Top five youngest Australian Open champions ft. Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis is the one of the youngest Australian Open champions ever.

Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year, giving players an opportunity to start fresh and begin the new season on a high. The prestigious event is known for its fast-paced and aggressive style of play. The tournament has been held at the Melbourne Park complex since 1988 and is a major contributor to the Victorian economy.

First held in 1905 as the Australasian championships, the Australian Open has grown to become one of the biggest sporting events in the Southern Hemisphere. It was also the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat with its three primary courts, the iconic Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena and the refurbished Margaret Court Arena equipped with retractable roofs.

Until 1987, it was played on grass courts, but since then three types of hardcourt surfaces have been used: green-coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007 and blue Plexicushion from 2008 to 2019. Since 2020, it has been played on blue GreenSet.

As time went by, the Melbourne Park has hosted some of the greatest tennis players, who have gone on to shatter records, cementing their spot in the history books. The winner of the competition is presented with a replica of the Nomran Brookes Challenge Cup.

Novak Djokovic holds the record for the most Australian Open titles, with 10 triumphs Down-Under. On the women’s side, Serena Williams leads with seven titles. The tournament has showcased players from diverse backgrounds and nations, competing fiercely for the silverware. Today, we will take a look at the top five youngest players who emerged victorious at the Australian Open.

Also Read: Top five men’s singles players with most Australian Open titles

Youngest Australian Open champions

5. Mats Wilander – 19 years, 3 months, 7 days

Mats Wilander, the Swedish legend, won the 1983 Australian Open, beating Ivan Lendl in straight sets, thereby becoming the youngest man to have won the Australian Open. The former world number one was a three-time Grand Slam winner by the time he left his teens as he also won the 1982 French Open and successfully defended his Australian Open crown in 1984.

Mats Wilander is the only male tennis player to win the Australian Open on grass as well as hardcourt.

4. Hana Mandlikova – 18 years, 9 months, 11 days

Hana Mandlikova became the youngest champion in Open Era history when she defeated home-favourite Wendy Turnbull – who beat Martina Navratilova, Pam Shriver and Sue Barker, in the 1980 final. She came back in 1987 to win in Melbourne again.

The Czech also won the 1981 French Open and 1985 US Open, bagging a total of four Grand Slam singles trophies during the course of her illustrious career. Mandlikova won all Grand Slam finals she competed in, bringing to light her ability to keep calm and perform to her best when the stakes are high.

Also Read: Players to win Australian Open women’s singles title without dropping a set this century

3. Steffi Graf – 18 years 7 months 9 days

Steffi Graf is considered to be one of the greatest players in tennis history. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion has every major trophy in her cabinet. Graf is also the only player to achieve the Calendar Golden Slam status. She has won all four Grand Slams and the Olympic Gold medal in the same calendar year.

After beating defending champion Mandlikova in the quarter-final and fellow German Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in the semi-final, Graf dominated Chris Evert 6–1, 7–6 in the final to win her second major and maiden Australian Open.

She followed her heroics in Melbourne, with wins at the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open and gold in the singles at the Seoul Games to complete the historic Calendar Golden Slam.

2. Monica Seles – 17 years, 1 month, 24 days

Monica Seles was 16 years and 189 days when she won the 1990 French Open and just over a month after her 17th birthday, she won the 1991 Australian Open, defeating Jana Novotna in the final. Seles finished her career with nine Grand Slams including four Australian Open, three French Open and one US Open titles.

However, the biggest controversial moment in sporting history took featured the Yugoslavian, when she was stabbed, preventing her from achieving even greater success. Nevertheless, Seles will always be remembered for her domination at a young age and her heart-stopping rivalry with Steffi Graf on court.

Also Read: Top five Australian Open classic finals in history

1. Martina Hingis – 16 years, 3 months, 26 days

Martina Hingis started showing signs of greatness early on in her career. She won 25 major titles in her career that consisted of five major singles titles, 13 major women’s doubles titles, and seven major mixed doubles titles. ‘Miss Swiss’ is the youngest Grand Slam champion, having won Wimbledon when she was only 15 years old.

Hingis became the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam singles title by triumphing at the 1997 Australian Open, defeating Mary Pierce 6–2, 6–2 when she was just 16 years and 3 months old. Later that year, she secured her first US Open title at 16 years, 11 months, and 8 days.

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