Peak Age for a tenins player

[ZhuangCorp]

During the CBS coverage, somebody said that the peak age of a tennis player is around 27.

I originally thought that the peak age would be more around 23-24.

27 seems a little old to be at the best.

What do you guys think?

 

[chriscash]

My guess is about 25

 

[Tim Tennis]

I think it is around 59 or 60. Not that I'm that old, well maybe. I think by that time you should have all kinds of experience and be able to deal with anything. All kidding aside I do get tired of hearing the announcers always overrate the value of experience. Hell, if experience was so valuable, Mac and Connors would be still playing. Just about all of the modern day greats burst on the scene at an early age, beating all those old guys with all their experience.

I would say 24 to 26, after that you would have to suppliment the loss of physical capabilities, (vision, legs, ability to recover, flexibility, reaction time, whatever), with increased skill and smarts (back to experience).

You got to love the game.

 

[thehustler]

I hope it's not 27, then I've only got one year left before my downhill slide. I agree that experience means nothing. I've only been playing for a little over a year and I've beat people with 20+ years of experience, better forehands, serves, etc. But what I think the most important thing at any age is your mentality. How to deal with when you're down, when you're trying to close out a set or match and so on. If you can't handle certain situations mentally then it doesn't matter what shots you have or how experienced you are. You'll lose.

 

[VictorS.]

Honestly I think it varies based on a number of different factors. I think on the atp tour the peak age is probably about 25 yrs old. However this isn't indicative of peak age performance IMO. Many tennis players on tour deal with burnout and fatigue. The lifestyle is very unpredictable as well (travel, time changes). I think this really takes a tool on the athletes. You look at a late bloomer such as younes el-aynoui. obviously he's starting to slow down...but he played some of his best tennis in his early 30s.

Most of these atp guys have been grinding it out since they were 14-15 yrs old. So they have a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. That's what makes agassi's accomplishments so compelling. Obviously he's taken some time off here and there...but still...very impressive.

 

[degreefanlindi]

peak

I think the peak should be around 24-25 too. Perhaps 27 is too late, but anything is possible. All players are different, in terms of maturity and fitness. I think it's not always a good thing to peak too early...but it also does not get any easier as you age.

 

[RB]

Just keep determined fellas---Jimmy Connors won two of his 8 Slams at age 32-----Wimbledon and the US Open....and then won the Open again the NEXT year...