TENNIS
Who is the youngest player to ever win Wimbledon?
Carlos Alcaraz is looking to defend his Wimbledon title as he prepares for a semi-final clash against Daniil Medvedev in Friday’s semi-final. But who is the youngest player to win this Grand Slam event?
Young tennis stars have been making waves at the All England Club for years with the likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Carlos Alcaraz all newer talents on the circuit and all having secured remarkable achievements at such a young age with Spaniard Alcaraz looking to defend his men’s title after winning the 2023 edition at just the age of 21.
The youngest player to win at Wimbledon, male or female, is Martina Hingis, who achieved the record in 1997. She was 16 years, nine months, and five days old. She also holds the record for youngest junior Wimbledon champion, which she became when she was only 13.
Her 1997 Wimbledon victory was not her only triumph that year- she actually came very close to completing the elusive Grand Slam, missing only the French Open trophy.
She first won the Australian Open, where she set the record for youngest person to win any major title at 16 years, three months, and 26 days. Hingis then went on to win the US Open at the age of 16 years, 11 months, and eight days.
She is on the list of ten youngest female Grand Slam winners four times- at numbers one (1997 Australian Open), four (1997 Wimbledon), five (1997 US Open), and eight (1998 Australian Open).
Becker to beat
On the men’s side, the youngest player to win at Wimbledon is Boris Becker, who secured the record in 1985. He was 17 year, 7 months, and 16 days old when he won the gentlemen’s singles title.
Alcaraz is the new Spanish poster boy for the sport and despite just turning 21 last May, the player from Murcia has already bagged won fourteen ATP Tour-level singles titles, including three major titles (at the 2022 US Open, 2023 Wimbledon Championships, and 2024 French Open) and five Masters 1000 titles.