teenagers in the history of tennis. But the German remained a force to be reckoned with throughout his 20s too.

Becker's streak of 49 titles lasted from the age of 17 to 29, distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
17	3
18	6
19	3
20	6
21	6
22	5
23	2
24	4
25	3
26	4
27	2
28	4
29	1

6. Ivan Lendl - 14 years (94 titles through ages 20-33)

Although Ivan Lendl's streak lasted only one year longer than Boris Becker's, the Czech's numbers during that span were in a different league. Lendl wasn't merely collecting titles in the 1980s; he was completely dominating the tour in that decade.

Lendl won 10 or more titles at a distinct age four times in his career - the youngest being 21 and the oldest, 29. The 94 titles he won from the age of 20 to 33 were distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
20	7
21	12
22	14
23	6
24	3
25	13
26	7
27	8
28	4
29	12
30	4
31	1
32	1
33	2

5. Jimmy Connors - 14 years (105 titles through ages 19-32)

In many ways, Jimmy Connors was a forerunner to Ivan Lendl. Connors registered very similar numbers to the Czech, but a decade prior.

Dominance aside, the American's longevity has very few parallels in the entirety of the Open Era. Connors ruled the 1970s, remained near the top in the '80s and even played into the '90s.

However, his streak of wins was broken when he was 32, as his last four titles came after he turned 35.

Connors won 10 or more titles in five different years by age. His 105 titles within the streak were distributed over 14 years in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
19	4
20	10
21	14
22	11
23	11
24	7
25	12
26	9
27	5
28	5
29	7
30	4
31	4
32	2

4. Andre Agassi - 16 years (58 titles through ages 17-32)

Like Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi also won eight Grand Slams in his career. And although he wasn't as dominant as the former two, Agassi's streak of titles encompassed a larger time period.

The American was one of the finest teenage talents to have graced the Open Era. He was also one of the best as a veteran.

Agassi's streak of titles ran from the time he was 17 to when he was 32. Outside of that, he won two more tournaments, post the age of 34.

The American's 58 titles within the streak were distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
17	2
18	5
19	3
20	3
21	1
22	5
23	1
24	7
25	5
26	2
27	2
28	4
29	5
30	3
31	3
32	7

3. Novak Djokovic - 16* years (85 titles through ages 19-34)

It's easy to overlook the longevity of Novak Djokovic, because his two greatest rivals have been active at the highest level a tad longer. But as the youngest of the trio, Djokovic has not only been one of the most dominant players to have graced the Open Era, but also one of the most unfading.

The Serb lifted his first title when he was 19 years old, and he has won at least one tournament at every age till date. That gives him an active streak of 16, which could well extend much longer given that he's still a young 34.

Djokovic's 85 titles have been distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
19	5
20	5
21	3
22	4
23	8
24	5
25	7
26	7
27	9
28	11
29	3
30	1
31	6
32	5
33	3
34	3

2. Rafael Nadal - 17* years (88 titles through ages 18-34)

Given his enormous success as a teen and the physical nature of his game, Rafael Nadal was expected to burn out at a relatively early age. But the Spaniard is still standing tall, even in his mid-30s.

Like Djokovic, Nadal's streak is also an active one. Even though he hasn't won a title at the age of 35 yet, he has 10 months at his disposal to maintain continuity.

The Spaniard's 88 titles, collected over 17 successive age-points, have been distributed in the following manner:

Age	Number of titles
18	6
19	10
20	5
21	5
22	10
23	3
24	6
25	4
26	7
27	7
28	2
29	4
30	3
31	6
32	3
33	4
34	3

1. Roger Federer - 20 years (103 titles through ages 19-38)

A career spanning two decades is a milestone in itself. But Roger Federer has also been winning titles throughout that period, making his career that much more impressive.

If there's one man who has been omnipresent in the 21st century - and has made his presence felt throughout - it is the Swiss maestro.

To say that Federer has won a lot for a long time would be an understatement. The number of champions from different generations that have had to go through him is a great testament to his longevity.

Federer's streak of titles was broken at the age of 39. For the 20 years prior to that, he won at least one title at every age (for a total of 103), with the following distribution:

Age	Number of titles
19	1
20	2
21	6
22	10
23	11
24	9
25	10
26	6
27	5
28	2
29	5
30	8
31	2
32	2
33	7
34	2
35	5
36	5
37	4
38	1

Note: The list was kept to 'top 9' because of the multiple ties involved at the 10th position, involving players who have won a title across exactly 11 successive age points.

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