3 Athletes with longest careers at the top

When Venus Williams booked her place in the US Open semifinals, it came 20 years after her first visit to Flushing Meadows culminated in a runner- up place behind Martina Hingis in 1997.

Five years since she was almost forced into retirement due to illness, dropping as low as No 135 in the world, a 37- year- old Williams has now made three grand slam semifinals this year.

Spending two decades at the top is a remarkable achievement in any sport, especially one as physically taxing as tennis.

But the elder Williams sister still falls someway short of the longevity displayed by the following three greats. . .

1 Nolan Ryan

How many athletes play professionally in parts of four decades? Nolan Ryan boasts that claim to fame, debuting for the New York Mets in 1966 and playing his last game for the Texas Rangers in 1993. For the maths- averse, that counts as 27 seasons in Major League Baseball, with Ryan still sending down 100mph fast-balls as a 46- year- old flamethrower.

2 Jack Nicklaus

In 1986, 25 years after winning his first major championship, a 46- yearold Jack Nicklaus overcame a fourshot deficit in the final round of the Masters to claim his 18th and final major title. Along the way, the Golden Bear also recorded 19 second- place finishes, nine third- place finishes and won a total of 73 PGA Tour tournaments.

3 Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe scoffs at Ryan and Nicklaus for finishing their toplevel careers at the sprightly age of 46. Between 1946 and 1980, the hockey hall of famer played in 26 NHL seasons and six seasons in the breakaway World Hockey Association. And he probably could have kept going: in his final year, Howe played 80 games and scored 41 points for the Hatford Whalers in the NHL, helping his team to the playoffs and being named an All Star — at the age of 51.