Roger Federer at 39: The longevity of the legend

Today – August 8, 2020 – marks Roger Federer’s 39th birthday. Holder of 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the Swiss is still playing at the highest level (ranked No. 4 in the world) as he approaches his 40s. Federer’s accomplishments and longevity are superior to those of previous tennis legends and to those of the greatest athletes in other sports. See our slideshow.

Tennis – Australian OpenH FourtHRound – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 26, 2020. Switzerland’s Roger Federer serves during his match against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics

Ricky Dimon

August 8, 2020

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Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras, born in 1971, held the men’s Grand Slam singles titles record (14) for seven years before Federer snatched it from him following his success at Wimbledon in 2009 (beat Andy Roddick in a five-set final). At 39 years old in 2011, Sampras had already been finished with his career for nine years. In this photo he is playing against Frenchman Gaël Monfils, who won their exhibition match 7-6 6-4 at the SAP Open – an ATP 250 event in San José, Calif.
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Björn Borg

Björn Borg, born in 1956, won 11 Grand Slam singles. Six of those came at Roland Garros and five at Wimbledon during a time when it was even more difficult to move from Parisian clay to London grass. At 39 years old in 1995, Borg had already been off the tour for two years – and 12 years removed from the main part of his career. A failed comeback attempt spanning three seasons concluded in 1993. In this 1992 photo, Borg is seen at the Munich Seniors tournament.
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John McEnroe

Known as much for his tennis talents as for his explosive character on the court, John McEnroe – born in 1959 – l eft his mark on tennis in the 1980s. During that time the American won six majors (seven total in his career). At 39 years old in 1998, McEnroe had already been retired for six years (since 1992). He briefly returned to competition in 1994, and then for doubles in 1999 and 2006. In this photo (right), he is seen with lifelong rival Björn Borg at an exhibition match.
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Andre Agassi

Born on April 29, 1970, Andre Agassi can boast to have won all four Grand Slams. His last such triumph came at the Australian Open in 2003, where he defeated Germany's Rainer Schüttler in the final. At 39 years old in 2009, the American had already been retired for three years (2006). In this photo, Agassi is playing for the Philadelphia Freedoms of World Team Tennis.
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Ivan Lendl

Ivan Lendl, a Czech who gained American citizenship in 1992 following the peak of his career, is the record holder of the Grand Prix Championship Series (the rough equivalent of our Masters 1000s) with 22 titles. At 39 years old in 1999, Lendl had already been retired for five years (1994). A winner of three consecutive US Opens from 1985 through 1987, Lendl eventually attempted a career change to golf but failed. In this photo, he is speaking at a US Open press conference.
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Michael Jordan

Born in 1963, Michael Jordan is widely considered the best basketball player of all time. He was a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2009. “His Airness” was still playing basketball at 39 years old as a member of the Washington Wizards in 2001. He had previously retired from the NBA on two different occasions (1993 and 1998). In this photo (right), Jordan is going up against Toronto Raptors’ star Vince Carter on October 30, 2002.
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Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was a three-time heavyweight world champion and nicknamed “The Greatest.” Born in 1942, the American was voted “Sportsman of the Century” by the sports magazine Sports Illustrated in 1999. At 39 years old in 1981, Ali was boxing for the last time in his career. In this photo, he is six months away from the final fight of his career – in which he lost to Jamaican boxer Trevor Berbick in Nassau.
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Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is the record holder in Formula 1 for the number of podiums (155), victories (91), and world championship titles (7). The German was a legend of Ferrari, the Italian team that he headlined from 1996 to 2006. At 39 years old in 2008, “Schumi” had already been retired for two years (2006). In this photo, he is still at Ferrari to carry out private test drives – which he continued until 2009 before a return to competition with Mercedes.
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Pelé

Now 79, Pelé won the World Cup with Brazil three times – in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He was his country’s star striker from the 1950s to the 1970s while scoring 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches across all competitions. "King Pelé" is also an ambassador for the UN and UNESCO for Education, Ecology, and the Environment, proof of his influence far beyond his sport. In this photo he is 39 years old, two years removed from his retirement at a farewell match between New York Cosmos and Santos FC – the only two clubs in his career – on October 1, 1977.
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Tiger Woods

A five-time Masters champion, Tiger Woods is arguably the greatest golfer of all time if we look at the statistics alone (109 professional wins). At 43 years old, the American added his fifth title at Augusta National for his first major victory since 2008. Woods turned 39 years old in 2014 and is still going strong six years later. In this photo, he is at Valhalla Golf Club during a competition on the PGA, Tour.
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Jonah Lomu

Nicknamed “The Bus” for his speed and physical power, New Zealand rugby player Jonah Lomu brought rugby to homes around the world at the 1995 World Cup, scoring seven tries in five matches – including four in the semi-finals against England. The Auckland native retired in 2010 at the age of 35. In this 2015 photo shortly after he turned 39, the former All Blacks winger attends a press conference with his brother, John, for the Heavyweight Explosion fight – a boxing match. He died at the age of 40 in Auckland dur to cardiac arrest.