Sports / Serena Williams Serena Will Be Oldest Top-Ranked Player 31-year-old sets mark for women By John Johnson, Newser Staff Posted Feb 15, 2013 3:45 PM CST Copied Serena Williams reacts after winning against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova in their WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis quarterfinal match in Doha, Qatar, Friday. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal) Serena Williams managed to make some history today by winning a quarterfinals match at a tournament in Qatar. The victory means that when the new rankings come out next week, the 31-year-old will be the oldest woman to hold the No. 1 spot, reports AP. Chris Evert got there at age 30 in 1985. It's a remarkable feat for a player who suffered so many injuries in 2010 that many thought her career was finished, notes Bleacher Report. "I never thought I would be here again," said Williams. "Oh my gosh, I've been through so much. I never thought I would be here. Thank you Jehovah for giving me another chance." (More Serena Williams stories.) Report an error