Which Sports Record Is the Hardest to Beat?

Sports fans love longevity. From the remarkable -- shortstop/third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. played in a record 2,632 consecutive games -- to the regrettable -- the NFL's Chicago Cardinals lost 29 games in a row from 1942 to 1945 -- anyone truly stuck on sports statistics loves a long run. But it's a good bet that most sports fans won't be able to name the holder of the longest unbeaten streak in all of professional sports. His name is Jahangir Khan, and from 1981 to 1986, he competed in 555 consecutive squash matches -- and won every one of them.

It's hard to decide which part of his accomplishment -- or his life, for that matter -- is most remarkable: that he was 18 years old when his streak began; that he won the world championship without losing a game; that he won six world championships and 10 British Open titles; or that this list could go on and on? Regardless, one thing is certain: It's going to take a long time and a lot of effort for anyone to match Khan's achievements.

Long story short:

• As of 2020, Vince Carter holds the record for the longest NBA career, at 22 seasons.
• In 2010, John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut in a first round match at Wimbledon that lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes, played over three days. It was the longest match in tennis history;
• The University of Connecticut women's basketball team won a record 111 games between 2014 and 2017; the team owns the three longest such streaks on record.