Top 5 youngest men’s champions at the French Open
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Youngest French open champions
Earning a Grand Slam is not easy for anyone. But earning at a young age when players are still yet to reach their peak is all the more impressive. The Grand Slam that is earned gives them a lot of prestige and honor and this only escalates their career. Here is a look at the top 5 youngest players to ever win the Grand Slam in the French Open.
#5. Rafael Nadal
The ‘king of clay’ as he is known has won the Roland Garros an impressive 13 times and looks to win his 14th title this year. But did you know he won his first title at Roland Garros when he was just 19 years and 2 days. The Spaniard is one of the heavy favorites during the clay season and has an impressive 105-3 record on the French Open surface which makes him incomparable to the other players when it comes to clay court. In Rafael Nadal‘s first finals in the Roland Garros, the Spaniard faced Argentinian player Mariano Puerta and went on to win the match in four sets.
#4. Ken Rosewall
Australian player Ken Rosewall is not just a man with a few accomplishments. He has won 8 Grand Slams, and 11 Doubles Grand Slams and also holds the record with the highest difference in the years between winning his first Grand Slam and the last. The tennis star won his first Grand Slam title in the French Open when he was just 18 years and 209 days old. The Australian won his second grand slam only 15 years later but the victory was all the sweeter because he also won the Grand Slam in the doubles tournament.
#3. Bjorn Borg
Who is not aware of the player Bjorn Bjorg? The Swiss legend is known for his style of playing and elegance along with his well-known rivalry with John McEnroe. The tennis sensation was also one of the first tennis players to earn a million dollars in a single season. Bjorn Borg has won 11 Grand Slams in total, with the most number of Grand Slams from the French Open ( 6 Grand Slams). The Swiss sensation won his first French Open Grand Slam in 1973, just at the age of 18 years and 10 days.
#2. Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander the Swedish player was a remarkable player who had won an enviable collection of 7 Grand Slams in just 6 years (1982-1988). The tennis legend is also included in the International Tennis Hall of Fame for not just winning Grand Slams, but also for being a prominent contribution to his country in the Davis Cup almost all the years throughout the 1980s. The tennis sensation won his first French Open title at the age of 17 years and 288 days old in the year 1982.
#1. Michael Chang
And the winner of this list goes to American player Michael Chang who stunned the world with his first French Open title victory at the age of 17 years and 3 months in the year 1982. The American has gone on to win 34 singles titles with his quick actions and the ability to defend from the baseline. The tennis sensation was later included in the Tennis Hall of Fame in the year 2008 for his accomplishments.
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Harini Mahesh
(159 Articles Published)