Friday five: Tennis’ oldest players

On the day that Prince Phillip decides to call time on public engagements at the tender age of 95, we thought it was time to celebrate tennis’ old timers. Of course, this lot aren’t quite in the nonagenarian category, but a few of them aren’t far off.

5. Kimiko Date-Krumm

Has Kimiko actually retired? According to reports she’s about to make her second career comeback at the tender age of 46. This comeback comes after her first one, following a 12-year hiatus from the game. The Japanese star originally decided to hang up her racquet in 1996 at the WTA Tour Championships. She dusted it off again in 2008 (at the age of 37), playing another six years on Tour before once again calling it quits. Will she match McEnroe with a third career comeback? Watch this space.

4. John McEnroe

One of the legends of our sport, John McEnroe notched up plenty of impressive achievements during his career. He is also one of the few players to retire on no fewer than three separate occasions (1992, 1994, 2006). The seven-time major champion finally decided to call it quits in 2006 at the ripe old age of 46 (but not before winning a doubles title with Jonas Bjorkman in San Jose).

3. Billie-Jean King

Another legend of the sport, few players achieved as much during their playing career as Billie-Jean King. The indefatigable American was not only the founding member of the WTA, but she won 12 major titles during a career that spanned the amateur and open era. King was still going strong in 1990 – at the age of 47 – playing doubles with Jennifer Capriati in the Virginia Slims doubles tournament.

2. Martina Navratilova

The greatest female athlete of all time? There aren’t many that can rival Martina. During a 32 year professional career, Navratilova was No.1 for 331 weeks, won 18 singles majors and 31 major doubles titles. When she did decide to hang up her racquet, she did it in style. Navaratilova teamed up with Bob Bryan to win the 2006 US Open mixed doubles title, a little more than a month away from her fiftieth birthday.

1. Gail Falkenberg

Who? Okay, Gail Falkenberg might not have enjoyed the glittering careers of Martina, John or Billie-Jean, but she is the oldest person to win a professional tennis match. Falkenber was 69 years young when she defeated Rosalyn Small 6-0 6-1 in the first round of an ITF25k tournament in Pelham, Alabama. She got double bagelled by Taylor Townsend in the second round. Rumour has it she’s still going strong…