The years of learning the game, entering ITF Challenger and Futures tournaments, trying to get on the ATP/WTA tour and so many other roads it akes to be a professional tennis player, acquiring contacts for a later time is the most important.
When players decide to end playing tennis professionally because of age, injuries, illness, exhaustion or boredom most get back onto the game through networking with ones they know. No one has to look far to see former tennis players as many get into television commentating, radio broadcasting, coaching or a multitude of other things whether it's in front of or behind the scenes, of the tennis world.
If you're a tennis fan but can't afford the fee of getting Tennis Channel, tennis programming on ESPN and ESPN2 or non-cable stations, you would be able to see legendary retired players such as Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, Martina Navritilova, The McEnroe Brothers (John and Patrick), Mary Jo Fernandez as well as a host of other former pro players who know the game since they were literally grade school children.
They've played on every surface, was in ITF events, junior tennis, collegiate tennis and toured for their entire careers. The game isn't something that they grew up with and liked--but it was...and still is--them. Tennis Channel has their analysts and commentators of the game from Lyndsay Davenport, Justin gimbelstob, James Blake, Paul Annacone, Tracy Austin and so many more that are always able to give 'out of the box' commentary to complete the stories of the players and the trends and news of the tennis world.
- The former world No.1 Jim Courier was one of the best tennis players during the 90s. He spent an impressing 58 weeks at the No.1 spot during the 1994-95 season and have won a total of 4 Grand Slam titles. Including 2 Roland Garros and 2 Australian Open titles.
- Arther Ashe, a Professional tennis player from Virginia in the USA, born in 1943, became professional in 1969 and retired in 1980. His total career prize money is $1,584,909.
- Check out this comprehensive list of every men's and women's professional tennis player.
Former and retired players are even involved in the day to day tennis operations internationally such as the BBCSports, Eurosports, 7Sports and a host of other international stations with former players such as Nick Lester, Annabel Croft, Marcus Buckland, Greg Rusedski and others are at the helm with their analyst from 'ball-by-ball' reporting to on-court, in the stands and interviewing the winning player.
When former players don't choose to be analyst and commentators, they serve as contributing writers on such magazines as Tennis, Tennishead and other magazines and newspapers even internationally known UKTennis. Many decide to have tennis camps and academies, such as The Evert Tennis Academy by Chris Evert, Taylor Dent Academy, Randall's Island Tennis with the founder being John McEnroe and many others.
The retired player who still can play tennis, often become coaches where now they are the teachers for up and coming and prominent players of today. Darren Cahill has many hates and was a commentator/analyst for a few broadcasting stations and is not the coach of Simone Halep.
Lyndsay Davenport has temporarily did coaching for Madison Keys and Boris Becker has had a well know tennis career for years and after retiring, was a BBC analyst/commentator from 2002-2013; he ended and has been Novak Djokovic's coach since 2013 saying 'It's not about me...I was a journalist after my tennis career in television...it's about Novak.
It's his time to shine'. Swiss ex-player Magnus Norman has been the coach of Stan Wawrinka since 2013 but along the way Stan has brought in former player Richard Krajicek as an assistant coach just this year in 2016.
Conchita Martinez, a Spanish former WTA player known for her furiously powerful backhand slices, turned pro in 1988 and retired in 2006 earning 33 single titles and 13 doubles, plus numerous Olympic medals. She is from Barcelona and now is the Captain of both the Spanish Davis and Fed Cups.
Billie Jean King retired player called 'Mother Freedom' turned pro in 1959, retired with 129 titles, National Tennis Center in Flushing named after her; she started World Team Tennis, was Captain of US Fed Cup, hall of Famer of 1987 and so many prestigious career statuses.
He was a Top 20 player in the world for 25 straight years, and even won the Australian Open at 38 years old. The minuscule Rosewall (5'7' and 145 pounds), played with constant agility and had a. The Wives, Girlfriends, Boyfriends, Husbands And Partners Of Tennis Players A small but elite group - by Susannah Guthrie 16 Oct 2020.
Another retired/former WTA player, Katrina Adams, turned pro in 1988 and was a doubles specialist with 20 titles and 8 ITF titles. She started playing tennis at age 6, participated in high school and collegiate tennis and winning an NCAA doubles title, she soon hung up her racket and tennis shoes professionally but commentated for Tennis Channel since 2003 and also serves as an executive director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program.
The passion for tennis never ended when she retired and she is now Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), a position she has had since January of 2015. She was later appointed as Chairman of the Fed Cup Committee.
Katrina has marked many milestones in her tennis career and as a retired player is the first African-American, first former professional tennis player and the youngest person to serve as President of the USTA in its 135 year history.
It is very difficult to say the word 'retirement' to anyone in tennis because once the passion and love for the game is engrained in the person, it stays burning in their hearts and as the USTA's slogan says, 'Tennis is the sport for a lifetime'.Also Read: Strength in numbers? US men's chances of success in New York
In 2012, the average age of the top ten men's tennis players was 27, while the women's top ten average was just 25.1. While many professional tennis players start as soon as they're out of high school, the average age of professionals who are on top is increasing, with many of them currently in their late 30s.
This may seem old, but all of the tennis players on this list continued to play in their 40s and the oldest player is still going strong in her 70s! In addition to being the oldest tennis players ever, many of the people on this list are some of the greatest players in tennis history and still hold several records. All of these tennis players prove that age doesn't have to stop you from going after your dreams.
10. Tommy Haas (April 3, 1978 – Present)
39 in early 2018 (currently 40 years old)
Hamburg, Germany – moved to USA in 1991
1996 – 2018
16
Tommy Haas recently retired in early 2018, about a month before his 40th birthday. Haas was four years old when he started playing tennis and his talent was nurtured by his father, Peter Haas. When Haas was 13 years old, he moved to Florida to train under the famous tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri.
Haas started his professional career in 1996, which was the same year he graduated from high school. Within a few short years, Haas ranked in the top 10 for the first time and also won his first title in 1999. Haas' career continued to take off and by the end, he earned 15 singles titles and 1 in doubles.
9. Takao Suzuki (September 20, 1976 – Present)
42 in 2018
Sapporo, Japan
1995 – Present
1
Takao Suzuki may not have as many titles as most of the players on this list, but he is still playing at the age of 42. Suzuki has been playing tennis since he was a child and turned professional in 1995.
While Suzuki's overall rank high was at No. 102, he was ranked No. 1 in his home country of Japan. In 2017, Suzuki became the first player in their 40s to reach the final of an ITF Pro Circuit event. Suzuki also has the most wins for Japan in the Davis Cup than any other player.
8. Jimmy Connors
44 in 1996
Belleville, Illinois, USA
1972 – 1996
125
Jimmy Connors is another legendary tennis player who stayed in the game well into his 40s. Like John McEnroe, Connors was known for his fiery temper in addition to his strong tennis skills. Connors verbally fought with his opponents, tennis officials, and also the crowd. According to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which inducted Connors in 1998, Connors never ever apologized for his behavior.
Despite his polarizing behavior, Connors won 125 tournaments during his long career. Connors holds the Open Era record for most championships won (109) and was the year-end No. 1 world ranked player from 1974 through 1978. He was also the first player to use a steel Wilson T2000 racket, instead of the traditional wooden racket.
7. Ken Rosewall (November 2, 1934 – Present)
46 in 1980
Sydney, Australia
1957 – 1980
133
Ken Rosewall had a long tennis career spanning over three decades. Rosewall holds several records, including being the oldest major tournament winner in the Open Era, when, at age 37, he defeated Mal Anderson to win the 1972 Australian Open. On the other end of the spectrum, Rosewall still holds the record for being the youngest champion of the Australian championship, which he won for the first time in 1953 when he was just 18 years old.
Rosewall went on to win 133 tournaments over his long career and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980, the same year he retired. At 83 years old, Rosewall is still alive and has the honor of being an Australian Living Treasure for his outstanding contributions to Australian society.
Famous Tennis Players Retired
6. John McEnroe (February 16, 1959 – Present)
46 in 2006 (few days shy of his 47th birthday)
1978 – 2006
1957 – 1980
155
John McEnroe is one of the greatest tennis players in history and also one of the most controversial. McEnroe was often called an artist for the way he handled a tennis racket and his skills helped him win 77 singles titles and 72 in doubles competition. He was also ranked No. 1 in both categories. In 1999, McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Famous Former Tennis Players
While McEnroe's skills were legendary, so were his temperamental outbursts. McEnroe was such a passionate and intense player that he had some of the greatest rivalries in tennis history, especially with Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg. McEnroe's temper earned him a reputation and he was often parodied in pop culture. However, at times he has been in on the joke and has appeared in several commercials acting out his infamous outbursts.
5. Kimiko Date (September 28, 1970 – Present)
46 in 2017 (few days shy of her 47th birthday)
Kyoto, Japan
1989 – 2017
22
Kimiko Date has played professional tennis for nearly all of her adult life. Date started playing tennis when she was in elementary school and went pro as soon as she graduated from high school in 1989. A year later, Date made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open. In 1994, Date won her first international tournament, the NSW Open in Sydney, and became the first Japanese tennis player to rank in the Top 10 of the WTA Tour Rankings – Date was ranked at No. 9.
Although Date wanted to continue playing tennis, she was forced to retire in 2017 because her body was no longer in shape enough to keep going. Date's final tournament was at the 2017 Japan Women's Open, which took place just before her 47th birthday.
4. Billie Jean King (November 22, 1943 – Present)
47 in 1990
Long Beach, California, USA
1968 – 1990
168
Billie Jean King is a legendary tennis player who is made many advancements in the sport for women. King founded the Women's Tennis Association in 1973 and made history that same year when she beat Bobby Riggs in the 'Battle of the Sexes' tennis match. She also successfully lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the U.S. Open in 1973. A few years earlier, King was the first female athlete in any sport to earn more than $100,000 in prize money in a single season.
Additionally, King was the first tennis player to be named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the year and was the first female athlete ever to receive the honors. In her personal life, King was one of the first female athletes to publicly come out as a lesbian, which caused her to lose all of her endorsement deals. King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
3. Younes El Aynaoui (September 12, 1971 – Present)
47 in 2018
Rabat, Morocco
1990 – Present
5
The years of learning the game, entering ITF Challenger and Futures tournaments, trying to get on the ATP/WTA tour and so many other roads it akes to be a professional tennis player, acquiring contacts for a later time is the most important.
When players decide to end playing tennis professionally because of age, injuries, illness, exhaustion or boredom most get back onto the game through networking with ones they know. No one has to look far to see former tennis players as many get into television commentating, radio broadcasting, coaching or a multitude of other things whether it's in front of or behind the scenes, of the tennis world.
If you're a tennis fan but can't afford the fee of getting Tennis Channel, tennis programming on ESPN and ESPN2 or non-cable stations, you would be able to see legendary retired players such as Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, Martina Navritilova, The McEnroe Brothers (John and Patrick), Mary Jo Fernandez as well as a host of other former pro players who know the game since they were literally grade school children.
They've played on every surface, was in ITF events, junior tennis, collegiate tennis and toured for their entire careers. The game isn't something that they grew up with and liked--but it was...and still is--them. Tennis Channel has their analysts and commentators of the game from Lyndsay Davenport, Justin gimbelstob, James Blake, Paul Annacone, Tracy Austin and so many more that are always able to give 'out of the box' commentary to complete the stories of the players and the trends and news of the tennis world.
- The former world No.1 Jim Courier was one of the best tennis players during the 90s. He spent an impressing 58 weeks at the No.1 spot during the 1994-95 season and have won a total of 4 Grand Slam titles. Including 2 Roland Garros and 2 Australian Open titles.
- Arther Ashe, a Professional tennis player from Virginia in the USA, born in 1943, became professional in 1969 and retired in 1980. His total career prize money is $1,584,909.
- Check out this comprehensive list of every men's and women's professional tennis player.
Former and retired players are even involved in the day to day tennis operations internationally such as the BBCSports, Eurosports, 7Sports and a host of other international stations with former players such as Nick Lester, Annabel Croft, Marcus Buckland, Greg Rusedski and others are at the helm with their analyst from 'ball-by-ball' reporting to on-court, in the stands and interviewing the winning player.
When former players don't choose to be analyst and commentators, they serve as contributing writers on such magazines as Tennis, Tennishead and other magazines and newspapers even internationally known UKTennis. Many decide to have tennis camps and academies, such as The Evert Tennis Academy by Chris Evert, Taylor Dent Academy, Randall's Island Tennis with the founder being John McEnroe and many others.
The retired player who still can play tennis, often become coaches where now they are the teachers for up and coming and prominent players of today. Darren Cahill has many hates and was a commentator/analyst for a few broadcasting stations and is not the coach of Simone Halep.
Lyndsay Davenport has temporarily did coaching for Madison Keys and Boris Becker has had a well know tennis career for years and after retiring, was a BBC analyst/commentator from 2002-2013; he ended and has been Novak Djokovic's coach since 2013 saying 'It's not about me...I was a journalist after my tennis career in television...it's about Novak.
It's his time to shine'. Swiss ex-player Magnus Norman has been the coach of Stan Wawrinka since 2013 but along the way Stan has brought in former player Richard Krajicek as an assistant coach just this year in 2016.
Conchita Martinez, a Spanish former WTA player known for her furiously powerful backhand slices, turned pro in 1988 and retired in 2006 earning 33 single titles and 13 doubles, plus numerous Olympic medals. She is from Barcelona and now is the Captain of both the Spanish Davis and Fed Cups.
Billie Jean King retired player called 'Mother Freedom' turned pro in 1959, retired with 129 titles, National Tennis Center in Flushing named after her; she started World Team Tennis, was Captain of US Fed Cup, hall of Famer of 1987 and so many prestigious career statuses.
He was a Top 20 player in the world for 25 straight years, and even won the Australian Open at 38 years old. The minuscule Rosewall (5'7' and 145 pounds), played with constant agility and had a. The Wives, Girlfriends, Boyfriends, Husbands And Partners Of Tennis Players A small but elite group - by Susannah Guthrie 16 Oct 2020.
Another retired/former WTA player, Katrina Adams, turned pro in 1988 and was a doubles specialist with 20 titles and 8 ITF titles. She started playing tennis at age 6, participated in high school and collegiate tennis and winning an NCAA doubles title, she soon hung up her racket and tennis shoes professionally but commentated for Tennis Channel since 2003 and also serves as an executive director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program.
The passion for tennis never ended when she retired and she is now Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), a position she has had since January of 2015. She was later appointed as Chairman of the Fed Cup Committee.
Katrina has marked many milestones in her tennis career and as a retired player is the first African-American, first former professional tennis player and the youngest person to serve as President of the USTA in its 135 year history.
It is very difficult to say the word 'retirement' to anyone in tennis because once the passion and love for the game is engrained in the person, it stays burning in their hearts and as the USTA's slogan says, 'Tennis is the sport for a lifetime'.Also Read: Strength in numbers? US men's chances of success in New York
In 2012, the average age of the top ten men's tennis players was 27, while the women's top ten average was just 25.1. While many professional tennis players start as soon as they're out of high school, the average age of professionals who are on top is increasing, with many of them currently in their late 30s.
This may seem old, but all of the tennis players on this list continued to play in their 40s and the oldest player is still going strong in her 70s! In addition to being the oldest tennis players ever, many of the people on this list are some of the greatest players in tennis history and still hold several records. All of these tennis players prove that age doesn't have to stop you from going after your dreams.
10. Tommy Haas (April 3, 1978 – Present)
39 in early 2018 (currently 40 years old)
Hamburg, Germany – moved to USA in 1991
1996 – 2018
16
Tommy Haas recently retired in early 2018, about a month before his 40th birthday. Haas was four years old when he started playing tennis and his talent was nurtured by his father, Peter Haas. When Haas was 13 years old, he moved to Florida to train under the famous tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri.
Haas started his professional career in 1996, which was the same year he graduated from high school. Within a few short years, Haas ranked in the top 10 for the first time and also won his first title in 1999. Haas' career continued to take off and by the end, he earned 15 singles titles and 1 in doubles.
9. Takao Suzuki (September 20, 1976 – Present)
42 in 2018
Sapporo, Japan
1995 – Present
1
Takao Suzuki may not have as many titles as most of the players on this list, but he is still playing at the age of 42. Suzuki has been playing tennis since he was a child and turned professional in 1995.
While Suzuki's overall rank high was at No. 102, he was ranked No. 1 in his home country of Japan. In 2017, Suzuki became the first player in their 40s to reach the final of an ITF Pro Circuit event. Suzuki also has the most wins for Japan in the Davis Cup than any other player.
8. Jimmy Connors
44 in 1996
Belleville, Illinois, USA
1972 – 1996
125
Jimmy Connors is another legendary tennis player who stayed in the game well into his 40s. Like John McEnroe, Connors was known for his fiery temper in addition to his strong tennis skills. Connors verbally fought with his opponents, tennis officials, and also the crowd. According to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which inducted Connors in 1998, Connors never ever apologized for his behavior.
Despite his polarizing behavior, Connors won 125 tournaments during his long career. Connors holds the Open Era record for most championships won (109) and was the year-end No. 1 world ranked player from 1974 through 1978. He was also the first player to use a steel Wilson T2000 racket, instead of the traditional wooden racket.
7. Ken Rosewall (November 2, 1934 – Present)
46 in 1980
Sydney, Australia
1957 – 1980
133
Ken Rosewall had a long tennis career spanning over three decades. Rosewall holds several records, including being the oldest major tournament winner in the Open Era, when, at age 37, he defeated Mal Anderson to win the 1972 Australian Open. On the other end of the spectrum, Rosewall still holds the record for being the youngest champion of the Australian championship, which he won for the first time in 1953 when he was just 18 years old.
Rosewall went on to win 133 tournaments over his long career and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980, the same year he retired. At 83 years old, Rosewall is still alive and has the honor of being an Australian Living Treasure for his outstanding contributions to Australian society.
Famous Tennis Players Retired
6. John McEnroe (February 16, 1959 – Present)
46 in 2006 (few days shy of his 47th birthday)
1978 – 2006
1957 – 1980
155
John McEnroe is one of the greatest tennis players in history and also one of the most controversial. McEnroe was often called an artist for the way he handled a tennis racket and his skills helped him win 77 singles titles and 72 in doubles competition. He was also ranked No. 1 in both categories. In 1999, McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Famous Former Tennis Players
While McEnroe's skills were legendary, so were his temperamental outbursts. McEnroe was such a passionate and intense player that he had some of the greatest rivalries in tennis history, especially with Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg. McEnroe's temper earned him a reputation and he was often parodied in pop culture. However, at times he has been in on the joke and has appeared in several commercials acting out his infamous outbursts.
5. Kimiko Date (September 28, 1970 – Present)
46 in 2017 (few days shy of her 47th birthday)
Kyoto, Japan
1989 – 2017
22
Kimiko Date has played professional tennis for nearly all of her adult life. Date started playing tennis when she was in elementary school and went pro as soon as she graduated from high school in 1989. A year later, Date made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open. In 1994, Date won her first international tournament, the NSW Open in Sydney, and became the first Japanese tennis player to rank in the Top 10 of the WTA Tour Rankings – Date was ranked at No. 9.
Although Date wanted to continue playing tennis, she was forced to retire in 2017 because her body was no longer in shape enough to keep going. Date's final tournament was at the 2017 Japan Women's Open, which took place just before her 47th birthday.
4. Billie Jean King (November 22, 1943 – Present)
47 in 1990
Long Beach, California, USA
1968 – 1990
168
Billie Jean King is a legendary tennis player who is made many advancements in the sport for women. King founded the Women's Tennis Association in 1973 and made history that same year when she beat Bobby Riggs in the 'Battle of the Sexes' tennis match. She also successfully lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the U.S. Open in 1973. A few years earlier, King was the first female athlete in any sport to earn more than $100,000 in prize money in a single season.
Additionally, King was the first tennis player to be named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the year and was the first female athlete ever to receive the honors. In her personal life, King was one of the first female athletes to publicly come out as a lesbian, which caused her to lose all of her endorsement deals. King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
3. Younes El Aynaoui (September 12, 1971 – Present)
47 in 2018
Rabat, Morocco
1990 – Present
5
Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco is currently still active in the professional tennis circuit. El Aynaoui has been playing professionally since 1990 and is still going strong. In 2017, El Aynaoui, at the age of 45, won an IFT match against 23-year-old Bernd Kossler. This win means that El Aynaoui is the oldest player to currently have an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) ranking.
El Aynaoui is probably best known for competing against Andy Roddick at the 2003 Australian Open. Their match is considered one of the greatest Grand Slam quarterfinals ever and at the time, it was the fifth longest set in Grand Slam history. That year, El Aynaoui reached his career high rank of No. 13.
2. Martina Navratilova (October 18, 1956 – Present)
49 years, 11 months in 2006
Revnice, Czech Republic – moved to USA in 1975
1975 – 2006
369
Martina Navratilova is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time of any gender. According to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which inducted Navratilova in 2000, no male or female tennis player has won more singles tournaments than Navratilova (167), doubles events (177), or matches (2,189).
Navratilova's professional tennis career began in 1975 and lasted until 2006. That year, a month shy of her 50th birthday, Navratilova won the mixed doubles championship at the US Open, making her the oldest tennis player in history to win a major title. In addition to being a legendary tennis player, Navratilova has been an LGBT activists since she came out in 1981.
1. Gail Falkenberg (January 16, 1947 – Present)
71 in 2018
USA
c.1980s – Present
0
Although she only plays at the lower levels of the pro tennis circuit, Gail Falkenberg, who is still playing tennis at the age of 71, is the oldest tennis player in the world. Falkenberg was thrust into the spotlight in 2016 when she won a professional tennis match at 69 years old. She defeated Rosalyn Small in the qualification of ITF Pelham and went on to play against Taylor Townsend, who was at one point the No. 1 junior in the world.
Falkenberg has been playing tennis since she was in college in the 1960s and following a break, she turned pro in the early 1980s. In 1988, Falkenberg won a match at that year's Australian open and shared a locker room with tennis greats, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, and Steffi Graf.