While Mirra Andreeva has recently achieved the accolade of being the youngest top-10 player in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) since 2006, her accomplishment doesn’t make the cut for the all-time top nine youngest achievers. Notably, these prodigies all broke into the top 10 before their 18th birthday, with the youngest five doing so before turning 16.

Natasha Zvereva leads the pack at number nine. Despite being most remembered for her unfortunate loss to Steffi Graf in the 1988 French Open final, Zvereva made significant strides in her singles career. At the tender age of 17 years and 51 days, she was able to climb the ranks from world number 15 to 8, eventually finishing the year as the world number 7.

Following closely at number eight is Anna Kournikova. Even though she never secured a WTA singles title, Kournika’s tennis prowess is undeniable. She broke into the top 10 just two weeks past her 17th birthday in 1998, after a notable performance at Wimbledon. However, injuries sadly curtailed her career in her early twenties.

Steffi Graf, a name that resonates in the tennis world, holds the seventh spot on this prestigious list. At just 16 years and 52 days, Graf made her debut in the top 10 in 1985. She maintained her position in the top 10 for almost 15 years, spending a record 377 weeks as the world number 1.

Sixth place is occupied by the Swiss sensation, Martina Hingis. A week after her 16th birthday, Hingis broke into the top 10. She claimed her first Grand Slam title at the 1997 Australian Open and became the youngest-ever number 1, a record she maintains till date.

Monica Seles, the fifth-youngest player to break into the top 10, did so at just 15 years and 283 days following her fourth-round appearance at the US Open in 1989. Seles later ascended to world number 1 at 17, a position she held for 178 weeks.

Gabriela Sabatini, best known for her 1990 US Open run, broke into the top 10 at the age of 15 years and 109 days in 1985. Sabatini sealed 10 consecutive year-end top-10 finishes, capping her career at third in the world.

Tracy Austin, the US star, is third on the list. She broke into the top 10 at just 15 and claimed her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1979, followed by another victory in 1981.

Andrea Jaeger, who retired from tennis at 20 due to burnout, is the second-youngest player to break into the top 10, doing so at just 15 years and 68 days in 1980. Despite her short-lived career, Jaeger reached world number 2 and won 10 WTA singles titles.

Topping the list is Jennifer Capriati, who astonishingly broke into the top 10 at a mere 14 years and 214 days in 1990. Capriati, despite struggling with personal difficulties, made a remarkable comeback in the early 2000s to win three majors and reach world number 1.

These young prodigies have set remarkable benchmarks in the history of tennis, demonstrating that age is no barrier to achieving greatness in the sport. Their stories serve as an inspiration to emerging talents, reminding them that with skill, perseverance, and determination, they too can rewrite the annals of tennis history.