69-year-old Gail Falkenberg loses 6-0, 6-0 in Round 2 of futures event
Gail Falkenberg has more of a past than a future in tennis, but that didn't stop the 69-year-old from entering an ITF futures event in Pelham, Ala., this week.
Falkenberg exited the tournament after a 6-0, 6-0 defeat at the hands of 19-year-old Taylor Townsend, but not before picking up 12 ranking points for reaching the second round of qualifying for the event.
"I know I can keep getting better," Falkenberg told Tom Perrota of the Wall Street Journal after the loss. "There's always something to work on with tennis."
Before falling to Townsend, Falkenberg defeated Rosalyn Small, 22, in the first round of qualifying. But history wasn't going to repeat itself against the up-and-coming Townsend.
"Taylor, she was hitting spots like crazy," Falkenberg said after the match.
It's not the first time Falkenberg made news around the tennis world. She turned pro at age 38, relatively ancient for a sport historically dominated by young legs.
Before her upset of Small, Falkenberg's last professional victory came in 1998. Ten years prior to that, Falkenberg won a qualifying match at the Australian Open.
Her most famous match came years ago against then-teenage phenom Jennifer Capriati. The match took place when Capriati was 13, and the eventual three-time Grand Slam champion came out on top.
Despite her age, this isn't the last the tennis world will be hearing from Falkenberg, who says she plans to continue hitting past her next birthday.
"I'd love to be playing - and win - at 70," she said. "I'm six months away from that."