Women’s Tennis Records


Women’s Tennis Records 2024

ADDucation’s list of women’s tennis records highlights stunning achievements from the world of women’s tennis along with frequently asked questions about women’s tennis records and women’s tennis trivia.

Women’s Tennis Records / FAQs: Player (Nationality)
Which women have won the most grand slam titles in tennis history? Top 11 women who have won the most Grand Slam titles:
  • 24 Margaret Smith Court (Australia).
  • 23 Serena Williams (USA).
  • 22 Steffi Graf (Germany).
  • 19 Helen Wills Moody (USA).
  • 18 Chris Evert (USA).
  • 18 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA).
  • 12 Billy Jean King (USA).
  • 9 Maureen Connolly (USA).
  • 9 Monica Seles (USA).
  • 8 Monica Mallory (USA).
  • 8 Suzanne Lenglen (France).
How many women have won all four Grand Slam titles in a single calendar year? To date just 10 women have won Career Grand Slams:
  • Maureen Connolly (USA) in 1953.
  • Doris Hart (USA) in 1954.
  • Shirley Fry Irvin (USA) in 1957.
  • Margaret Court (Australia) in 1963.
  • Billy Jean King (USA) in 1972.
  • Chris Evert (USA) in 1982.
  • Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA) in 1983.
  • Steffi Graf (Germany) in 1988. Graf also won Olympic Gold in 1988 which is a “Golden Slam” and the year-end championship which is “Super Slam”.
  • Serena Williams (USA) in 2003.
  • Maria Sharapova (Russia) in 2012.
Which woman has won the most women’s singles tennis titles? Margaret Court has won the most women’s single tennis titles. The top 10 women’s singles tournament winners of all time are:
  • 192 Margaret Court (Australia).
  • 167 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA).
  • 157 Chris Evert (USA).
  • 107 Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 86 Evonne Goolagong (Australia).
  • 81 Suzanne Lenglen (France).
  • 72 Maria Bueno (Brazil).
  • 72 Serena Williams (USA).
  • 57 Helen Wills Moody (USA).
Most Years ranked as No. 1 player? The top 12 women who ranked number 1 for the most years in total:
  • 9 Helen Wills Moody (USA).
  • 8 Suzanne Lenglen (France).
  • 8 Chris Evert (USA).
  • 8 Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 7 Margaret Court (Australia).
  • 7 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA).
  • 6 Billy Jean King (USA).
  • 5 Serena Williams (USA).
  • 4 Maud Watson (UK)
  • 4 Margaret Osborne duPont (USA).
  • 4 Maria Bueno (Brazil).
  • 4 Lindsay Davenport (USA).
Total most weeks ranked No. 1? Top 10 women ranked number one by total weeks:
  • 377 (Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 364 Helen Wills (USA).
  • 332 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA).
  • 325 Margaret Court (Australia).
  • 319 Serena Williams (USA).
  • 312 Suzanne Lenglen (France).
  • 260 Chris Evert (USA).
  • 221 Billy Jean King (USA).
  • 209 Martina Hingis (Switzerland).
  • 178 Monica Seles (Yugoslavia / USA).
Most consecutive weeks at No. 1? Top 10 women ranked number one by consecutive weeks:
  • 186 Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 186 Serena Williams (USA).
  • 156 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA)
  • 113 Chris Evert (USA).
  • 94 Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 91 Monica Seles (Yugoslavia / USA).
  • 90 Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA).
  • 87 Steffie Graf (Germany).
  • 80 Martina Hingis (Switzerland).
  • 76 Chris Evert (USA).
Career Grand Slam winners and year of completion?
(Women tennis players that won all four “majors” during their career (Wimbledon, the Australian, French and US Open tournaments).
  • Maureen Connolly/Brinker (USA) aka “Little Mo”, 1953.
  • Doris Hart (USA), 1954.
  • Shirley Fry Irvin (USA), 1957.
  • Margaret Court (Australia), 1963.
  • Billie Jean King (USA), 1972.
  • Chris Evert (USA), 1982.
  • Martina Navratilova (Czech Republic / USA), 1983.
  • Steffie Graf (Germany), 1988.
  • Serena Williams (USA), 2003.
  • Maria Sharapova (Russia), 2012.
Who is the youngest ever Wimbledon women’s singles winner? Charlotte “Lottie” Dod (Great Britain), aged 15, in 1887 is the youngest Wimbledon ladies’ singles championship.
Who is the youngest ever Wimbledon women’s doubles winner? Martina Hingis (Switzerland), aged 15, in 1996 the youngest Wimbledon women’s doubles winner.
Who is the youngest ever women’s singles US Open winner? Tracy Austin (USA), aged 16, in 1979 is the youngest US Open women’s singles winner.
Who is the youngest ever women’s doubles US Open winner? Martina Hingis (Switzerland), aged 17, in 1998 is the youngest US Open women’s doubles winner.
Who is the youngest ever women’s tennis world number 1? Martina Hingis (Switzerland), aged 16, in 1997 is the youngest ever women’s tennis world number 1.
Who is the oldest ever women’s tennis title winner? Billie Jean King (USA) was 39 when she won the Birmingham singles tournament in 1983.
Who are the highest earning women tennis players of all-time? The top 10 highest earning women’s tennis players (04 Sep 2023) are:
  1. Serena Williams (USA) ~ $88m.
  2. Venus Williams (USA) ~ $41m.
  3. Maria Sharapova (Russia) ~ $38m.
  4. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) ~ $34m.
  5. Petra Kvitová (Czech Republic) ~ $30m.
  6. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) ~ $29m.
  7. Simona Halep (Romania) ~ $29m.
  8. Angelique Kerber (Germany) ~ $28m.
  9. Agnieszka Radwańska Poland) ~ $28m.
  10. Martina Hingis (Switzerland) ~ $24m.
Which country has the most women tennis players ranked in the top 100? This is one of women’s tennis records easily won by the USA. Other countries with 4 or more women tennis players ranked in the top 100 (04 Sep 2023) are included:
  • 17 women tennis players from the USA.
  • 8 women tennis players from Czech Republic.
  • 8 women tennis players from Russia.
  • 6 women tennis players from Germany.
  • 5 women tennis players from China.
  • 4 women tennis players from France.
  • 4 women tennis players from Spain.
  • 4 women tennis players from Ukraine.
What’s the longest ever tennis rally? According to the Library of Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum the longest ever recorded tennis rally in tournament play lasted 29 minutes with 643 passes over the net. The match took place in Richmond, Virginia, USA in 1984 between Vicki Nelson (USA) and Jean Hepner (USA) and was also the longest women’s singles tennis match (see below).
What’s the longest women’s singles tennis match in history? The longest women’s singles tennis match lasted 6 hours, 31 minutes when Vicki Nelson (USA) beat Jean Hepner (USA) in Richmond, Virginia, 1984. This match also included the longest tennis rally in history (see above).
Who are the loudest women grunters, shriekers and screamers? We’re not aware of any scientific studies, however “grunt-o-meters” suggest the following women tennis players for inclusion on ADDucation’s shortlist:
  1. Michelle Larcher De Brito (Portugal) 109 decibels.
  2. Maria Sharapova (Russia)105 decibels.
  3. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 83.5 decibels.
  4. Serena Williams (USA).
  5. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark).

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