The Greatest Tennis Players of All Time (Women) – Top 10 Rankings

Tennis has produced legendary champions whose records and impact on the sport are unmatched. In this article, we rank the Top 10 greatest male and female tennis players of all time in singles, based on Grand Slam titles, weeks at world No.1, Olympic medals, and overall career impact. Both retired and active players are included, and we focus exclusively on their singles achievements. Short, mobile-friendly sections and tables make it easy to scan these champions’ accomplishments.

Criteria for Greatness

• Grand Slam Singles Titles: The four majors (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) are the pinnacle of the sport. Champions with the most Grand Slam wins rank highly .
• Weeks at World No.1: Longevity at the top spot in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) or WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) rankings indicates sustained dominance .
• Olympic Medals: Success at the Olympic Games – particularly singles Gold – adds to a player’s legacy (e.g. achieving a rare Career Golden Slam of all four majors and Olympic gold) .
• Overall Impact: Influence on the sport, historical achievements (such as calendar-year Grand Slams), and contributions off-court (e.g. advocacy, pioneering feats) are also considered.

Men Ranking

The Greatest Tennis Players of All Time (Men) – Top 10 Rankings

Top 10 Greatest Female Tennis Players of All Time

1. Serena Williams

Grand Slams: 23

Weeks at No.1: 319

Olympic Medals: 4 (4×🥇 in singles/doubles)

Career Span: 1995–2022

Serena Williams is often hailed as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, and for good reason. The American powerhouse captured 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in the Open Era, just one shy of the all-time record . She dominated across surfaces, with 7 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, and 6 US Opens. Serena held the WTA World No.1 ranking for 319 weeks (third-most in history), including a streak of 186 consecutive weeks at No.1 (tied for the record) . An extremely clutch competitor, Serena won 13 major finals in a row at one point and achieved a Career Grand Slam by 2003. She also boasts four Olympic gold medals (2000–2012), including singles gold in 2012, making her one of only two women to achieve a Career Golden Slam in singles (Steffi Graf being the other) . Known for her powerful serve (arguably the best in women’s tennis) and fighting spirit, Serena often raised her level in big moments. Beyond the raw numbers, Serena’s impact on the sport and pop culture is immense: she broke barriers as a Black woman in tennis, brought in new audiences, and fought for equal prize money and women’s empowerment. Her longevity is remarkable – she won her 23rd Slam at age 35 (2017 Australian Open) while pregnant. With 73 career singles titles and an additional 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with sister Venus, Serena’s resume is unmatched in the modern era . Her ability to come back from behind, as well as comeback from health challenges (like winning majors after medical setbacks and maternity), solidified Serena as not just one of the greatest tennis players ever, but one of the greatest athletes of all time.

2. Steffi Graf

Grand Slams: 22

Weeks at No.1: 377

Olympic Medals: 2 (🥇1988, 🥈1992)

Career Span: 1982–1999

Stefanie “Steffi” Graf’s tennis career is defined by consistent dominance and a feat no one else (male or female) has accomplished: the Golden Slam. In 1988, the West German star won all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic singles gold in the same calendar year . Graf accumulated 22 Grand Slam singles titles in total, third-most in history, including at least four titles at each major – a testament to her all-surface brilliance. She reigned as world No.1 for 377 total weeks, the most by any player (male or female) until 2023 when Djokovic surpassed that mark . Graf’s athleticism and her signature inside-out forehand helped her dominate the late 1980s and 1990s; she finished as year-end No.1 a record 8 times. In 1988, Graf was simply untouchable, completing the calendar-year Grand Slam (all four majors) and adding the Seoul Olympics gold to make it a Golden Slam . She also won a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, bringing her Olympic medal count to two. Graf’s career tally of 107 titles includes a record 7 Wimbledon titles and 6 French Opens. Her rivalry with Monica Seles was cut short tragically (due to Seles’s stabbing in 1993), but Graf still managed to reclaim the top spot and continue winning majors into the late ’90s. Known for her mental toughness and remarkable foot speed, Graf held the No.1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks twice (1987–90 and 1993–96) , a WTA record. With her Golden Slam, unmatched 377 weeks at No.1, and balanced mastery of all courts, Steffi Graf firmly ranks among the greatest to ever play the game.

3. Martina Navratilova

Grand Slams: 18

Weeks at No.1: 332

Olympic Medals: 1 (🥈 Mixed Doubles)

Career Span: 1975–1994

Martina Navratilova is the embodiment of longevity and all-around excellence in tennis. Born in Czechoslovakia and later an American citizen, Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, tied for fourth-most in women’s history. Her Grand Slam haul includes a record 9 Wimbledon singles titles – a mark of her grass-court dominance. Navratilova was ranked WTA No.1 in singles for a total of 332 weeks, second only to Steffi Graf , and she finished as year-end No.1 seven times. In doubles, she was arguably even more dominant, but even sticking to singles, her achievements are staggering: from 1982 to 1987, Martina reached 6 straight Wimbledon finals (winning all 6) and won 15 of 23 Slam singles events in that span. She completed a Career Grand Slam and at one point held all four major titles consecutively (across 1983–84). Navratilova’s athletic, serve-and-volley game and left-handed spin serve were revolutionary in the women’s game, and her commitment to fitness (introducing weight training and nutrition to her regimen) set new standards. In total, she won 167 singles titles – the most in the Open Era by a wide margin . In the latter part of her career, Navratilova also earned an Olympic silver medal in mixed doubles in 2004 (at age 47!). Her rivalry with Chris Evert (they played an incredible 80 times) is considered one of the greatest in sports, with Navratilova holding a 43–37 edge. After retiring from singles in 1994, she even returned to play doubles in her 40s, winning the US Open mixed doubles at 49. Martina’s influence extends beyond the court as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and women in sports. With her amazing longevity, 59 total major titles (singles, doubles, mixed), and trailblazing approach to the game, Navratilova firmly stands among the all-time greats.

4. Chris Evert

Grand Slams: 18

Weeks at No.1: 260

Olympic Medals: 0

Career Span: 1972–1989

Chris Evert, the American icon nicknamed “Ice Princess” for her cool demeanor, was the queen of consistency. Evert captured 18 Grand Slam singles titles (7 French Open, 6 US Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 Australian Open) and remarkably, she reached 34 Slam finals – more than any player in history. She was the inaugural WTA world No.1 in 1975 and went on to spend 260 weeks in total at No.1, fourth-most all-time . For an entire decade and more (1975–1986), Evert never fell below world No.3. On her preferred clay surface, she was nearly invincible, winning a record 7 French Open titles and once stringing together a 125-match clay-court win streak. Evert’s playing style – centered on impeccable baseline play, consistency, and precision – forced opponents into errors. She popularized the two-handed backhand and the use of heavy topspin in the women’s game. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova is legendary; they met in 14 major finals. While Martina had the head-to-head edge, Evert more than held her own, especially early on and on clay (Evert dominated their clay meetings). Chris Evert’s career winning percentage of 89.97% in singles is the highest of any player (male or female) in the Open Era, underlining her steady excellence. She also won at least one major for 13 consecutive years (1974–1986) – an unmatched record of consistency at the highest level . Though she did not have the opportunity to compete for Olympic medals (tennis was reintroduced to the Olympics in 1988, near Evert’s retirement), her accolades include ending five seasons as world No.1 and helping Team USA win the Fed Cup eight times. Revered for her sportsmanship and professionalism, Chris Evert’s legacy is that of a baseline tactician who set the gold standard for consistency and grace in tennis.

5. Margaret Court

Grand Slams: 24

Weeks at No.1: N/A (pre-WTA rankings)

Olympic Medals: 0

Career Span: 1960–1977

Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record towers above all others – she amassed 24 major singles titles, the most in tennis history . An Australian superstar of the 1960s and early 1970s, Court achieved the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1970, becoming the second woman ever to do so. Her Slam tally includes 11 Australian, 5 French, 3 Wimbledon, and 5 US titles. It’s worth noting that 13 of her majors came before the Open Era (pre-1968) when fewer international players traveled to the Australian Championships; nonetheless, 11 majors came in Open Era competition, proving her ability against all comers. Standing 5’9″ with a strong serve-and-volley game, Court was one of the first women to incorporate weight training into her regimen, adding to her strength and dominance on court. While official WTA computer rankings began after Court’s prime, she was widely recognized as the world’s top player in multiple years (the International Tennis Hall of Fame cites her as year-end No.1 in 1969, 1970, 1973, among others) . Court’s overall Grand Slam haul is staggering – including doubles and mixed, she won 64 major titles in total , also an all-time record. She never competed in Olympic tennis (the sport wasn’t in the Games during her career), but she did help Australia win Fed Cup titles. Margaret Court’s career spanned both amateur and professional eras seamlessly; for example, in 1970 she won all four majors and in 1973 (post motherhood) she won 3 out of 4 Slams again. Her 1970 Wimbledon final triumph famously came despite facing a fan-thrown injury (she played through an ankle sprain). While her legacy has become complicated due to controversial personal views after retirement, as a player her accomplishments are unmatched: 24 Slams and a win percentage of over 91% in 1970 exemplify why Margaret Court is in any GOAT conversation .

6. Billie Jean King

Grand Slams: 12

Weeks at No.1: N/A (No.1 for 5 years unofficially )

Olympic Medals: 0

Career Span: 1959–1983

Billie Jean King’s influence on tennis transcends her 12 Grand Slam singles titles. The American champion was a trailblazer for gender equality and the founder of the WTA Tour. On court, King won 12 major singles titles (6 Wimbledon, 4 US, 1 French, 1 Australian) in the 1960s and ’70s, and a total of 39 major titles including doubles – showcasing her all-around game. She was the world’s top-ranked female player in the years before computerized rankings; by expert consensus, King was year-end No.1 at least five times (1966-68, 1971, 1972) . With an aggressive net-rushing style, she thrived at Wimbledon, winning that title six times. King’s most famous on-court moment was the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match, where she defeated Bobby Riggs in front of 90 million TV viewers, striking a blow for women’s sports and equal recognition. That same year, she led the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association, uniting the female players under one tour – an achievement as significant as any trophy. King’s career singles haul of 129 titles is second only to Navratilova, and she continued to win doubles majors into her 40s. Though tennis was not part of the Olympics during her prime, King’s legacy in team competitions includes leading Team USA to multiple Fed Cup championships and coaching in later years. Perhaps her greatest legacy is off the court: championing equal prize money (thanks to her efforts, the US Open in 1973 became the first Slam to pay women and men equally) and LGBTQ+ rights. In 2020, the Fed Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup in her honor. On this list, King’s career impact is weighted as heavily as her titles – few athletes have changed their sport’s landscape as profoundly as Billie Jean King has.

7. Monica Seles

Grand Slams: 9

Weeks at No.1: 178

Olympic Medals: 1 (🥉 Singles)

Career Span: 1989–2003 (retired officially 2008)

Monica Seles burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy and was on pace for all-time greatness before tragedy struck. Yugoslav-born (later American) Seles won 9 Grand Slam singles titles – all before the age of 20 – and was the dominant No.1 in the early 1990s. Seles claimed her first major at age 16 (1990 French Open) and went on to win 8 of the next 12 Slam events, racking up 3 Australian, 3 French, and 2 US Open titles by 1993. She is the only teenager in history to win 8 Grand Slams before turning 20 . During that stretch, Seles became world No.1 and logged 178 weeks at the top spot, sixth-most in WTA history . A left-hander who hit ferocious two-handed groundstrokes off both sides, Seles had a relentless offensive style that overpowered opponents. Her rivalry with Steffi Graf defined the early ’90s, as they traded the No.1 ranking. However, in April 1993, Seles’s career trajectory changed when a spectator stabbed her on court in Hamburg. The attack sidelined her for over two years during her prime. Seles showed immense courage in returning to competition in 1995, and she even won one more major (1996 Australian Open) post-comeback, as well as a Bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics. But she never fully regained her unstoppable form of old. Even so, her career totals are extraordinary: she reached 13 Slam finals and won 9 of them, and she never lost in a Grand Slam final in straight sets. Off the court, Seles’s grace in overcoming adversity earned her deep respect. Had her career not been violently interrupted, her Slam count might have rivaled Graf’s or Williams’s. Even with the what-ifs, Monica Seles’s achievements – a dominant No.1 at age 17, a career Grand Slam (missing only Wimbledon), and her inspirational comeback – ensure her place among the legends of the game.

8. Venus Williams

Grand Slams: 7

Weeks at No.1: 11

Olympic Medals: 5 (4×🥇, 1×🥈)

Career Span: 1994–present

Venus Williams, the older of the Williams sisters, has had a profound impact on tennis both on and off the court. She owns 7 Grand Slam singles titles (5 Wimbledon and 2 US Open) and was a trailblazer in the power game with her explosive serve and groundstrokes. Venus first reached world No.1 in 2002 (the first African American woman to do so in the Open Era) and spent 11 weeks total atop the rankings . Her peak came in the early 2000s, when she won two Slams in 2000 and two in 2001, including a remarkable 35-match win streak. At Wimbledon, Venus’s favorite stage, she won five titles and appeared in four additional finals (often facing Serena). Venus also has an extraordinary Olympic record: she has won 4 gold medals (2000 singles, 2000/2008/2012 doubles) and 1 silver (2016 mixed doubles), making her the most decorated Olympic tennis player in history (tied in golds, and alone in total medals for tennis) . Her longevity is exemplary – Venus reached the Australian Open final in 2017 at age 36, 20 years after her first major final in 1997. Off the court, Venus spearheaded the fight for equal prize money in tennis; her advocacy was crucial in Wimbledon and the French Open granting equal pay to women (finally achieved in 2007) . She also carried herself as a global ambassador for the sport, with a gracious demeanor win or lose. While health issues (including an autoimmune disorder) impacted her later career, Venus continued to compete into her 40s purely for the love of the game. With 49 singles titles, multiple doubles majors with Serena, and her pioneering role in the sport’s evolution, Venus Williams stands tall as one of the greatest and most influential players in tennis history.

9. Justine Henin

Grand Slams: 7

Weeks at No.1: 117

Olympic Medals: 1 (🥇 Singles)

Career Span: 1999–2008 (brief comeback 2010–2011)

Despite her relatively small stature (5’5″) and early retirement, Belgium’s Justine Henin carved out a place among the all-time greats with her elegant yet fierce game. Henin won 7 Grand Slam singles titles (4 French, 2 US, 1 Australian) and held the world No.1 ranking for 117 weeks in total . She was the dominant WTA player in the mid-2000s, finishing as year-end No.1 in 2003, 2006, and 2007. Henin’s one-handed backhand is often regarded as one of the most beautiful and effective shots in tennis history – a stroke of single-handed brilliance in an era of two-handers. She achieved a rare feat at the 2004 Olympics in Athens by winning the singles Gold Medal, coming back from a set and a break down in the semifinal and dominating the final . That Olympic title completed her career Golden Slam (when combined with her majors). Henin’s game was complete: she could rally with consistency, rip winners, play net with finesse, and cover the court with exceptional footwork and grit. She often drew comparisons to greats like Graf for her versatility. In 2007, Henin put together one of the best seasons in modern women’s tennis, winning 10 titles including two Slams (French and US) and going 63–4 for the year. Shockingly, Henin retired abruptly in early 2008 while still ranked No.1, citing burnout. She attempted a comeback in 2010 and even made the Australian Open final that year, but retired for good in 2011. Though her career was shorter than many peers, Henin’s accomplishments – 7 Slams, Olympic gold, three year-end No.1 finishes – speak volumes. Add in her influence as the last prominent one-handed backhand player on the women’s tour, and Justine Henin’s legacy is secure as one of tennis’s greatest artists and competitors.

10. Martina Hingis

Grand Slams: 5

Weeks at No.1: 209

Olympic Medals: 0 (🥈 in doubles)

Career Span: 1994–2007 (doubles until 2017)

Martina Hingis combined youthful exuberance with tactical genius to dominate tennis in the late 1990s. The Swiss prodigy became the youngest Grand Slam champion of the 20th century and the youngest-ever world No.1. Hingis won 5 Grand Slam singles titles – all before age 19 – including three Australian Opens, one Wimbledon, and one US Open . In 1997, at just 16, she won three of the four majors (falling just one match short of a calendar Slam) and ascended to No.1 in March of that year. Martina would stay atop the rankings for a total of 209 weeks through early 2001 , an extraordinary reign for someone so young. Her game was not built on power, which was rising in the women’s game, but on finesse, anticipation, and chess-like point construction. Hingis possessed delicate touch, excellent net skills, and a high tennis IQ that allowed her to outwit stronger opponents. However, as power hitters like the Williams sisters emerged, Hingis found the going tougher in the early 2000s. She retired in 2003 at age 22 due to injuries, with 40 singles titles and an impressive resume that also included a lot of doubles success (she later returned to doubles to win many more majors). While her singles Slam count (5) is lower than others on this list, her impact and dominance in her teenage years were historic – she was ranked No.1 in singles and doubles simultaneously in 1998. Hingis never did earn an Olympic medal in singles (she played in 1996 at 15, reaching QFs in doubles; later, she took a doubles silver in 2016). Nonetheless, her early career achievements and strategy-driven style left a lasting mark. With a total of 25 major titles across disciplines and as a Hall-of-Famer who later reinvented herself as a doubles star, Martina Hingis secures the final spot in our top 10.

Comparison Table – Top 10 Women’s Singles Champions:

(Medal key: 🥇=Gold, 🥈=Silver, 🥉=Bronze. “Weeks at No.1” for women counts WTA singles ranking weeks. Titles = Open Era singles titles.)

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