As we bring in 2024, we all start to get excited for the new tennis season to begin. 2024 will be an exciting year. Rafael Nadal will be returning to the court. The young guns, especially Alcaraz, Sinner, and Rune, will try to topple the seemingly unstoppable Novak Djokovic.
The first big test will be in just a few weeks at the Australian Open. With the next generation of tennis stars becoming well-known names, I thought it would be interesting to look at the youngest grand slam champions of all time.
Boris Becker – 18 years, 7 months, 1 day
Boris Becker is a legendary German player and six-time Grand Slam champion and former #1 player in the world. During his career, he won 49 titles, including three titles at Wimbledon.
After retiring, he even coached Novak Djokovic for a few years. In recent years, he had significant personal problems, including declaring bankruptcy and even going to prison. Becker is back in the spotlight, this time as Holger Rune’s coach.
At Wimbledon in 1986, Boris Becker became the champion at the age of 18 years, 7 months and 1 day. He did this by defeating Ivan Lendl in the final 6-4, 6-3, 7-5. But Becker is not the youngest champion to win a Grand Slam.
Bjorn Borg – 17 years, 11 months, 27 days
Another great tennis name is on the list of the youngest Grand Slam champions, and that is the famous Swedish player, Bjorn Borg. Borg was the first player in the Open Era to win 11 Grand Slam titles. He won all of his titles in two tournaments: French Open and Wimbledon. In Paris, he was champion six times, while on the courts of the All England Club, he was champion five times in a row in the period from 1976-1980.
Bjorg’s first Grand Slam victory was at the 1974 French Open when he upset Manuel Orantes in five sets, 2-6, 6-7(1-7), 6-0, 6-1, 6 -1.
Bjorn Borg, 1974 French Open
Mats Wilander – 17 years, 9 months, 2 days
Another former Swedish player to win a Grand Slam while he was just 17 years-old is Mats Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam champion.
He had the most success the Australian Open and French Open, where he won three titles each. He also won the U.S. Open once. Wilander won his first Grand Slam in Paris at the age of 17 years, 9 months, 2 days. He did this by defeating Guillermo Vilas 1-6, 7-6(8-6), 6-0, 6-4.
Mats Wilander, 1982 French Open
Boris Becker – 17 years, 7 months, 2 days
We have already mentioned Boris Becker for winning a Grand Slam when he was just 18 years-old. However, he also won a Grand Slam a year earlier, when he was just 17 years old. At the 1985 Wimbledon, Becker became the youngest Grand Slam champion ever when he won the tournament at just 17 years, 7 months and 2 days old.
In that final, he defeated the former South African player Kevin Curren, 6-3, 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-3), 6-4. This was Becker’s first Grand Slam and he was also the first German, and first unseeded player, to ever win Wimbledon.
Boris Becker, Wimbledon 1985
Michael Chang – 17 years, 3 months, 7 days
Boris Becker held the record as the youngest Grand Slam champion for almost four years before the record was broken by Michael Chang. Chang remains the youngest Grand Slam champion to this day, a feat he accomplished by winning the 1989 French Open when he was just 17 years, 3 months and 7 days old. Chang defeated Stefan Edberg in the final. Edberg was winning two sets to one before Chang came back to win with a final score of 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Chang had also come back in his fourth-round match against the legendary Ivan Lendl. That match is considered one of the best in French Open history as Chang could barely stand due to cramping problems but still came back from a two-set deficit to win the match. I previously wrote about this match here. This was Chang’s only Grand Slam victory, although he did win 34 titles and reached a career high ranking of #2 in 1996.
Nadal, Sampras, Alcaraz…
Rafael Nadal is among the ten youngest winners of a Grand Slam tournament. He won his first Grand Slam at the 2005 French Open by defeating Mariano Puerta 6-7(6-8), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in the final. He was just 18 years, 11 months, and 20 days old.
Rafael Nadal, French Open 2005
Pete Sampras won his first Grand Slam title in 1990 at the U.S. Open when he defeated his great rival Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Sampras won this title at the age of 19 years and 15 days.
The biggest young star in tennis today, Carlos Alcaraz, won his first Grand Slam title at the 2022 U.S. Open. He defeated Casper Ruud in the final, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(7-1), 6- 3. Alcaraz reached this achievement at the age of 19 years, 3 months and 24 days.
Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for the most Grand Slam titles with 24 wins, won his first title in 2008 at the Australian Open. He defeated Jo-Wilfrid Tsonga to win this title when he was 20 years, 7 months and 23 days old.
Hingis Holds the Women’s Record
While Michael Chang is the youngest men’s Grand Slam champion, several women won Grand Slams at even younger ages. The youngest women’s Grand Slam champion in the Open era is Martina Hingis. The famous Swiss player, who was originally from Slovakia, won the 1997 Australian Open final against Mary Pierce 6-2, 6-2. Martina won the title when she was only 16 years and three months old.
If we consider the period before the Open era, there is an even younger champion. Lottie Dodd dominated Wimbledon at the end of the 19th century. She won Wimbledon five times, including winning her first title in 1887 when she defeated Blanche Bingley 6-2, 6-0 in the final. Dodd won her first Wimbledon when she was only 15 years and 285 days old.
Martina Hingis, 1997 Australian Open
Monica Seles is the youngest champion in the history of the French Open. She defeated Steffi Graf at the 1990 French Open, 7-6(8-6), 6-4 when she was just 16 years and 6 months old.
Tracy Austin is the youngest player to win the U.S. Open, which she won in 1979 by defeating Chris Evert 6-4, 6-3. Austin won this title when she was just 16 years and 9 months old. Maria Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title at the 2004 Wimbledon, defeating Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4. Sharapova, a great Russian player, was 17 years and 75 days old when she won this tournament.
