FiveThirtyEight: In Tennis, Even The Breakout Stars Are Veterans

We went into the U.S. Open with two veteran favorites, and we end with two veterans winning — just not the ones we were expecting.

Angelique Kerber won her second major of 2016 and took the world No. 1 ranking from Serena Williams, at age 28. This makes her the second-oldest woman to win a second major in the open era — behind Li Na — and easily the oldest to do it in so short a time.

Stan Wawrinka won a major for the third consecutive year — at age 31. This makes him the oldest man on the ATP tour to win a major since Andre Agassi won the Australian Open in 2003. Wawrinka and Andy Murray join Arthur Ashe as the only men to win at least three grand slam events in the open era without having won any before age 25.

For all the praise Williams and Roger Federer have (deservedly) received for staying at or near the top of their sport, the contending tier of tennis has been welcoming veterans more and more over the past couple of decades.

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