Top five youngest ATP Finals winners

Since its inception in 1970, the ATP Finals has been dominated by a select few young players. In tennis, the "Big Three" dominate the majority of lists. For two decades, the names of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer were associated with titles being won and records being broken. However, none of those superstars' names appear on the list of the top five youngest ATP Finals winners.

The event has a rich history as various legends have won the titles. It has gone by a number of names over the years, and the court has also seen technological developments.

Beginning in 1970, the season-ending championships were known as the Masters Grand Prix. It was renamed the ATP World Tour Championships a few years later, in 1990. Nine years later, it was changed to Tennis Masters Cup. Later, in 2009, it was called the ATP World Tour Finals, and in 2017, it changed its name to the ATP Finals.

In this article, let's examine the top five youngest tennis players to win the ATP Finals.

5. Boris Becker: 21 years and eight days

After losing to the same opponent, Ivan Lendl, twice in 1985 and 1986, Boris Becker finally made it to the finals in 1988 after defeating the Czech legend 5–7, 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 6–2, and 7–6(7–5) in a grueling match. In 1992 and 1995, Becker went on to win two more titles. Remarkably, Becker has participated in eight season-ending finals, which is the fourth-highest total in history.

4. Lleyton Hewitt: 20 years, eight months and 16 days

In his home court of Adelaide, former Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt defeated Frenchman Sébastien Grosjean in straight sets to win his first ATP year-end title. The 20-year-old Australian also defeated American tennis great Pete Sampras in the final to win the US Open earlier that season.

The following season, Lleyton Hewitt defended his title. He was drawn to his group Red in 2002, where he defeated Marat Safin and Albert Costa. He defeated Swiss master Federer in the semifinals before defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in a memorable summit clash.

3. Andre Agassi: 20 years, six months and 13 days

Andre Agassi, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, won the 1990 ATP Finals at the age of 20 years and 6 months. In Frankfurt, he easily defeated the reigning champion Stefan Edberg, 5–7, 7–6(7–5), 7–5, 6–2. However, it was Agassi’s first and only ATP Finals title. He’s one of the 15 tennis stars who have won the year-end championship only once.

2. Pete Sampras: 20 years and 3 months

Pete Sampras, another legendary figure in American tennis, was a total superstar in every way. The 14-time Grand Slam champion provided an incredible skill set on the tennis court, ranging from pace to variety. When he defeated seasoned Jim Courier 3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–3, 6–4 in the 1991 ATP Finals, he was just 20 years old.

Sampras, who was seeded sixth, defeated Ivan Lendl in the semifinals after winning two games in John Newcombe's group. The former American tennis star won four more Finals, with his last title coming in 1999, where he took down compatriot Andre Agassi 6–1, 7–5, 6–4.

1. John McEnroe: 19 years, 10 months and 22 days

In 1978, at the age of 19, former American tennis star John McEnroe won the ATP Finals by defeating fellow countryman Arthur Ashe in a thrilling three-set match 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 7–5. McEnroe won four titles at Flushing Meadows after winning the title in New York City, which was a major breakthrough for him.

In 1983 and 1984, the legendary American tennis player defeated Ivan Lendl to win two more season-ending titles. Being the only player to win the championship before turning 20, McEnroe's record is probably going to stand for at least a few more years.

Cover Credits - Tennis.com