10 youngest first-time Masters 1000 Winners
Discover the youngest male players ever to win a ATP Masters 1000 event including three Spaniards and a certain American topping the list.
10. Marat Safin 20 years and 8 months
The Russian’s first ever ATP Masters 1000 title came in 2000 at the Toronto Masters. Safin had an inspired title run, which included an epic three set blockbuster against number two seed Pete Sampras in the quarter-finals, where the American even had match points of his own to seal the victory. In the final, he comfortably swept aside Israel’s Harel Levy to win in straight sets to claim his fourth title of the year and his first Masters title.
9. Sergi Bruguera, 20 years and 3 months
The future two-time French Open Champion clinched his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo in 1991. The ninth seed in the tournament breezed through the competition, only losing one set on the way to the final. In the final he faced World number two Boris Becker. The final was a tightly contested affair with the Spaniard edging the encounter 5–7, 6-4, 7-6(6), 7-6(4), to claim his first of two Monte Carlo Masters titles. The second one coming two years later in 1993.
8. Tomas Berdych, 20 years and 2 months
Berdych claimed his first Masters title at the Paris Masters in 2005. His run was simply remarkable. On his way to the title, he beat five seeded opponents in a row, including second seed Guillermo Coria, thirteenth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, seventh seed Gaston Gaudio and his fellow countryman and eight seed Radek Stepanek. This culminated in a marathon five set final against sixth seed Ljubicic, where the scoreline read 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4.
7. Alexander Zverev 20 years and 1 month
By winning his maiden Masters 1000 title in Rome in 2017, this meant that the German had become the first player born in the 1990’s to win a Masters 1000 event. The sixteenth seed beat 20 time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the final 6-4, 6-3 to lift the trophy in Italy.
6. Andre Agassi 19 years and 11 months
The American’s Miami triumph in 1990 came in a stacked field which included the current defending and Wimbledon champion Boris Becker and World number three and Indian Wells Champion Stefan Edberg. The Miami final was a repeat of the one in Indian Wells, with Agassi facing off against the Swede, yet this time Agassi was the victor. Despite being bagel-ed, Agassi won 6–1, 6–4, 0–6, 6–2, making it his his 10th career title and second title of the year.
5. Novak Djokovic 19 years and 10 months
The tenth seed did not drop a single set on his way to winning the Miami Open title in 2007 beating long-time rivals Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. He faced Argentinian qualifier and former World number eight Guillermo Cañas in the final. The Serbian comfortably won the final, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 to win his first of a record 37 Masters titles.
4. Andrei Medvedev 19 years and 7 months
Medvedev’s run to the title in Monte Carlo in 1994 saw wins over two former World number one’s Jim Courier and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Interestingly, the final saw the sixth seed Medvedev face off against fifth seed Sergi Bruguera in the final. The Spaniard was looking to defend his Monte Carlo Masters crown, however the Ukrainian defeated Bruguera comfortably in three sets 7–5, 6–1, 6–3.
3. Carlos Alcaraz 18 years and 11 months
The Spanish teen sensation has continued his rapid rise having won the Miami Open last week. The Spaniard backed up his semi-final run at Indian Wells, by beating four seeded opponents on the way to his maiden Masters 1000 title. He beat fellow Masters final debutant and sixth seed Casper Ruud in the final to become the youngest ever Miami Open champion.
2. Rafael Nadal 18 years and 10 months
Similarly to Medvedev and Bruguera on this list, Nadal also claimed his maiden title at the Monte Carlo Country Club. Nadal did not drop a single set until the semi-final, where he came from a set down to beat fellow youngster Richard Gasquet. Nadal, in the final, played clay court legend Guillermo Coria and despite being bagel-ed the Spaniard won in four sets 6–3, 6–1, 0–6, 7–5. The 2005 title was the first of his eight consecutive titles at the Monte Carlo Masters.
1. Michael Chang 18 years and 6 months
Chang claimed his maiden Masters 1000 title in Toronto back in 1990, however he certainly did it the hard way. From the third round onwards, Chang faced top ten opponents. In the third round he dispatched ninth seed David Wheaton 6-0, 6-3. In the quarter-final and semi-final he faced the World number one Andre Agassi and future US Open Champion Pete Sampras. He impressively beat both American’s coming from one set down to win.
In the final he faced compatriot and fourth seed Jay Berger for the Toronto Masters title. In similar fashion, Chang again recorded another comeback win to beat Berger 4–6, 6–3, 7–6 recording his only title of 1990.
🎾 Free >> Join our legendary newsletter
🎾 Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB
🎾 Social >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
🎾 Read >> World’s best tennis magazine
🎾 Watch >> How to enjoy ATP/WTA/Slam tennis on TV
🎾 Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner