Top five youngest men's singles players to defend Australian Open title

Swede Mats Wilander is the youngest man to win back-to-back Australian Open titles.

Australian Ken Rosewall was the first man to successfully defend his Australian Open title in the Open Era. Rosewall (37) became the oldest singles winner in Melbourne when he retained the trophy in 1972. He defeated another Australian, Mal Anderson, in straight sets for the win. In 1971, Rosewall overcame Arthur Ashe for his first Melbourne triumph, also in straight sets.

Several players have successfully retained their Australian Open titles over the years after Ken Rosewall. Among them were men who took home the trophy soon after turning professional and in the early stages of their careers. These young players ignored the status quo and pecking orders of men’s tennis to register consecutive wins in Melbourne.  

Youngest men’s singles players to defend Australian Open title

1. Mats Wilander (20 Years) – 1983 & 1984

The 1983 Australian Open title was his second Grand Slam of his career, a year after he won the French Open. Mats Wilander went on to retain the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in 1984, becoming the youngest man to achieve the feat. The Swede came back from losing the first set to register a four-set win, 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-2, over South African Kevin Curren. In 1983, Wilander denied Ivan Lendl the title with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win.

Wilander would earn himself seven Grand Slam wins from among 33 tout-level titles. In all, he won three titles each at Roland Garros and Melbourne and one in New York.

Also Read: Full list of singles players to defend Australian Open title

2. Stefan Edberg (21 Years) – 1985 & 1987

Stefan Edberg followed in his countryman’s footsteps by becoming the second Swede in the Open Era to retain the Australian Open trophy. Edberg returned in 1987 to win in Melbourne after the 1986 edition was not held due to a scheduling adjustment. Edberg, 21, was the last man to win when the tournament was still played on grass. It made the transition to hard courts in 1988. 

In the 1985 edition, Edberg denied Wilander a third straight Australian Open title by winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. It was the Swede’s first Grand Slam win and one of six that he would go on to win. He ensured a similar outcome with a 6-3 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3 over Australian Pat Cash in 1987.

3. Jim Courier (23 Years) – 1992 & 1993

Jim Courier remains the youngest American to win back-to-back titles in Melbourne. He achieved the feat by winning the 1993 edition by posting a 6-2, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5, over Stefan Edberg. The 1992 Australian Open title was his second Grand Slam win, which also came against Edberg. Courier crafted a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over the Swede on that occasion.

Courier won four majors in his 12-year career, all between 1991-93 – two each in Paris and Melbourne. By the time his 22nd birthday arrived, Courier had reached the singles finals of all four Grand Slams, becoming the youngest player to achieve the feat. It is a record that still stands three decades later.  

Also Read: Top five longest men’s singles matches at Australian Open

4. Jannik Sinner (23 Years) – 2024 & 2025

The newest champion on the block, Jannik Sinner, entered this list by becoming the latest to defend his Australian Open crown. Sinner was just 23 years, 5 months and 10 days when he defeated Alexander Zverev to retain his title with straight sets win (6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3) making him the fourth youngest and youngest since Jim Courier to defend his crown.

A year before that Sinner, then in his first Grand Slam final, beat Daniil Medvedev after fighting back from two sets down to win 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 and lift his maiden Grand Slam title.

5. Novak Djokovic (25 Years) – 2011 & 2012

Novak Djokovic and Melbourne were made for each other. It is where he won his first Grand Slam in 2008 as a 21-year-old. Djokovic would go on to add nine more at the venue even as he remains in the hunt for the elusive 11th Australian Open trophy.

The Serb’s first pair of Australian Open wins came in 2011 and 2012. He completed the milestone in 2012 as a 25-year-old. The wins were over Andy Murray (6-4, 6-2, 6-3), and Rafael Nadal (5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5), respectively. Djokovic has been near-invincible in Melbourne, owning a 99-9 win-loss record and a 10-0 record in finals at the venue. He is also the last man to defend his title (2020, 2021).

Also Read: Top five youngest Australian Open champions

6. Roger Federer (26 Years) – 2006 & 2007

The first of Roger Federer’s Australian Open titles came in 2004. He was 22, making him one of the youngest players to win in Melbourne. It was the year when he first became ATP No. #1. Federer pocketed two straight Australian Open trophies with wins over Marcos Baghdatis (2006) and Fernando Gonzalez (2007).

The Swiss great prevailed over Baghdatis, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2, before defeating Gonzalez, 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 a year later. Federer has a collection of six Australian Open trophies, his trips to Melbourne giving him the second-largest haul after Wimbledon (8).

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