WATCH- 85-Year-Old Tennis Players Turn Heads With Stunning Skills in France

Although the 2026 French Open is over, it seems the courts at Roland Garros are still seeing some corner-to-corner rallies and delicious lobs. Yet it’s not world-class pros gliding across the clay court, but players over 80 years old turning back the clocks. The French Championships for the 85-plus age category have begun, and the fans are in awe of veterans braving the heat.

French players Jean-François Houlier and Jean-Pierre Olivier De Sardan were in action under the hot Paris sun, playing out a semifinal of the French +85 championships. The point that has surfaced on social media shows both players going corner to corner in a baseline rally, ending with a perfectly placed lob, demonstrating that, at 85, both were athletic and precise enough to pull it off. Houlier walked away as the victor and is now slated to face Gérard Valles, but this seasoned excellence isn’t limited to men.

Ils ont 85 ans ! Le niveau et surtout la qualité de déplacement !

Des points entre Jean-François Houlier (classé 30 avec la casquette) et Jean-Pierre Olivier De Sardan (classé 30) en demi-finales du championnat de France + 85 ans à Roland-Garros.

La finale a lieu demain… pic.twitter.com/Rn9dQYzGZp

— Tennis Legend (@TennisLegende) June 18, 2026

A clip of the match between Mary Jane Marty and Marie-Françoise Kerbrat showed both Frenchwomen moving with fluidity on the court, finishing points at the net. It was Marty who got the bragging rights, with Genevieve Tournade awaiting her in the championship final. While snippets from the tournament are grabbing eyeballs, these veteran tennis players are no strangers to competing at this stage.

Competitions such as the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour have hosted players above the age of 80, with some even playing into their 100s. Henry Young, an Australian tennis player, became the oldest man to play the sport at the age of 102 when he participated in a Masters Tour Championship in Croatia. His longevity mirrors the durability on display at Roland Garros—Masters Tour players routinely compete into their 90s. Young also had the opportunity to play in an exhibition event at the Rod Laver Arena during the 2023 Australian Open, which provided significant exposure for senior tennis professionals.

The Masters Tour is a unique initiative under the ITF’s management that ensures the participation of tennis players of all ages worldwide.

The ITF World Tennis Masters Tour: Age categories and divisions

The ITF World Tennis Masters Tour has a carefully built structure for all age groups, ranging from 30 to 90+. There are three distinct age categories in the Tour, with players aged 35+ and 45+ categorized as young seniors. Players aged 50+ are seniors, while those aged 65+ are Super Seniors.

Like the Tours on the professional level, the Masters Tour also has a tournament classification, with MT100 and MT200 for highly amateur club players, and MT400 and MT700 for professional club players or those who played the sport at the college level. The highest level of competition is the MT1000, for former players who have previously won at a national level and represented their countries.

Players like Michael Berrer, who were once ranked in the Top 50 in the ATP Rankings, have taken part in the Masters Tour after retirement.

The women’s singles final at the French +85 Championships will be between Mary Jane Marty and Genevieve Tournade, with the latter coming in form, having already won an MT400 title this year. However, Marty is a veteran on the Masters circuit, winning 46 trophies between the ages of 60 and 85, including an MT400 title this year.

On the other hand, the men’s singles final featuring Jean Francois Houlier and Gérard Valles will provide the latter with a unique opportunity to clinch his first title on the Masters Tour. Houlier, on the other hand, is a seasoned winner, having won 13 titles on the Tour, with his latest at the MT200 level coming last year in the V80 age category.

Although a certain level of competitive spirit is evident in these tournaments, building relationships on the court and expanding the tennis community are among the Masters Tour’s primary goals.

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