Woman's tennis has produced some of the most dominant and influential athletes in sports history. From legends like Serena Williams and Steffi Graf to pioneers such as Martina Navratilova, these players not only won championships but also helped shape the global popularity and evolution of the game.
1. Serena Williams
Serena Williams dominates the history of tennis with a career defined by sheer power, relentless determination, and unmatched consistency. Her 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and long stretches at world No. 1 reflect a level of excellence few players have ever approached.
Serena holds the women's record 365 major match wins, and 73 career titles.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
French Open: 2002, 2013, 2015
Wimbledon: 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
US Open: 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
Olympic Medals:
Doubles Gold: 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
Doubles Gold: 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Singles Gold: 2012 London Olympic Games
Doubles Gold: 2012 London Olympic Games
Serena Williams will be eligible to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2027.
2. Stefanie Graf
Stephanie Graf was born on June 14, 1969 in Bruhl, Germany. She achieved a calendar year Grand Slam in 1988. Graf became the youngest player to receive a ranking at 13 years old, ranked no. 124.
Over her career she had a total of 118 career titles, 1073-187 singles record and 173-72 doubles record.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 1988, 1989, 1994
French Open: 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999
Wimbledon: 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996
US Open: 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996
Grand Slam Titles (Doubles):
Wimbledon: 1988
The right-handed, German tennis player dominated on all playing surfaces. Stefanie holds the record for the longest stint as the world No. 1, at 377 weeks.
Graf is the only player to win the "Golden Grand Slam," winning all four majors and Olympic Gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games
She retired in 1999, and in 2004, she was entered into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
3. Martina Navrativola
Martina Navrativola was born October 18, 1956 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Known for being a left-handed star on the court.
Martina had a total of 369 career titles, 1,442-219 singles record and a 747-143 doubles.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 1981, 1983, 1985
French Open: 1982, 1984
Wimbledon: 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990
US Open: 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987
Major Doubles Titles:
Australian Open: 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989
French Open: 1975, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
Wimbledon: 1976, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986
US Open: 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990
She holds the record for most all-time record of Wimbledon singles titles. Martina Navrativola had a remarkable 20-year career. Navrativola's toughest opponent in major singles finals was Steffi Graf, who defeated her in four of six meetings.
Martina was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000.
4. Margaret Court
Margaret Court was a right handed tennis player who was born on July 16, 1942 in Albury, Australia.
From 1960-1975 she won a record 24 Major Singles Titles 64 Career Championships. To add to her impressive career highlights, Court won all 12 majors at least twice.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
French Open: 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973
Wimbledon: 1963, 1965, 1970
US Open: 1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1973
Grand Slam Titles (Doubles):
Australian Open: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
French Open: 1964, 1965, 1966, 1973
Wimbledon: 1964, 1969,
US Open: 1963, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975
Court is one of five players in tennis history to win a career Grand Slam in two categories, and she is the only player in history to win three calendar year Grand Slams (one in singles, two in mixed doubles).
She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979.
5. Chris Evert
Chris Evert was a right-handed tennis player, born on December 21, 1954 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Evert was the first tennis player in history to win 1,000 singles matches and compiled the second most career match wins (1,309), behind Martina Navrativola (1,442).
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 1982, 1984
French Open: 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986
Wimbledon: 1974, 1976, 1981
US Open: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
Grand Slam Titles (Doubles):
Australian Open: 1988
French Open: 1974, 1975
Wimbledon: 1976
US Open: 1973, 1975, 1979
Chris won 18 major championships, tied for 5th in women's history. She one at least one Major Singles Title for 13 years in a row.
Evert was the first female tennis player to reach $1 million in career prize money in 1976. She went on to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995.
6. Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King was born on November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California.
Famously known for being a trailblazer in women's sports. Billie defeated Bobby Riggs in the famed Battle of the Sexes. Her tennis career was nothing short of historic and neither was her life off the court.
In 2009, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was Time Magazine's Woman of the Year and the first tennis player named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year and the first female to ever receive the honor.
King was also the first woman in sports history to win $100,000 in a single year.
Single Majors Titles:
Australian Nationals: 1968
French Nationals: 1972
Wimbledon: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975
US Nationals: 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974
Doubles Majors Titles:
French Nationals: 1972
Wimbledon: 1961, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979
US Nationals: 1964, 1967, 1974, 1978, 1980
Mixed Doubles Titles:
Australian Nationals: 1968
French Nationals: 1967, 1970
Wimbledon: 1967, 1971, 1973, 1974
US Nationals: 1967, 1971, 1973, 1976
Billie Jean King has the record of 20 championship wins at Wimbledon. She was selected to be in the class of 1987 International Tennis Hall of Fame.
7. Venus Williams
Venus Williams was born on June 17, 1980, in Lynnwood, California. She is a former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles.
Venus was the first African-American woman to reach the world No. 1 ranking in 2002. Venus and her sister Serena Williams, made history as one of the most dominant doubles teams in tennis history finishing with a 22-0 record.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Wimbledon: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008
US Open: 2000, 2001
Grand Slam Titles (Doubles):
Australian Open: 2001, 2003, 2009, 2010
French Open: 1999, 2010
Wimbledon: 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016
US Open: 1999, 2009
Olympic Medals:
Singles Gold: Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
Doubles Gold: Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, London 2012 Olympic Games
Silver in mixed doubles: Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Venus Williams will be eligible in 2027 to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
8. Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Russia.
Sharapova built one of the most memorable careers in modern tennis, highlighted by 5 Grand Slam titles and the rare achievement of completing the Career Grand Slam. Her success across all surfaces helped cement her legacy as one of the most accomplished players of her era.
Maria is one of ten women in history to compete a Career Grand Slam in singles.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 2008
French Open: 2012, 2014
Wimbledon: 2004
US Open: 2006
Olympic Medals:
Single Silver: London 2012 Olympic Games
Maria was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2025.
9. Monica Seles
Monica Seles was born on December 2, 1973 in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia and was a left-handed player.
Monica Seles was known for her powerful game and distinctive on-court grunts, which echoed around stadiums and became one of the most talked about aspects of her playing style in the early 1990s.
She has 59 career titles and was a 9-time Major Champion.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996
French Open: 1990, 1991, 1992
US Open: 1991, 1992
Olympic Medals:
Singles Bronze: 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
She was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of fame in 2009.
10. Justine Henin
Justine Henin born on June 1, 1982 in Liege, Belgium.
Henin is one of seven female players in history to reach all four major finals in a calendar year, achieving that in 2006. She is one of six players in history to win two major titles without losing a set, accomplished in 2007.
Grand Slam Titles (Singles):
Australian Open: 2004
French Open: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
US Open: 2003, 2007
Olympic Medals:
Singles Gold: 2004 Olympic Games Athens.
Justine Henin was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016.
