Greatest Women’s Tennis Players of All Time, Ranked

Female athletes continue to fight for equality in sports, and tennis players have been at the forefront of that struggle for decades.

From trailblazing legends like Billie Jean King to champions like Serena Williams, dominant athletes on the tennis court have elevated women’s sports to new heights.

But of all the great women in tennis, only one can stand alone as the greatest of all time. These rankings determine who holds the crown.

Country: Russia

Born: July 8, 1981, Moscow, Russia

Career: 1998-2007

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 355-191 (65.02 percent)

Titles: 10

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $5,606,725

Bottom line: Players from Russia are now a common part of the tennis landscape, but it was not always the case.

Anastasia Myskina was part of the first wave of young women who helped put the world’s largest country on the map, with her French Open win in 2004, the first singles title for a Russian player.

Her career was cut short due to injuries, but her trailblazing impact on the game remains significant.

* Note: Stats are through May 7, 2020.

Country: USA

Born: March 20, 1993, Plantation, Florida

Career: 2009-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 294-201 (59.4 percent)

Titles: 6

Grand Slams: 1

Prize Money: $15,271,325

Sloane Stephens is a bright light for American tennis in the post-Williams sisters future.

Stephens demonstrated enormous promise by defeating Serena Williams as a teenager at the Australian Open, and then fulfilled that promise by defeating Venus Williams en route to the U.S. Open title.

Her career has been up and down since then, but she still has the talent to repeat that level of excellence.

Country: Australia

Born: March 30, 1984, Brisbane, Australia

Career: 1999-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record:605-443 (57.7 percent)

Titles: 9

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $19,037,221