Roger Federer: Oldest Player in ATP history to finish in top 3

[El Dude]

With Novak's clinching of the year-end #1 ranking (congrats again, Novak), we shouldn't forget that Roger's #2 ranking is no small feat - especially for a 33-year old. Here is a list of the players age 30 and older to finish in the top 3 during the ATP era of rankings, from 1973-2014, ranked by age:

33y4m Roger Federer #2, 2014
32y8m Andre Agassi #2, 2002
32y3m Jimmy Connors #2, 1984
31y8m Andre Agassi #3, 2001
31y8m David Ferrer #3, 2013
31y4m Roger Federer #2, 2012
31y3m Jimmy Connors #3, 1983
30y9m Ivan Lendl #3, 1990
30y7m John Newcombe #3, 1974
30y5m Ilie Nastase #3, 1976
30y4m Roger Federer #3, 2011
30y3m Jimmy Connors #2, 1982

As you can see, this is the third time that Roger has finished in the top 3 since turning 30 years old. Jimmy Connors also did it three times, while Agassi did it twice (he finished #4 at age 33) and everyone else only once each.

Its worth noting that Ivan Lendl's 1989 is the oldest a player has finished the year ranked #1 (in the ATP era; Rod Laver was #1 in 1969 at the age of 31y4m, and both he and Ken Rosewall were co-#1s at older ages, not to mention Pancho Gonzales, Bill Tilden, and others of the pre-Open Era).

29y9m Ivan Lendl #1, 1989

And here's Pete Sampras' last year in the top 3:

29y4m Pete Sampras #3, 2000

 

[Billie]

That is a great record for Federer. He is so smart in scheduling tournaments and taking care of his body. He can probably stay in the top 3 for another year or two.

 

[Denis]

That is nice and all, but he didn't finish #1. :devil

Kidding, he is still going strong. I thought he would have retired by now, shows how GREAT he is.