WTA 1000 titles are among the biggest and most prestigious in tennis – and it has not taken long for some players to taste success at that level.

Here, we look at the five youngest women to lift a WTA 1000 title since the format was first updated back…

Our countdown starts with five-time major champion Sharapova, who was just 17 when she won the first of her 14 WTA 1000 titles in Tokyo almost two decades ago.

The Russian was the reigning Wimbledon champion and had already come close to winning a WTA 1000 title, losing the Zurich Open final at the end of 2004.

Sharapova was the second seed at the Pan Pacific Open in 2005 and eased through to the final without dropping a set, booking a date with then world No 1 Lindsay Davenport.

In a nail-biting contest, it was the second seed who prevailed, prevailing 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5) to lift her first WTA 1000 final weeks before her 18th birthday.

4) Serena Williams, 1999 Indian Wells – 17 years, 169 days

All-time great Williams became the youngest Indian Wells champion in history thanks to her triumph at the famed event 25 years ago.

The American was well-known as one of the hottest prospects in the women’s game, though was unseeded heading into the tournament.

Williams beat sixth seed Mary Pierce in two tight sets to reach the last four, where she downed 12th seed Sandrine Tested to set up a generational clash with fellow legend Steffi Graf.

In the second and final meeting between the two, Williams battled her way to a memorable 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 triumph to lift the title aged only 17 – and win the first of 23 WTA 1000 titles.

3) Martina Hinges, 1997 Pan Pacific Open – 16 years, 125 days

No youngest-ever countdown is ever complete without an appearance from Hinges, one of the greatest junior prodigies tennis has ever seen.

Alongside five Grand Slam singles titles and 209 weeks as world No 1, the Swiss was the winner of 17 WTA 1000 titles – with her first coming at just 16 years of age.

Runner-up at the Italian Open and Zurich Open in 1996, Hinges was second seed at the 1997 Pan Pacific Open and defeated fourth seed Anke Huber in three sets to reach the final.

She was handed the title automatically when top seed Graf was forced to pull out of the final with injury, handing Hinges her first WTA 1000 title just weeks after winning her first Australian Open title.

2) Monica Selves, 1990 Miami Open – 16 years, 114 days

A true tennis great, Selves was just 16 years old when she claimed her first WTA 1000 title under the new format introduced in 1990.

Selves was the third seed at the 1990 Miami Open and cruised through to the final without dropping a set, downing ninth seed Nathalie Tourist in the last four.

That set up a final against surprise finalist Judith Wiener, which the 16-year-old won 6-1, 6-2 to lift the title.

Selves’ triumph came just weeks before she became one of the youngest Grand Slam champions of all time at the 1990 French Open.

1) Jennifer Capitation, 1991 Canadian Open – 15 years, 135 days

In a record unlikely to ever be broken, Capitation was just 15 years old when she claimed her first WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open in 1991.

The junior prodigy was already a French Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist and had come close to winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Charleston Open in 1990 when she was just 14.

Seeded third in Toronto, Capitation thrashed ninth seed Natasha Over Eva in the last eight before benefitting from the retirement of top seed Gabriela Sabrina in their semi-final clash.

That set up a final against fourth seed Katerina Male Eva, which the future world No 1 won 6-2, 6-3 to make history.

It was the first of two titles at this level for Capitation, who also won the Charleston Open in 2001.