The 5 oldest women to hold world No 1 spot in WTA Rankings: Serena Williams peerless at No 1
Three players have topped the WTA Rankings after their 30th birthday, with Serena Williams the only woman to hold the world No 1 position over the age of 30.
The five oldest WTA Tour world No 1s:
5. Angelique Kerber – 29 years and 180 days
Angelique Kerber was world No 1 for the last time on July 16, 2017, with her final stint at the top spanning nine weeks before she was displaced by Karolina Pliskova.
In the year before her last week at the pinnacle of the WTA Tour, the German won the 2016 US Open and was a finalist at three other ranking tournaments, including the 2016 WTA Finals.
4. Lindsay Davenport – 29 years and 235 days
Lindsay Davenport’s last spell as the top-ranked player in the world lasted 14 weeks and ended on January 29, 2006, when she was leapfrogged by Kim Clijsters.
The American had collected six titles in 2005 and also been a runner-up at four tournaments, including both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Facts & Stats Features
The 6 youngest women to hold world No 1 spot in WTA Rankings: A 16-year-old Martina Hingis at No 1
The 6 women to be ranked at No 1 in singles and doubles at same time: Serena Williams No 3
3. Martina Navratilova – 30 years and 303 days
Martina Navratilova saw her final streak on top of the WTA Rankings — which lasted 90 weeks — come to an end on August 16, 1987, when she was overtaken by Steffi Graf.
The Czech-American won eight tournaments in the year prior to her last week as world No 1, including the 1986 US Open, the 1986 WTA Finals and the 1987 Wimbledon Championships.
She also lost in the finals of four events, including the 1987 Australian Open and the 1987 French Open.
2. Chris Evert – 30 years and 338 days
Chris Evert’s final spell as the world No 1 lasted four weeks and ended on November 24, 1985, when she was replaced by her great rival, Navratilova.
The American secured 10 titles in the year before losing top spot, including the 1984 Australian Open and the 1985 French Open. She had also been a runner-up at five tournaments, including Wimbledon in 1985.
1. Serena Williams – 35 years and 230 days
Serena Williams was the world No 1 for the last time on May 15, 2017, making her the oldest player to top the WTA Rankings by well over four years. Her final week at the summit lasted three weeks before she was overtaken by Angelique Kerber.
In the year prior to her final week as No 1, Williams won the 2016 Wimbledon Championships and the 2017 Australian Open. These were her seventh titles at each event and her last two Grand Slams — taking her major tally to 23.
The American had also been a runner-up at the French Open and won the Italian Open in 2016.
