Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Venus Williams and Stan Wawrinka Break Nearly Half-Century-Old Record With Tour Wins at Age 40+

Two tennis legends prove age is just a number with historic wins in Washington and Umag.

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Two legends of the sport, Venus Williams and Stan Wawrinka, each claimed stirring first-round victories this week, becoming the first ATP and WTA players over the age of 40 to win tour-level matches in the same week since 1979. Venus, 45, stunned world No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 at the Citi DC Open, while Wawrinka, 40, dispatched Alvaro Guillen Meza 6-4, 6-1 in Umag, Croatia.

1979 – Two players aged 40+ (Stan Wawrinka and Venus Wiliams) have won ATP and WTA-level matches in the same week for the first time since Ken Rosewall (Brisbane) and Renee Richards (Phoenix) in October 1979. Vintage.@atptour @ATPMediaInfo @WTA @WTA_insider
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) July 23, 2025

The result marked Venus’ first WTA win since returning from a long layoff, her first tour match since the 2024 Miami Open and made her the oldest woman to win a WTA main-draw match since Martina Navratilova (then 47) in 2004. For Wawrinka, the victory also placed him alongside Jimmy Connors as the only other male player in the Open Era to win an ATP match at age 40 or older.

2 – Since the introduction of the Tier format in 1990, Venus Williams (45y 34d) is only the second player aged 45+ to win a main draw match at WTA level, along with Martina Navratilova (45y 242d). Queen.#MubadalaDCCitiOpen | @mubadalacitidc @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/xDEEHvaXHf
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) July 23, 2025

Tennis Hasn’t Seen a Week Like This Since ’79

It’s been nearly half a century since two players over 40 won at tour-level events in the same week, dating back to October 1979 when Ken Rosewall and Renee Richards did so. Venus and Wawrinka’s wins came against players two decades their junior, with Williams over Stearns, 22 years her junior, and Wawrinka over Guillen Meza, 18 years younger.

Venus, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, reminded the tennis world of her enduring skill and grit. Her sharp serving and aggressive court positioning overwhelmed Stearns in straight sets, igniting talks of a potential US Open wildcard.

40 year old Stan Wawrinka gets his second tour level win of the season in Umag.

6-3, 6-1 over qualifier Alvaro Meza.

Into R2 to face Dzumhur. pic.twitter.com/lUt2Uvfd6C
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 21, 2025

Though Venus captured most of the headlines, Wawrinka’s performance in Umag was just as commanding. The Swiss star, a three-time Grand Slam champion, barely put a foot wrong against Guillen Meza, blending his signature backhand with precision baseline play.

4 – Since the inaugural ATP Tour season in 1990, Stan Wawrinka is the fourth player aged 40+ to win multiple matches at ATP-level events after Jimmy Connors, Feliciano Lopez and Ivo Karlovic. Timeless.#CroatiaOpenUmag | @CroatiaOpenUmag @atptour @ATPMediaInfo
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) July 22, 2025

Looking ahead, Venus will take on fifth seed Magdalena Frech in her next match in Washington, while Wawrinka faces Damir Dzumhur in the second round at the Umag Open. Whether viewed individually or as a shared moment across separate events, their achievements continue to stay one step ahead, and this time, even ahead of age itself.

Mandatory Image Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

2025

Stan Wawrinka

Umag

Venus Williams

Washington

Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.