Top 5 youngest men’s singles grand slam winners in the open era

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Michael Chang
Carlos Alcaraz scripted history in New York by becoming the youngest player since Rafael Nadal in 2005 to win a grand slam title as he defeated Casper Ruud in the 2022 US Open final in four sets 6-4,2-6,7-6(1),6-3. With this feat, he becomes the youngest World No.1 in the ATP Rankings and only the 8th teenager to win a men’s singles title at a major. He is now the 7th youngest men’s singles grand slam winner and also the second youngest US Open champion.
We take a look at the top 5 youngest men’s singles grand slam winners in the open era.
#5 Rafael Nadal- 19 years and 3 days

Playing his first French Open at the age of 19, Rafael Nadal stunned the world by winning the title on his maiden appearance and the rest is history. He defeated Mariano Puerta in four sets 6–7 (6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 to win his first of the 14 Roland Garros titles. He also became the first teenager to win a grand slam since Pete Sampras in 1990. While many believed that Nadal would go on to win multiple grand slam titles, nobody would’ve thought back in 2005 that he would’ve won 22 of those and will go down as on of the greats of the game.
#4 Bjorn Borg- 18 years and 10 days

In the early 70s, came a young boy with golden hair who represented Sweden in the Davis Cup at the age of 15. Three years later in 1974, Bjorn Borg won his maiden grand slam title aged 18. In his first full season on tour, he won the French Open defeating Manuel Orantes in the final in five sets 2-6,6-7(4),6-0,6-1,6-1 to win his first of 11 major titles. Borg won all of his grand slam titles before 1981, i.e. before he turned 25.
#3 Mats Wilander- 17 years and 293 days

Another Swedish legend, Mats Wilander won his maiden major title just a year after turning pro in 1981. In the 1982 French Open final, Wilander defeated Argentine Guillermo Vilas in four sets 1–6,7–6(6),6–0,6–4 to win his maiden major title at the age of 17. He then went on to win 7 grand slam titles and is regarded as one of the finest clay court players of all-time.
#2 Boris Becker- 17 years and 228 days

Boris Becker’s love affair with Wimbledon started back in 1985 when he became the youngest champion in Wimbledon history after beating American Kevin Curren in four sets 6–3,6–7(7),7–6(3),6–4 in the final. With that, aged 17, he also became the first unseeded player to win Wimbledon. Becker went on to become one of the greats of the game and won 6 major titles in his career.
#1 Michael Chang- 17 years and 110 days

Probably the most shocking result in tennis history could be the 1989 French Open when a young boy who dropped out of school in 1988 played the final against an established legend Stefan Edberg. Michael Chang stunned Edberg and the world by winning the final in five sets 6–1,3–6,4–6,6–4,6–2 to win his first and only grand slam title. A few years later, he managed to reach the Australian Open and the US Open final but finished second best in both.
Lakshya Chopra
(2636 Articles Published)