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The Greatest Female Tennis Players Of The Open Era

Updated February 29, 2020 24.1k votes 3.5k voters 23.5k views59 items

List RulesFemale tennis players beginning in 1968 only

Who are the greatest female tennis players of the open era? For our purposes, this list includes some of the best female singles tennis players since the Open Era officially began in 1968. Some of these brilliant female tennis players have long since retired since winning countless major tournaments, but some continue to make headlines with their awesome skill on the court. Vote for the tennis playing women you believe are truly the best since the Open Era began, and vote down any that you don't think qualify. Also, feel free to rerank this list in any order you want. Debate about who is the greatest female tennis player of all time (Open Era or not) continues to this day, with some arguing that the honor goes to Steffi Graf, and others saying the title belongs to the incomparable Martina Navratilova. In their day, these two female tennis players were feared and revered by opponents, and with good reason. And certainly, no list of the best and greatest female tennis players of the Open Era would be complete without Serena Williams: She is arguably one of the, if not the absolute top current female tennis players in the world. Serena's sister, Venus Williams, also makes this list. If you're a tennis fan, you might also want to cast your vote (or rerank your own list of) the greatest male tennis players of the Open Era. Is Roger Federer the best, or should the honor go to Bjorn Borg? You decide, with your votes.
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  • Steffi Graf1
    874
    701

    Steffi Graf

    Germany, West Germany

    Age:Ā 50

    Birthplace:Ā Mannheim, Germany

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1982

    Australian Open: Winner 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994; Finalist 1993
    French Open: Winner 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999; Finalist 1989, 1990, 1992
    Wimbledon: Winner 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996; Finalist 1987, 1999
    US Open: Winner 1988, 1999, 1993, 1995, 1996; Finalist 1987, 1990, 1994

    MoreĀ Steffi GrafĀ 

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  • Chris Evert2
    545
    512

    Chris Evert

    United States of America

    Age:Ā 65

    Birthplace:Ā Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States of America

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1972

    Australian Open: Winner 1982, 1984; Finalist 1974, 1981, 1985, 1988
    French Open: Winner 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986; Finalist 1973, 1984
    Wimbledon: Winner 1974, 1976, 1981; Finalist 1973, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985
    US Open: Winner 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982; Finalist 1979, 1983, 1984

    MoreĀ Chris EvertĀ 

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  • Serena Williams3
    684
    1,029

    Serena Williams

    United States of America

    Age:Ā 38

    Birthplace:Ā Saginaw, Michigan, United States of America

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1995

    Australian Open: Winner 2003, 2005, 2007 2009, 2010 2015, 2017; Finalist 2016
    French Open: Winner 2002, 2013, 2015; Finalist 2016
    Wimbledon: Winner 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016; Finalist 2004, 2008, 2018, 2019
    US Open: Winner 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014; Finalist 2001, 2011, 2018, 2019

    MoreĀ Serena WilliamsĀ 

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  • Martina Navratilova4
    411
    629

    Martina Navratilova

    United States of America, Czechoslovakia

    Age:Ā 63

    Birthplace:Ā Prague, Czech Republic

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1975

    Australian Open: Winner 1981, 1983, 1985; Finalist 1975, 1982, 1987
    French Open: Winner 1982, 1984; Finalist 1975, 1985, 1986, 1987
    Wimbledon: Winner 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990; Finalist 1988, 1989, 1994
    US Open: Winner: 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987; Finalist 1981, 1985, 1989, 1991

    MoreĀ Martina NavratilovaĀ 

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  • Francoise Durr5
    1,312
    182

    Francoise Durr

    French

    Birthplace:Ā Algeria

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1959

    French Open: Winner 1967

  • Kim Clijsters6
    364
    556

    Age:Ā 36

    Birthplace:Ā Bilzen, Belgium

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1997-08-17

    Australian Open: Winner 2011; Finalist 2004
    French Open: Finalist 2001, 2003
    US Open: Winner 2005, 2009, 2010; Finalist 2003

    MoreĀ Kim ClijstersĀ 

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  • Kimiko Date-Krumm7
    1,281
    321

    Age:Ā 49

    Birthplace:Ā Kyoto, Keihanshin, Japan

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1989-03

  • Martina Hingis8
    387
    608

    Martina Hingis

    Switzerland, Slovakia

    Age:Ā 39

    Birthplace: KoŔice, Slovakia

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1994

    Australian Open: Winner 1997, 1998, 1999; Finalist 2000, 2001, 2002
    French Open: Finalist 1997, 1999
    Wimbledon: Winner 1997
    US Open: Winner 1997; Finalist 1998, 1999

    MoreĀ Martina HingisĀ 

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  • Maria Sharapova9
    433
    698

    Age:Ā 32

    Birthplace:Ā Nyagan, Russia

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 2001-04-19

    Australian Open: Winner 2008; Finalist 2007, 2012, 2015
    French Open: Winner 2012, 2014; Finalist 2013
    Wimbledon: Winner 2004; Finalist 2011
    US Open: Winner 2006

    MoreĀ Maria SharapovaĀ 

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  • Monica Seles10
    495
    825

    Monica Seles

    United States of America, Germany

    Age:Ā 46

    Birthplace:Ā Novi Sad, Serbia

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1989

    Australian Open: Winner 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996
    French Open: Winner 1990, 1991, 1992; Finalist 1998
    Wimbledon: Finalist 1992
    US Open: Winner 1991, 1992; Finalist 1995, 1996

    MoreĀ Monica SelesĀ 

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  • GarbiƱe Muguruza11

    Age:Ā 26

    Birthplace:Ā Caracas, Venezuela

    French Open: Winner 2016
    Wimbledon: Winner 2017; Finalist 2015

  • Justine Henin12
    214
    386

    Age:Ā 37

    Birthplace:Ā LiĆØge, Belgium

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1999-01-01

    Australian Open: Winner 2004; Finalist 2006, 2010
    French Open: Winner 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
    Wimbledon: Finalist 2001
    US Open: Winner 2003, 2007; Finalist 2006

  • Naomi Osaka13

    Australian Open: Winner 2019
    US Open: Winner 2018

  • Billie Jean King14
    173
    368

    Billie Jean King

    United States of America

    Age:Ā 76

    Birthplace:Ā Long Beach, California, United States of America

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1968

    Australian Open: Winner 1968; Finalist 1969
    French Open: Winner 1972
    Wimbledon: Winner 1968, 1972 1973, 1975; Finalist 1969, 1970
    US Open: Winner 1971, 1972, 1974; Finalist 1968

    MoreĀ Billie Jean KingĀ 

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  • Caroline Wozniacki15
    96
    174

    Age:Ā 29

    Birthplace:Ā Odense, Denmark

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 2005-07-18

    Australian Open: Winner 2018
    US Open: Finalist 2009, 2014

    MoreĀ Caroline WozniackiĀ 

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  • Evonne Goolagong Cawley16

    Age:Ā 68

    Birthplace:Ā Griffith, Australia

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1971

    Australian Open: Winner 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978; Finalist 1971, 1972 1973
    French Open: Winner 1971; Finalist 1972
    Wimbledon: Winner 1971, 1980; Finalist 1972, 1975, 1976
    US Open: Finalist 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976

  • Manuela Maleeva17
    8
    21

    Age:Ā 52

    Birthplace:Ā Sofia, Bulgaria

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1982

  • Ashleigh Barty18
    7
    14

    Age:Ā 23

    Birthplace:Ā Ipswich, Australia

  • Simona Halep19
    134
    265

    Age:Ā 28

    Birthplace:Ā Constanța, Sud-Est, Romania

    Australian Open: Finalist 2018
    French Open: Winner 2018; Finalist 2014, 2017
    Wimbledon: Winner 2019

  • Bianca Andreescu20
  • Angelique Kerber21
    82
    142

    Angelique Kerber

    Germany, Poland

    Age:Ā 31

    Birthplace:Ā Bremen, Germany

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 2003

    Australian Open: Winner 2016
    Wimbledon: Winner 2018; Finalist 2016
    US Open: Winner 2016

  • Magdalena Maleeva22
  • Mary Pierce23
    111
    250

    Mary Pierce

    Canada, France

    Age:Ā 44

    Birthplace:Ā Montreal, Canada

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1989-03

    Australian Open: Winner 1995; Finalist 1997
    French Open: Winner 2000; Finalist 1994, 2005
    US Open: Finalist 2005

    MoreĀ Mary PierceĀ 

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  • Margaret Court24
    171
    391

    Age:Ā 77

    Birthplace:Ā Perth, Australia

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 1968

    Australian Open: Winner 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973; Finalist 1968
    French Open: Winner 1969, 1970, 1973
    Wimbledon: Winner 1970; Finalist 1971
    US Open: Winner 1969, 1970, 1973

    MoreĀ Margaret CourtĀ 

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  • Victoria Azarenka25
    116
    258

    Age:Ā 30

    Birthplace:Ā Minsk, Belarus

    Year Turned Pro:Ā 2003

    Australian Open: Winner 2012, 2013
    US Open: Finalist 2012, 2013