5 youngest women's Grand Slam champions in the Open Era

Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova

3. Tracy Austin (16 years, 270 days)

American tennis star Tracy Austin made a name for herself with a famous win over legendary player Billie Jean King in the quarterfinal of the 1979 Wimbledon Championships. She lost to Martina Navratilova in the semi-final but avenged that defeat as she beat Navratilova en route to her US Open title later that year.

At that tournament, she beat another great, Chris Evert, in the final to become a Grand Slam champion at just 16 years of age. She also earned the World No. 1 ranking in 1980 at the age of 17.

Austin held an impressive 26-match winning streak at the highest level on her way to winning her second US Open title in 1981, where she once again beat Navratilova - this time in the final.

She is the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, earning the honor in 1992 at the age of 29. Austin is now a renowned tennis commentator at major tennis tournaments around the world.

Tracy Austin
Tracy Austin

Quick Links