Talent, perseverance, and a bit of bravado. These are the ingredients young tennis players need to make history at an early age. While most players only break through after years of experience, there are always exceptions who turn the tennis world upside down as teenagers. But who are the youngest winners of the biggest tennis tournaments? From Michael Chang to Tracy Austin and from Martina Hingis to Mats Wilander: Sjeng Sports has listed a few names for you!
Michael Chang
Michael Chang remains the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam singles title. In 1989, when Chang was just seventeen, the American captured the title at Roland Garros. A fantastic run, including a fourth-round victory over Ivan Lendl, earned him a place in the final, where he faced Stefan Edberg. Chang secured victory in five sets, making history.
Mats Wilander
Another tennis player who managed to win Roland Garros at a young age is Mats Wilander. This Swede was also seventeen when he won the French Open . While this is a remarkable achievement in itself, the fact that he defeated Guillermo Vilas – a true clay court player – in the final makes it even more impressive. Wilander was known for his patient baseline play, and this, combined with his keen eye for tactics, made him one of the leading players of the 1980s.
Martina Hingis
While Michael Chang and Mats Wilander set records for men, Martina Hingis did the same for women. In 1997, the Swiss woman won the Australian Open at just sixteen years old, becoming the youngest Grand Slam singles champion ever. In the final, she defeated her German opponent Anke Huber 6-4, 6-1. Hingis was known for her superb touch and intelligence, and it was therefore no surprise to many that the Swiss woman eventually became world number one.
Monica Seles
Monica Seles brings us directly to another young champion. The Yugoslavian-born player won Roland Garros in 1990 by defeating heavy favorite Steffi Graf in the final. Seles was only sixteen years old at the time, yet she was already the second-ranked player at the tournament. Seles ultimately won nine Grand Slam titles, and of the four biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar, only Wimbledon failed to win.
Other young Grand Slam winners
Besides the aforementioned exceptional talents, there are even more players who have won major titles at a young age. Boris Becker, for example, became a true crowd favorite in 1985 by winning Wimbledon at just seventeen, thanks to his aggressive serve-and-volley style. Tracey Austin is another American player who won the US Open at sixteen, defeating none other than Chris Evert in the final. And while Rafael Nadal may have been slightly older than the other tennis players mentioned above, his 2005 Roland Garros title is also a remarkable achievement. Nadal was only nineteen at the time, and with that, he began a period of unprecedented dominance on clay courts.
Proof that anything is possible – even for teenage talents
There's always something magical about young champions. The aforementioned players, in part, prove once again that age is just a number and that talent, hard work, and plenty of courage can be enough to achieve fantastic performances at the highest level—even at a young age. Whether we're talking about the wily Michael Chang, the brilliant Martina Hingis, the powerful Monica Seles, or the unparalleled clay-court player Rafael Nadal: each and every one of them has demonstrated that you can compete with the very best at a young age. Who knows, we might soon see another teenager turn the tennis world upside down!
