Some of the greatest WTA players of all time have struck Olympic gold, and many of them have done so at a young age.
Amid an exciting Paris 2024 Games, we look at the five youngest stars of the modern era to win the women’s singles title.
5) Justine Henin – Athens 2004
Few titles ever evaded Belgian ace Henin, who won Olympic gold twenty years ago to add to her seven major singles titles.
Top seed in the women’s draw, the former world No 1 edged past Anastasia Myskina in an unforgettable semi-final, before easing past Amelie Mauresmo in the final.
Born on the 1st of June, the Belgian was 22 years and two months old when she won gold in the Greek capital in August.
4) Venus Williams – Sydney 2000
Olympic gold at the Sydney 2000 Games capped off an incredible summer for Williams, who had already won Wimbledon and the US Open that season.
Making her Olympic debut, the second seed edged past fellow legends Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Monica Seles in the quarter and semi-finals – before downing Elena Dementieva in the gold match.
The Games were held in September of that year, making the seven-time major champion 20 years and three months old at the time of her golden run.
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3) Lindsay Davenport – Atlanta 1996
Davenport would win three Grand Slam singles titles and reach the world No 1 ranking later in her career, but her triumph at her home Games in 1996 helped kickstart her career.
The ninth seed battled past Mary Joe Fernandez in an all-American semi-final, before beating third seed Sanchez Vicario in straight sets to claim a home gold in Atlanta.
Aged 20 years and one month in August 1996, Davenport is the third youngest women’s gold medallist of the modern era.
2) Steffi Graf – Seoul 1988
Graf’s Golden Slam is one of the greatest achievements in tennis history, and it is only made more remarkable by the fact she was still a teenager.
After winning all four majors up for grabs in 1988, the German came into Seoul as an overwhelming favourite to take gold in the first Olympic tennis event in 64 years.
The world No 1 eased past Zina Garrison in the last four and then defeated Gabriela Sabatini to take gold – aged 19 years and three months.
1) Jennifer Capriati – Barcelona 1992
After triumphing at Barcelona in 1992, Capriati is not only the youngest tennis gold medallist of the modern era – she’s one of the youngest champions across all sports.
The teen prodigy was four months past her 16th birthday when she competed in Barcelona, and she upset the odds in the semi-final, beating second seed and home star Sanchez Vicario.
But that was not a bigger shock than the gold medal match, where she stunned heavy favourite and defending champion Graf from a set down to strike gold.
