{"id":1770743,"date":"2026-02-14T14:00:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1770743"},"modified":"2026-02-14T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T11:00:01","slug":"carlos-alcaraz-may-be-on-the-cusp-of-going-where-no-one-has-gone-before","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1770743","title":{"rendered":"Carlos Alcaraz may be on the cusp of going where no one has gone before"},"content":{"rendered":"
<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa:<\/p>\n

It’s official. Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest 22-year-old tennis player of all time.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

It\u2019s official. Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest 22-year-old tennis player of all time.<\/p>\n

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It’s too soon to say where Alcaraz will wind up on the all-time list for his full career. However, he has definitely achieved more than any other men’s player through age 22.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

It\u2019s too soon to say where Alcaraz will wind up on the all-time list for his full career. However, he has definitely achieved more than any other men\u2019s player through age 22.<\/p>\n

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Let’s meet the most accomplished men’s tennis players at each age, based on total major championships won through the year the player celebrated that birthday. <\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s meet the most accomplished men\u2019s tennis players at each age, based on total major championships won through the year the player celebrated that birthday. <\/p>\n

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Who are the greatest men’s tennis players at each age?<\/h2>\n

–><\/p>\n

Who are the greatest men\u2019s tennis players at each age?<\/h2>\n

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You’ll see early-career success didn’t always add up to double-digit majors. You’ll NEVER guess who had the most majors through age 20. And you’ll eventually meet all three of the Big Three – though not for several years, so to speak.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see early-career success didn\u2019t always add up to double-digit majors. You\u2019ll NEVER guess who had the most majors through age 20. And you\u2019ll eventually meet all three of the Big Three \u2013 though not for several years, so to speak.<\/p>\n

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Age 18 – Boris Becker<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 18 \u2013 Boris Becker<\/h3>\n

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Three men won major titles at age 17 – Becker at Wimbledon in 1985, Mats Wilander at the French in 1982, and Michael Chang at the French in 1989. Becker is the only one of the trio to win another major the following year – he defended his Wimbledon title in 1986. That makes him the most accomplished men’s tennis player at the age of 18.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Three men won major titles at age 17 \u2013 Becker at Wimbledon in 1985, Mats Wilander at the French in 1982, and Michael Chang at the French in 1989. Becker is the only one of the trio to win another major the following year \u2013 he defended his Wimbledon title in 1986. That makes him the most accomplished men\u2019s tennis player at the age of 18.<\/p>\n

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Age 20 – Mats Wilander<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 20 – Mats Wilander<\/h3>\n

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Wilander played the 1983 Australian Open – held in December on grass courts at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in those years – mainly as preparation to represent Sweden in the Davis Cup final against Australia later in the month. <\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Wilander played the 1983 Australian Open \u2013 held in December on grass courts at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in those years \u2013 mainly as preparation to represent Sweden in the Davis Cup final against Australia later in the month. <\/p>\n

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The decision didn’t help Sweden win the Davis Cup (Australia prevailed 3-2, though Wilander won both of his singles matches), but it helped Wilander amass the most productive pre-age-21 career in men’s tennis history. <\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

The decision didn\u2019t help Sweden win the Davis Cup (Australia prevailed 3-2, though Wilander won both of his singles matches), but it helped Wilander amass the most productive pre-age-21 career in men\u2019s tennis history. <\/p>\n

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Wilander won that 1983 Australian title – beating two-time defending champion Johan Kriek, reigning Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, and top-seed Ivan Lendl back-to-back-to-back  - and repeated in 1984. He then won the 1985 French Open to become the only men’s player<\/a> with four Grand Slam titles through age 20.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Wilander won that 1983 Australian title \u2013 beating two-time defending champion Johan Kriek, reigning Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, and top-seed Ivan Lendl back-to-back-to-back \u00a0– and repeated in 1984. He then won the 1985 French Open to become the only men\u2019s player<\/a> with four Grand Slam titles through age 20.<\/p>\n

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Age 22 – Carlos Alcaraz<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 22 \u2013 Carlos Alcaraz<\/h3>\n

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In addition to being the only men’s player with seven major titles through age 22, Alcaraz is also the youngest player to rise to the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings (at age 19), the youngest to finish a calendar year at No. 1 (also at age 19, in 2022), and the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

In addition to being the only men\u2019s player with seven major titles through age 22, Alcaraz is also the youngest player to rise to the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings (at age 19), the youngest to finish a calendar year at No. 1 (also at age 19, in 2022), and the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Age 23 – Bjorn Borg<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 23 \u2013 Bjorn Borg<\/h3>\n

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Borg, the most accomplished player of the late 1970s, won four of his six French titles and four of his five Wimbledon championships before turning 24. He stands alone (for now) as the only player with eight total majors through age 23.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Borg, the most accomplished player of the late 1970s, won four of his six French titles and four of his five Wimbledon championships before turning 24. He stands alone (for now) as the only player with eight total majors through age 23.<\/p>\n

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Age 26 – Roger Federer<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 26 \u2013 Roger Federer<\/h3>\n

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Federer was a late bloomer by the standards of this list, but his career was in full flower by his mid-20s. Federer won the 2007 U.S. Open soon after his 26th birthday – completing a stretch in which he won three majors in a year three times in four years – to become the youngest player to reach the 12-majors tally. Federer also has the most productive career, based on majors won, for ages 27 through 31.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Federer was a late bloomer by the standards of this list, but his career was in full flower by his mid-20s. Federer won the 2007 U.S. Open soon after his 26th birthday \u2013 completing a stretch in which he won three majors in a year three times in four years \u2013 to become the youngest player to reach the 12-majors tally. Federer also has the most productive career, based on majors won, for ages 27 through 31.<\/p>\n

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Age 33 – Rafael Nadal<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 33 \u2013 Rafael Nadal<\/h3>\n

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Surprisingly, it wasn’t a title at the French Open – where Nadal won the event a single-Slam record 14 times – but rather a victory at the U.S. Open that gave Nadal the most major championships for any player through the age of 33. Nadal’s triumph at the 2019 U.S. Open<\/a> was his 19th Grand Slam. No other player won more through age 33.<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Surprisingly, it wasn\u2019t a title at the French Open \u2013 where Nadal won the event a single-Slam record 14 times \u2013 but rather a victory at the U.S. Open that gave Nadal the most major championships for any player through the age of 33. Nadal\u2019s triumph at the 2019 U.S. Open<\/a> was his 19th Grand Slam. No other player won more through age 33.<\/p>\n

<!–qv q:id=8a q:key=vcaa:<\/p>\n

Age 35 – Novak Djokovic<\/h3>\n

–><\/p>\n

Age 35 \u2013 Novak Djokovic<\/h3>\n

<!–qv q:id=8d q:key=vcaa:<\/p>\n

Djokovic doesn’t pull into the lead in the “most majors by age” chase until the end of our list. He won the 2023 Australian Open to become the first men’s player to win 22 majors through age 35. Djokovic won two more majors later in 2023 after turning 36, bringing his total to 24 – a record no one will approach anytime soon. (But never say never. Djokovic had just one major through age 22 …)<\/p>\n

–><\/p>\n

Djokovic doesn\u2019t pull into the lead in the \u201cmost majors by age\u201d chase until the end of our list. He won the 2023 Australian Open to become the first men\u2019s player to win 22 majors through age 35. Djokovic won two more majors later in 2023 after turning 36, bringing his total to 24 \u2013 a record no one will approach anytime soon. (But never say never. Djokovic had just one major through age 22 \u2026)<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: It’s official. Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest 22-year-old tennis player of all time. –> It\u2019s official. Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest 22-year-old tennis player of all time. <!–qv q:id=6s q:key=vcaa: It’s too soon to say where Alcaraz will wind up on the all-time list for his full career. However, he has definitely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,265],"class_list":["post-1770743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-lobandsmash-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1770743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1770743"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1770743\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1770743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1770743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1770743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}