The 9 youngest Australian Open men’s champions in the Open Era: Jannik Sinner bumps Rafael Nadal off the list
Two Swedish teenagers occupy the top two places on the list of youngest players to win the Australian Open, but Jannik Sinner is the newest member of the list following this year’s tournament.
Rafael Nadal was ninth on the list before the season-opening Grand Slam at Melbourne Park as he was 22 years, 7 months and 16 days when he won the title in 2009, but he was replaced by a new Italian hero following a stunning run.
Nine youngest Australian Open champions:
9. Jannik Sinner – 22 years, 5 months, 12 days
Jannik Sinner joined the list following his incredible win over Daniil Medvedev in the 2024 Australian Open final.
Tipped to be a star from a young age, Sinner stunned defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-final with a four-set win and then delivered a major as he defeated Medvedev in stunning fashion coming from two sets down to win 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in three hours and 46 minutes.
8. Roger Federer – 22 years, 5 months, 11 days
Having made his Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2003, the Federer Era was in full swing as he won his second Grand Slam at the 2004 Australian Open with a 7–6(7–3), 6–4, 6–2 win over Marat Safin.
Federer would go on to win another five titles in Melbourne with his last coming in 2018. His 2018 trophy, which came courtesy a 6–2, 6–7 (5–7), 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 win over Marin Cilic in the final, was also the last of 20 Grand Slams.
7. Pete Sampras – 22 years, 5 months, 5 days
Pete Sampras won his fourth Grand Slam as he defeated fellow American Todd Martin 7–6(7–4), 6–4, 6–4 in the 1994 Australian Open final.
Sampras won another title at Melbourne Park in 1997 and finished his career with a then-Open Era record of 14 Grand Slams.
6. Mark Edmondson – 21 years, 6 months, 2 days
Australians dominated their home Grand Slam in the 50s, 60s and 70s and Mark Edmondson continued the tradition with a 6–7, 6–3, 7–6, 6–1 win over compatriot John Newcome in the 1976 final.
Edmondson remains the last Australian to win the title. It was also his only Grand Slam with his next-best results a couple of semi-final appearances.
5. Jim Courier – 21 years, 4 months, 27 days
American legend Jim Courier won his second major at the 1992 Australian Open as he denied Stefan Edberg a third title in Melbourne with a 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 win.
Courier successfully defended his title the following year as he again beat Edberg in the final.
4. Jimmy Connors – 21 years, 3 months, 24 days
Jimmy Connors beat Mark Edmondson’s milestone by a couple of months with his Australian Open title run in 1974 as he moved to No 1 on the list of youngest Australian Open winners.
Playing in his first Grand Slam final, the American defeated Phil Dent of Australia 7–6 (9–7), 6–4, 4–6, 6–3.
Connors finished his career with a record 109 singles titles, including eight Grand Slams.
3. Novak Djokovic – 20 years, 7 months, 23 days
After finishing runner-up in the 2007 US Open final, Novak Djokovic made his Grand Slam breakthrough at the 2008 Australian Open.
Who would have predicted that he would go on to win 24 Grand Slams (and counting) after he lifted his first major?
As of the beginning of 2024, Djokovic sits on 10 Australian Open titles (the most), three French Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles and four US Open titles.
2. Stefan Edberg – 19 years, 10 months, 6 days
Stefan Edberg is one of two teenagers on the list and it is unlikely that another teenager will join the list for the next few years, but you can never say never in sport.
The Swede, who won six majors during his career, was just a couple of months shy of his 20th birthday when he defeated his compatriot, Mats Wilander 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 in the 1985 Australian Open final.
1. Mats Wilander – 19 years, 3 months, 7 days
Swedish great Mats Wilander broke Connors’ record by nearly two years when he lifted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at the 1983 Australian Open with a 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 victory over Ivan Lendl in the final.
Wilander 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.
The former world No 1 finished his career with seven major titles with the last coming at the 1988 US Open.
