Greatest women tennis players

This article covers the period to present. Before the beginning of the Open era in April , only amateurs were allowed to compete in established tennis tournaments, including the four Grand Slams. Wimbledon, the oldest of the majors, was founded in , followed by the US Open in , the French Open in , and the Australian Open in Beginning in and continuing to the present day, all four majors have been played yearly, with the exception of the two World Wars, for the Australian Open, and for Wimbledon. The Australian Open is the first major of the year (January), followed by the French Open (May–June), Wimbledon (June–July), and US Open (August–September).

There was no prize money and players were compensated for travel expenses only. A player who wins all four current major tournaments in the same calendar year, as an individual or as part of a doubles team, is said to have achieved the "Grand Slam". If the player wins all four consecutively, but not in the same calendar year, it is called a "Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam". Winning all four at some point in a career, even if not consecutively, is referred to as a "Career Grand Slam". Winning the four majors and a gold medal in tennis at the Summer Olympics has been called a "Golden Slam" since Winning all four plus gold at some point in a career, even if not consecutively, is referred to as a "Career Golden Slam". Winning the Year-end Championship also having won a Golden Slam is referred to as a "Super Slam". Winning the four majors in all three disciplines a player is eligible for–singles, doubles, and mixed doubles–is considered winning a "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles.

The current Grand Slams are the four most prestigious tournaments in the world held every year, they are distinguished by participation from almost every top player and by their two-week duration, player draw in women's singles. It's extremely rare

The best women's tennis players of all time are multiple Grand Slam champions, Olympic tennis gold medalists and simply the best ladies to ever step on the clay or grass courts around the world. These record holders hail from around the world, leaving aspiring female tennis players in the dust as they dominate at the top tennis tournaments around including the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Open and Wimbledon. That's not to mention that these famous women tennis players are also some of the hottest tennis players of all time too.

Few can deny that Steffi Graf is the best female tennis player ever. During her nearly year career, Graf won 22 Grand Slam titles plus was the only tennis player (man or woman) in history to win the Calendar Year Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year (). Additionally, she dominated both the major tennis competitions and the Women's Tennis Association rankings during much of her career despite formidable competition from other top women tennis players.

Beyond Graf, the world of women's tennis has seen numerous notable ladies play the game during the years. Top names like Martina Navatilova, Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Monica Seles and Margaret Smith Court all come to mind among the best to ever play the game, as do Billie Jean King, Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters. Each of these ladies have seen a great deal of success throughout the years and easily earn recognition as among the greatest female tennis players ever.

While it's arguable whether these women are better than the greatest men's tennis players of all time, one thing is certain. They will go down, and already are recognized, as the best women to ever play the game of tennis. They hold the gold standard for aspiring female tennis players and have set that bar quite high for any who wish to follow in their footsteps.

 Selecting our top 10 male players of all time proved to be a challenge, and the task was equally daunting when it came to choosing our top 10 female tennis players of all time. However, after careful consideration, here are the players we ultimately decided upon.

1. Serena Williams

Serena Williams, perhaps the greatest of all time, currently holds an impressive 23 grand slam titles, second only to the legendary Margaret Court. She has made her mark in both singles and doubles, winning 14 grand slam doubles titles alongside her sister Venus.

What sets Serena apart from her peers is her remarkable longevity in the sport. She has sustained a career spanning four decades and has achieved the monumental task of winning grand slams while being a mother. Her unwavering intensity and unparalleled will to win have inspired a generation of players, particularly young girls, to take up the sport.

Serena is renowned for her powerful groundstrokes and serve, which is considered one of the most technically sound shots in tennis. She has amassed a total of 72 career titles, including four Olympic gold medals, and remains the highest-earning female tennis player in history. Her legacy as an extraordinary player is secure, and she will always be remembered as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

2. Steffi Graff

Steffi Graf is undoubtedly one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and her 22 grand slam titles place her in the same league as other legends like Serena Williams and Margaret Court.

What truly sets Graf apart is her record for spending the most time at the top of the world rankings during her career, a staggering weeks. Her versatility on the court is also unparalleled, as she dominated on all surfaces and won all four grand slams at least four times each. In , she achieved the rare feat of winning all four grand slams and an Olympic gold medal, known as a "calendar golden slam".

Graf

Caroline Wozniacki