Carlos Alcaraz joins Rafael Nadal on list of 6 youngest men to win three Grand Slam titles

Carlos Alcaraz has become the fourth youngest man to win three Grand Slam titles after his triumph at the 2024 French Open.

The 21-year-old’s victory at Roland Garros has made him the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam title on hard courts, grass and clay.

Alcaraz overcame Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a final lasting four hours and 19 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The 7 youngest players to win the Surface Slam as Carlos Alcaraz surges to No 1

Here are the six youngest men to win three Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era.

6. Jim Courier – 21 years, 294 days

Jim Courier won his maiden Major title as the No 9 seed at the 1991 French Open, where he overcame his rival Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

The American was the second seed at the 1992 Australian Open and he downed top seed Stefan Edberg 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the title match to secure his second Grand Slam.

At the age of 21 years and 294 days, Courier added his third Major title when he defended his Roland Garros crown in 1992 with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 final victory over No 7 seed Petra Korda. The No 1 seed dropped just one set en route to the title.

5. Boris Becker – 21 years, 230 days

Boris Becker famously claimed his first Grand Slam title as an unseeded 17-year-old at the 1985 Wimbledon Championships, where he saw off No 8 seed Kevin Curren 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-4 in the final.

The German defended his Wimbledon title in 1986 with a convincing 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 triumph against top seed Ivan Lendl in the championship match. This was the No 4 seed’s second Major.

Becker’s third Grand Slam title came three years later at Wimbledon in 1989, where he earned a decisive 6-0, 7-6(1), 6-4 final victory over No 2 seed Edberg. The third-seeded Becker had battled past top seed Ivan Lendl in a five-set semi-final.

4. Carlos Alcaraz – 21 years, 35 days

Alcaraz defeated No 5 seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in the final of the 2022 US Open, where he was seeded third, to win his first Grand Slam title. The 19-year-old’s victory made him the youngest world No 1 in ATP history.

The Spaniard was the second seed at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where he edged out No 1 seed Novak Djokovic 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in a thrilling title match to secure his second Major.

At the 2024 French Open, Alcaraz overcame No 2 seed Jannik Sinner and No 4 seed Zverev in back-to-back five-setters in the last four and the final for his third Grand Slam crown. The third seed was 21 years and 35 days old at the time of his triumph.

3. Rafael Nadal – 21 years, 7 days

Two days after his 19th birthday, Rafael Nadal claimed his maiden Grand Slam at the 2005 French Open with a 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 win against the unseeded Mariano Puerta in the title match. Nadal was the fourth seed and making his tournament debut.

The Spaniard was the world No 2 at Roland Garros a year later, when he downed No 1 seed Roger Federer 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final to win his second Major.

Nadal then won his third consecutive French Open crown in 2007, where he beat top seed Federer in the championship match again. This time, the second seed defeated the Swiss 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 to win his third Grand Slam overall.

2. Mats Wilander – 20 years, 109 days

Like Nadal, Mats Wilander won Roland Garros on his debut — in 1982 — to secure his first Major. The Swede, who was unseeded, prevailed 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-0, 6-4 against No 3 seed Guillermo Vilas in the final.

Wilander secured his second Grand Slam on grass at the 1983 Australian Open, where — as the third seed — he earned a definitive 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory against top seed Ivan Lendl in the title match.

A second-seeded Wilander then defended his Australian Open crown in 1984 with a 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-2 win against ninth seed Curren in the final.

1. Bjorn Borg – 20 years, 27 days

Bjorn Borg was 18 when he claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at the 1974 French Open as the No 3 seed. The tennis icon came back to down 14th seed Manuel Orantes 2-6, 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 in the championship match.

The Swede was the top seed when he won his second Major at Roland Garros in 1975 with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 final victory against No 4 seed Vilas.

At the age of just 20 years and 27 days, Borg claimed the first of his five Wimbledon titles in 1976 — and his third Grand Slam — when he defeated third seed Ilie Nastase 6-4, 6-2, 9-7 in the final. The No 4 seed became the first man in the Open Era to win Wimbledon without losing a set.