Jannik Sinner is only 23 years old but has already accomplished a remarkable amount in his tennis career. His birthday on Friday highlighted his impressive achievements, which include 14 career titles, one of which is a Grand Slam.
As the world No. 1, Sinner has particularly excelled on hard courts. In fact, only four players have won more titles on this surface before turning 23 than he has. Here’s a look at those players:
5) Jannik Sinner – 12 Titles.
Having just turned 23, Sinner ranks fifth on this list, with 12 of his 14 ATP titles coming on hard courts. His most significant victory occurred in January when he defeated Daniil Medvedev to win his first major at the Australian Open. Additionally, both of his Masters 1000 titles were earned on hard courts, at the 2023 Canadian Open and the 2024 Miami Open. He also boasts wins at the China Open and Rotterdam Open.
4) Novak Djokovic – 13 Titles.
Considered one of the greatest hard-court players in ATP history, Djokovic secured 13 titles on this surface before reaching 23. His notable achievement was winning his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2008 at the age of 20. Before turning 23, he also triumphed at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the Paris Masters, along with winning his first ATP Finals title at 21.
3) Lleyton Hewitt – 15 Titles.
Hewitt, the second-youngest ATP world No. 1 ever, achieved most of his success early in his career, with 15 of his 30 titles on hard courts before 23. He won the US Open at 20 in 2001, defeating Pete Sampras, and claimed back-to-back ATP Finals titles in 2000 and 2001, along with consecutive wins at Indian Wells in 2002 and 2003.
2) Jimmy Connors – 15 Titles.
Connors holds the record for the most ATP titles overall, with 109, and he won 15 on hard courts before his 23rd birthday in 1975. Interestingly, none of his Slam titles during that time were on hard courts, as all three of his major victories in 1974 were on grass. He achieved significant wins in various tournaments across Los Angeles, Boston, and Johannesburg.
1) Pete Sampras – 16 Titles.
Sampras, regarded as one of the sport’s legends, holds the record for the most hard-court titles before turning 23, with 16. He won his first Grand Slam at the 1990 US Open at 19, followed by victories at the 1993 US Open and the 1994 Australian Open. He also secured consecutive titles in Miami in 1993 and 1994, along with Masters 1000 wins in Indian Wells and Cincinnati.
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