The 7 youngest ATP Finals champions: ft Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi

L-R: Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, and Andre Agassi.
Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, and Andre Agassi.

Winning the ATP Finals is one of the trickiest tasks in tennis, though a few have done it sooner than most in their careers.

We look at the seven youngest men to triumph at the year-end championships.

7) Novak Djokovic, 2008 – 21 years, 5 months

The most successful champion in ATP Finals history, Djokovic kickstarts our countdown as the seventh-youngest champion at the event.

After finishing first in his group, a 21-year-old Djokovic battled past Gilles Simon in their semi-final before defeating Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 7-5 to lift the title.

That was the first of seven titles for the Serbian, who is the oldest champion thanks to his 2023 triumph.

6) Stefanos Tsitsipas, 2019 – 21 years, 3 months

One of the more surprising champions in recent years, Greek star Tsitsipas was just 21 when he triumphed on his tournament debut in 2019.

Tsitsipas progressed from his group in second place and then stunned Roger Federer in the last four, before edging past Dominic Thiem 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(4) to win the biggest title of his career.

That remains the only time the Greek has made the final at the year-end championships, and he failed to qualify for the first time since 2018 this season.

5) Boris Becker, 1988 – 21 years, 0 months

One of the greatest young stars in ATP history, it comes as no surprise to see six-time major winner Becker on this list.

The German could have been an even younger champion than he was, losing in the 1985 and 1986 finals to Ivan Lendl.

However, after beating Jakob Hlasek in the semi-finals, Becker beat Lendl 5-7, 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(5) in a legendary final to win the first of his three titles – weeks after turning 21.

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4) Lleyton Hewitt – 20 years, 8 months

One of just six men to win the ATP Finals in their home country, Hewitt was four months shy of his 21st birthday when he lifted the title in Sydney.

Unbeaten in his group, the Australian downed future Grand Slam winner Juan Carlos Ferrero in the last four before defeating Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to prevail.

That triumph saw Hewitt rise to world No 1, and he would defend his title the following year in Shanghai.

3) Andre Agassi, 1990 – 20 years, 6 months

Agassi won his sole ATP Finals title in 1990, becoming the third youngest man to triumph in the process.

The eight-time major champion finished second in his group, with only top seed Stefan Edberg beating him in the round robin stage.

However, after beating Becker in the last four, Agassi rallied to beat the Swede 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-5, 6-2 and seal the title in Frankfurt.

2) Pete Sampras, 1991 – 20 years, 3 months

A five-time champion at the ATP Finals, Sampras’ first victory in 1991, at the age of 20, makes him the second-youngest winner in event history.

The American finished second in his group and then breezed past Lendl in the last four before battling past compatriot Jim Courier 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-4 to lift the title.

Sampras would win further titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1999.

1) John McEnroe, 1978 – 19 years, 10 months

The only man to ever win the ATP Finals is a teenager, McEnroe was two months shy of his 20th birthday when he won the first of three singles titles at the year-end championships.

Unbeaten in his group, McEnroe defeated Brian Gottfried in the last four before coming from a set down to beat Arthur Ashe 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5 in the final.

The US star also won the doubles title that year, becoming the youngest-ever ATP Finals champion in that format.

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