# Who is the greatest teenage star in tennis history?

> Major titles before a first car, world No. 1 before finishing school. Some prodigies built long careers; a couple burned bright and early.

*By YPB Team · Published September 26, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-greatest-teenage-star-in-tennis-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Mats Wilander** — score 1000/1000
   Won the 1982 French Open at 17 as an unseeded Swede.
2. **John McEnroe** — score 777/1000
   Came through qualifying to reach the 1977 Wimbledon semifinals at 18, then won the US Open at 20.
3. **Boris Becker** — score 678/1000
   Unseeded 17-year-old who won Wimbledon in 1985, still the youngest men's champion there.
4. **Carlos Alcaraz** — score 678/1000
   Won the 2022 US Open and became world No. 1 at 19.
5. **Björn Borg** — score 555/1000
   Won the 1974 French Open at 18 and was a Wimbledon champion by 20.
6. **Rafael Nadal** — score 555/1000
   Won the French Open on his debut in 2005, two days after turning 19.
7. **Chris Evert** — score 555/1000
   Reached the US Open semifinals at 16 in 1971 as an amateur.
8. **Coco Gauff** — score 555/1000
   Beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon at 15 and won the 2023 US Open at 19.
9. **Tracy Austin** — score 555/1000
   Won the 1979 US Open at 16, beating Chris Evert in the final.
10. **Monica Seles** — score 0/1000
   Won eight Grand Slam titles before her 20th birthday.
11. **Martina Hingis** — score 0/1000
   Became world No. 1 at 16 and won three majors in 1997.
12. **Michael Chang** — score 0/1000
   Won the 1989 French Open at 17, the youngest men's major champion ever.
13. **Steffi Graf** — score 0/1000
   Won the 1987 French Open at 17 and the Golden Slam at 19.
14. **Serena Williams** — score 0/1000
   Won the 1999 US Open at 17, the first of her 23 majors.
15. **Maria Sharapova** — score 0/1000
   Beat Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final at 17.
16. **Emma Raducanu** — score 0/1000
   Won the 2021 US Open at 18 as a qualifier without dropping a set.
17. **Jennifer Capriati** — score 0/1000
   Reached the French Open semifinals at 14 and won Olympic gold at 16.

Tags: sports, tennis, players, prodigies