Roger Federer secured his first Grand Slam title in 2003 at 21. Two years later, 19-year-old Rafael Nadal won his first Grand Slam event at Roland Garros in Paris. Fast-forward three years, and Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title in 2008, ending the other two’s stranglehold on the Australian Open at the age of 20.
The “Big Three” of modern tennis all showed what they were capable of by the time they were 21. Nadal, who won the 2010 US Open Final, also became the youngest man in the Open Era to achieve the Grand Slam by the age of 24.
So, by these standards and metrics, has Carlos Alcaraz’s rise been the fastest ascension to the top in the game? Will he usurp his Spanish compatriot, Nadal, to become the youngest player to complete the Grand Slam? Let’s investigate.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Career to Date
As of March 2025, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz has the tennis world at his feet. He has 17 career titles and has already amassed over $38 million in prize money, putting him ninth on the all-time earnings list.
As for Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz has already won four major events:
· Wimbledon (2023 & 2024)
· French Open (2024)
· US Open (2022)
He needs to win the Australian Open to complete his set, and he has never gone beyond the quarter-final in Melbourne. Given that he’s only 21, he has two more shots at the Australian Open (2026 and 2027) if he wants to break Nadal’s record as the youngest-ever male player to complete the Grand Slam.
If he wins at Melbourne in 2026 or 2027, Alcaraz’s will undoubtedly be the fastest ascension to the top of the game. You can follow the Spaniard’s career and bet on sports at Bovada as you chart his rise to the top of tennis this season and beyond.
But to give you an idea of just how incredible his achievements are for a 21-year-old, here’s a comparison of Alcaraz with the top male winners of the Open Era by the time of their 21st birthdays:
Jimmy Connors at 21
Jimmy Connors remains the most successful men’s tennis player, with 109 career wins. However, he only managed eight major titles and never completed the Grand Slam due to his inability to win at Roland Garros. Connors won his first three Grand Slam titles in his 21st year: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Roger Federer at 21
With 103 career titles, Federer is the second most decorated male player in the Open Era. His first Grand Slam win came at Wimbledon in 2003 when he was 21. In 2004, as a 22-year-old, Federer won another three Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Novak Djokovic at 21
Novak Djokovic was 20 when he won his first Grand Slam event, the 2008 Australian Open. However, he had to wait three years until he won another Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne, so by 21, the great Serb only had one Grand Slam title to his name.
Ivan Lendl at 21
Like Connors, Ivan Lendl never completed the Grand Slam, but with 94 career wins, he ranks as the fourth-best tennis player of all time. His first major win came as a 23-year-old when he won the French Open title in 1984.
Teenage Grand Slam Winners: The Youngest Male Grand Slam Winners in Tennis History
1986 French Open winner Michael Chang remains the youngest-ever tennis player to win a Grand Slam title, at the tender age of 17 years and 110 days.
The other 17-year-olds to win a Grand Slam title include Mats Wilander and Boris Becker. Below are the details of teenage Grand Slam event winners (their first Grand Slam win), with Carlos Alcaraz the latest addition to the list, thanks to his 2022 win at the US Open:
· Age 17: Mats Wilander, 1982 French Open
· Age 17: Boris Becker, 1985 Wimbledon
· Age 17: Michael Chang, 1986 French Open
· Age 18: Bjorn Borg, 1974 French Open
· Age 19: Stefan Edberg, 1985 Australian Open
· Age 19: Pete Sampras, 1990 US Open
· Age 19: Rafael Nadal, 2005 French Open
· Age 19: Carlos Alcaraz, 2022 US Open
The Youngest Male Players to Achieve a Grand Slam in the Open Era
Rafael Nadal completed the Grand Slam by the age of 24 when he won the US Open in 2010. He managed the feat three years earlier than his great rival, Roger Federer, and five years before Djokovic. Below are the details of the youngest male players to have completed the Grand Slam in the Open Era:
· Age 24: Rafael Nadal
· Age 27: Roger Federer
· Age 29: Novak Djokovic
· Age 29: Andre Agassi
· Age 31: Rod Laver
The Verdict: Is Alcaraz the Best 21-year-old tennis player of all time?
The bottom line is that Carlos Alcaraz is undoubtedly the best 21-year-old tennis player ever. Most other top players, including Federer, Djokovic, Connors, and Lendl, didn’t start winning at the same pace as Alcaraz until their mid-twenties.
A case could be made for Bjorn Borg, who was the very definition of a teenage sensation at the start of his career. The Swede won eleven singles titles between 1974 and 1981 before retiring at the tender age of 25.
The same is true of Boris Becker, who became the youngest Grand Slam winner at 17 before Michael Chang broke his record years later.
But still, Alcaraz’s start is unprecedented, and his rise to the top of the game is unmatched. Let’s see if he makes history.
