Top five youngest men's singles players to achieve Career Grand Slam

The journey to a Grand Slam title is guaranteed never to be easy, and the competition is stiff. Nevertheless, certain players, driven by ambition, strive for and achieve multiple Grand Slam victories. Among the current generation of tennis players, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Jack Draper have either clinched major titles or are recognized as serious contenders for such accolades.

Among them, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has been rewriting history at a considerable pace. He became the youngest man ever to win Grand Slam titles on clay, grass, and hard courts. With his victory at the US Open in 2022, Alcaraz became the second youngest competitor in ATP Tour history to triumph in Flushing Meadows. At the age of 19 years and 4 months, he follows only Pete Sampras, who won at 19 years old, as the youngest champion in New York. The Spaniard also completed the Channel Slam in 2024 by winning the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year.

Alcaraz had an opportunity at the 2025 Australian to break the records of Don Budge (pre-Open era) and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal (Open Era) as the youngest male player to complete the career Grand Slam. 

In this article, let’s take a look at the top five youngest men’s singles players to achieve a Career Grand Slam in singles in the Open Era.

1. Rafael Nadal – 2010 US Open – 24 years, 3 months

Rafael Nadal entered the 2010 US Open with a strong track record, having reached the semifinals in the previous two editions. The Spanish tennis player boasted an impressive collection of five titles from the French Open, along with two victories at Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open.

Nadal made the finals in 2010 without dropping a set to set up a meeting with Novak Djokovic. It was the first face-off between the two players at the US Open. Nadal triumphed over Djokovic after conceding a set for the first time in the tournament, securing a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory. This win represented Nadal's fifth consecutive triumph over the Serbian player in Grand Slam competitions.

2. Roger Federer – 2009 French Open – 27 years, 9 months 

Although Roger Federer excelled in the other three Grand Slam tournaments, he had to wait until 2009 to secure the French Open and achieve a career Grand Slam. The presence of Rafael Nadal thwarted the Swiss champion's attempts to claim the title in Paris on four separate occasions, including three finals and one semifinal. In 2010, Nadal's unexpected defeat to Robin Soderling in the fourth round opened the door for Federer to finally accomplish the career Slam.

Federer overcame Soderling 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 in an hour and 55 minutes to record his name in the history books. The Swiss finally delivered on his eleventh visit to the French capital. It was to be Federer’s only French Open title.

3. Novak Djokovic – 2016 French Open  – 29 years

Novak Djokovic experienced a prolonged wait before lifting the French Open trophy. This moment finally came in 2016 when he was 29 years old, marking the completion of the Serb’s career Grand Slam. Djokovic faced Rafael Nadal seven times and encountered Roger Federer twice before he was able to unravel the complexities of the Roland Garros challenge.

It was in his twelfth attempt at the trophy and fourth final in five years that the Serb finally got his hands on the French Open trophy with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 over Andy Murray. 

4. Andre Agassi – 1999 French Open – 29 years, 1 month

Andre Agassi secured his career Grand Slam at the 1999 French Open by defeating Ukrainian player Andrei Medvedev. The match, which concluded in five sets with scores of 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, and 6-4, marked Agassi's third appearance in the championship match. This victory also represented the final of his eight Grand Slam titles.

In 1990, Agassi was defeated by Andrez Gomez, and in 1991, he lost to fellow American Jim Courier. His victory at Roland Garros in 1999 positioned Agassi as only the second male player in the Open Era to complete the Career Slam, following Rod Laver's achievement in 1999.

5. Rod Laver – 1969 US Open –  31 Years,  1 month

Rod Laver has the unique distinction of being the sole man to complete the Career and Calendar Grand Slams twice. The first time was in 1962 (Amateur Era), and the second was in 1969, a year after the Open Era began.

The Australian great swept all four majors in 1962 and 1969. In the Australian Open final of 1969, Laver faced Andres Gimeno, and subsequently triumphed over Ken Rosewall at Roland Garros, avenging his defeat from the previous year. He then defended his title at Wimbledon by overcoming John Newcombe, and concluded his remarkable year by defeating Roche at the US Open, thereby securing both the calendar and career Grand Slams once more.

Cover Credits - Eurosport