22 Best Women’s Tennis Players of All Time

Women's tennis is not only a bedrock of progressivism in the world of female sports, with equal pay and gender rights at the forefront of the game's importance, but it also possesses some absolutely jaw-dropping athletes. These ladies are skilled, poised, and determined. They can beat you at the net or with strong groundstrokes.

Whether you prefer the powerful serve of Serena Williams or the graceful return game of Chris Evert, you're sure to find your favorite player amongst the rankings of the 22 greatest women's tennis players ever.

1. Serena Williams

Serena Williams is the greatest ever to do it, plain and simple. Williams dominated the women's tour for almost two decades, winning an Open Era record 23 Grand Slam tournaments. Still, she brought awe and intimidation to the sport that will never be matched. Many opponents were defeated before they even stepped on the court because of the fear Serena struck into the person across the net. You knew you had to play perfect tennis to beat Serena, and even then, it probably wouldn't be enough. 

2. Martina Navratilova 

Martina Navratilova was one of the pioneers of the powerful groundstroke game many women use in tennis in the modern age. She brought athleticism to the court, and her endurance and dedication to the game helped her carve out one of the best careers in sports history. Navratilova wasn't afraid to participate in singles and doubles events, combining to win 49 Grand Slam titles (18 singles and 31 doubles). 

3. Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf was the queen of versatility, winning at least four Grand Slams on all three playing surfaces on the WTA. Before Serena Williams came along, many people found it hard to imagine there would ever be a more complete player than Graf. Off the court, her marriage to men's tennis star Andre Agassi has made for the best power couple in the sport. 

4. Chris Evert

Chris Evert is the picture of perfect consistency in women's tennis. Many know about her 18 major titles, but not many know she appeared in the semi-finals of all but four Grand Slam events she played in during her 17-year career. Evert's friendship and rivalry with Martina Navratilova proved that sports are always better when two fierce competitors push each other to the game's height. 

5. Monica Seles

Monica Seles was a fireball of energy, skill, and power. She took women's tennis by storm in the early 1990s, winning eight Grand Slam titles as a teen player before a fan worried about her threat to Steffi Graf stabbed her at an April 1993 match. Seles persevered through the injury and won another Australian Open crown in 1996. Unfortunately, her career feels like a big what-if, with so many prime years erased by a hateful lunatic. 

6. Venus Williams

Venus Williams had incalculable pressure on her when she entered the women's tour in the late 1990s, but she delivered on all of the hype and set the tone for her more accomplished younger sister, Serena. Venus brought a new type of swag, confidence, and skill to the WTA, and her fight for equal pay at Wimbledon may be even more important than her accomplishments on the court. 

7. Justine Henin

Justine Henin made up for her tiny frame with a giant game. Henin was impossible to get around, always on the move, and supremely intelligent in her manner of retrieving the tennis ball. Standing barely 5'5”, Henin had to make up for her lack of size with more skill. Her greatest achievement was perhaps winning the French Open four times in five years in the mid-2000s. 

8. Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King is the most famous social ambassador in tennis, combining men's and women's games. She consistently attends events worldwide and helped usher in the current state of the game we love today. She was an excellent player on the court who played a quick game and excelled at the net. King kept points as short as possible and forced the opponent to react to her. 

9. Kim Clijsters

Kim Clijsters wasn't just the Belgian national teammate to Justine Henin. Clijsters brought more athleticism to the court than Henin, and she was a fast-acting player. This allowed her to compete with more powerful players like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, winning titles many didn't expect her to. Clijsters is perhaps best known for her success after becoming a mother, winning three Grand Slams.

10. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova was often the most marketable star on the WTA tour during the 2000s, even over more accomplished players like the Williams Sisters. Regardless of the validity of this argument, Sharapova was a great tennis player who used her tall frame to serve past her opponents. Sharapova became an all-around player later in her career, making the clay of the French Open an unexpected haven. 

11. Martina Hingis

Much like Monica Seles, Martina Hingis had a blazing start to her career, followed by many injuries and issues that hampered her ability to grow and compete at the highest level. Hingis' longevity is remarkable, overcoming several retirements caused by ankle and hip injuries. Hingis could have been one of the biggest rivals of Serena Williams and Justine Henin, winning three majors at ages 16 and 17.

12. Margaret Court

Margaret Court won a majority of her Grand Slams before the Open Era, disqualifying her from ranking as high as those who faced stiffer competition higher up on this list. Court was the most dominant winner of her era, and her 24 Grand Slams are still a record today. Court's homophobia and bigotry in her home country of Australia cloud her ability to be the type of ambassador for the game that Bill Jean King is. 

13. Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is an animated force, a woman who shows the world every single emotion on her face while playing tennis. This trait has helped and hurt the Japanese sensation since her career started in 2013. Osaka is an inspiring player who knows when it's time to take a break from the sport, and her hiatus from her career to focus on her mental health could be the catalyst to more majors when she returns. 

14. Evonne Goolagong

Evonne Goolagong is one of the most underrated athletes of the 1970s. She is most known for being the only mother to win a Grand Slam for over 30 years (until Kim Clijsters' victory at the U.S. Open), but her all-around success outside that notable trivia deserves some shine. Goolagong was a frequent finalist at the Grand Slam events throughout her career, with 17 trips to the last match. 

15. Lindsay Davenport

Lindsay Davenport brought a giant presence to the court every time she stepped between the lines. Standing 6'2”, the American used her overwhelming serve to knock her opponent right off the court. She won three major championships, but her modern game could have produced even more titles if the ball had bounced differently here or there. 

16. Iga Świątek

The best player in the world right now, Iga Świątek, quietly took over the crowned position on the WTA following the retirement of Serena Williams. She represents Poland with four Grand Slam titles and is the most successful tennis player in the country's history. At only 22 years old, Świątek just might stack many more major titles before she calls it quits.

17. Virginia Wade

Virginia Wade inspired British tennis fans for over a decade by winning three Grand Slams at the dawn of the Open Era. Wade's game was simple and subtle, but the magnitude of her accomplishments still rings through the country decades after her career has ended.  

18. Caroline Wozniacki 

Thank goodness Caroline Wozniacki finally won the Australian Open 2018, so people could quit demeaning her career. Wozniacki is an all-around talent who first took the number-one ranking in the WTA in 2010. She retired in 2020 but is returning to action at the U.S. Open in 2023. 

19. Ashleigh Barty

Ashleigh Barty is yet another case of a “what if” career. Barty retired at only 26 in March 2022 with three Grand Slam titles already in the bag and almost four years of being ranked number one in the world. Barty's prime is one of the best in recent memory. She surely would have carved out a higher spot in tennis lore with more time on the court. 

20. Jennifer Capriati

Jennifer Capriati's early career success gave American tennis fans hope for a long and storied career. Capriati never fully realized her potential but overcame personal problems to win three Grand Slams in her late 20s. Her mini-rivalries with Martina Hingis and Serena Williams were always entertaining. 

21. Angelique Kerber

Angelique Kerber brought an uncompromising, never-give-up attitude to her career, slowly rising to the top of the tennis rankings after years near the fringe of the top 100 rankings. She won three Grand Slams on all but one surface and competed well with the likes of Serena Williams. 

22. Jelena Jankovic

Jelena Jankovic sparred with her opponents defensively and mentally, overcoming almost any amount of power from the other side of the net. Jankovic never won a major title but went to the U.S. Open's final, often making it very hard on other players in the late stages of majors.