Players to make multiple men's singles Grand Slam finals before turning 21 this century

Only three players have ever achieved this glorious feat.

Carlos Alcaraz reached the final of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships by defeating Danii Medvedev in the semi-final with a dominating display on 14 July 2023, on Centre Court at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. The Spaniard demolished the third seed by a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 scoreline to reach his second men’s Grand Slam final. The 20-year-old became part of an exclusive list by setting up a mouth-watering clash with Novak Djokovic for the title.

Carlos Alcaraz, the World No.1 in men’s singles ATP rankings, was aiming to win his first-ever Wimbledon title. He won the US Open in 2022 which was his first-ever Grand Slam title.

Interestingly, the first player to beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back-to-back on clay is also a part of the list including these two legendary gentlemen. He is now only the third player ever to reach multiple men’s singles Grand Slam finals before turning 21 in this century.

Here is a look at three players to make multiple men’s Grand Slam finals before turning 21:

Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz wrote another historical chapter in his career as he prepared to clash with Novak Djokovic, aiming to win his first-ever Wimbledon men’s singles title. He won the Wimbledon title eventually by beating the Serbian thanks to a 1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 scoreline. Carlos Alcaraz showed why he is someone to watch out for, for years to come.

Being part of an exclusive list of three where the other two players have 45 Grand Slam singles titles among them is not a small feat.

By reaching the final, he joined two other legendary tennis players in the men’s singles category to reach multiple Grand Slam finals before turning 21 years old. This goes to suggest how excellent Alcaraz is and the heights his career can reach in years to come.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is one of the three players in the history of the Open Era to reach multiple Grand Slam finals before turning 21. His potential was seen early in his career as the Spaniard became famous for never giving up a point.

As time passed by, Rafael Nadal won trophy after trophy and secured the World No.1 rank in ATP Rankings. His dominance of the French Open stands tall as the Spaniard has won the clay-court tournament a total of 14 times, a record. He won his first-ever French Open title at the age of 19.

Little did people know back then that Nadal would go on to win four French Open titles consecutively from 2005 to 2008. The 22-time Grand Slam winner reached four finals back in his younger days (before turning 21), showing early signs of greatness, similar to Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic made it to two Grand Slam finals before turning 21. He is only the third player ever in the history of the Open Era to reach multiple Grand Slam finals in men’s singles before the mark. Fast forward, he is now the all-time leader in terms of most singles Grand Slam titles at 23.

While Novak Djokovic may not have burst onto the scene like Rafael Nadal in the early stages of his career, the signs of greatness were always there. The major factor in his longevity and decade-long domination is his incredible level of fitness. Even at 36 years old, Djokovic can outperform most men’s athletes on tour who are way younger than him.