The French Open is one of the most historic tennis tournaments on the planet, serving as a Grand Slam event for more than a century.
The clay courts of Roland Garros in Paris are among the most famous sporting venues in the game and offer up a unique challenge as the only Slam played on the surface.
Many legendary players have made their mark over the decades, not least the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal, who secured a stunning 14 French Open titles in his storied career.
While the French Open has seen several players achieve sustained success, there have also been young stars who forged their reputations on the Parisian clay courts.
Here we take a look at the youngest male and female French Open champions.
Youngest Male Champion
The youngest male champion in the history of the French Open is American Michael Chang, who won the title in 1989 aged just 17 years and three months.
Alongside being the youngest man to ever win at Roland Garros, Chang also holds the honour of being the youngest male to ever win a Grand Slam in tennis history.
Chang's run to the final in Paris is best known for his victory over then world number one Ivan Lendl, who had already won the tournament three times in the 1980s.
Fighting from two sets down, the heavy underdog Chang overcame a bout of leg cramps to record a stunning 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 win over Lendl, setting the youngster on an inspired winning run to the final.
Chang seized on his momentum and went on to defeat Swedish star and third seed Stefan Edberg across five sets in the final, recording a 6–1, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 victory.
His was the first win at Roland Garros by an American male since Tony Trabert in 1955, and the first US men's Grand Slam winner in five years.
Chang's victory in Paris was the sole major win of his career, the American reached the final at both the Australian and US Open, but never managed to capture another major.
Youngest Female Champion
Before she became a tennis great and multiple Grand Slam champion, Monica Seles took the tennis world by storm winning the French Open as a fresh-faced 16-year-old in 1990.
Aged just 16 years and three months, Seles remains the youngest female winner at Roland Garros and indeed she is still the youngest ever winner of a Grand Slam in tennis history.
Despite her youth, Sels was already established as serious talent on tour and entered the French Open as the second seed behind world number one Steffi Graf.
She cruised through most of the tournament in Paris, dropping just two sets across six matches on her way to the final, where she established herself in tennis history with a straight sets victory over Graf, winning 7-6, 6-4 in the final.
Selles wasn't finished with the clay courts of Paris however, she would return the following two years and dominate, winning three consectuvie titles at Roland Garros from 1990-93.
It was an era of sublime dominance for Slles, who went on to secure nine Grand Slam titles in just six years.
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