No, Carlos Alcaraz is not the most accomplished 21-year-old in tennis history; They have been great young champions before

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has reaffirmed his status as the best youngster in tennis by winning the 2024 Wimbledon title, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) in the final. It was the way the 21-year-old dismantled Djokovic that made the entire world sit up and applaud.

Alcaraz has now won four Grand Slam titles, and is 4-0 in Major finals. That is an astounding record for a player of his age, but is he the most accomplished 21-year-old in the history of tennis?

There have been great young champions in tennis prior to Carlos Alcaraz too

Recency bias should not make us forget the exploits of past champions at a similar age. Boris Becker won a couple of Wimbledon titles as a teenager, Martina Hingis became the World No. 1 at the age of 16, and Monica Seles repeatedly overcame a player as great as Steffi Graf when she was a teenager. Graf herself won the Golden Calendar Slam as a teenager.

Then there is Rafael Nadal, who had won three French Open titles and reached a Wimbledon final as a 21-year-old, and also won the Channel Slam at 22.