The Australian Open is one of the most important tennis tournaments in the world. As the first Grand Slam tournament of the calendar year, it sets the tone for the year and has every player looking to hit the ground running.
Over the years, it has hosted legendary champions like Margaret Court, Serena Williams, and Steffi Graff, highlighting its importance in tennis.
Here, we'll look at the Top 10 Women's Singles Winners in Australian Open history, including those who won the tournament in earlier iterations before the Open Era. Here are the players that we've included.
| Rank | Player | Country | Highest Ranking | Titles Won | Years Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Margaret Court | AUS | World No. 1 | 11 | 1960-1966, 1969-1971, 1973 |
| 2 | Serena Williams | USA | World No. 1 | 7 | 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009-2010, 2015, 2017 |
| 3 | Nancye Wynne Bolton | AUS | World No. 4 | 6 | 1937, 1940, 1946-1948, 1951 |
| 4 | Daphne Akhurst | AUS | World No. 3 | 5 | 1925-1926, 1928-1930 |
| 5 | Evonne Goolagong Cawley | AUS | World No. 1 | 4 | 1974-1977 |
| 6 | Steffi Graf | GER | World No. 1 | 4 | 1988-1990, 1994 |
| 7 | Monica Seles | USA/YUG | World No. 1 | 4 | 1991-1993, 1996 |
| 8 | Martina Hingis | SUI | World No. 1 | 3 | 1997-1999 |
| 9 | Martina Navratilova | USA | World No. 1 | 3 | 1981, 1983, 1985 |
| 10 | Mary Pierce | FRA | World No. 3 | 2 | 1995, 2000 |
1. Margaret Court (AUS)
Margaret Court is the most successful women's singles player in the Australian Open's history. She won 11 titles during both the Amateur and Open Eras.
She claimed many titles on the grass courts, which were in place until the late 1980s, using her powerful serve-and-volley game to defeat opponents.
She wasn't just a great singles champion, though. She also won in doubles and mixed doubles and a record 24 singles titles during her career.
Understandably, the Margaret Court Arena is named after her.
2. Serena Williams (USA)
With seven titles over 14 years, Serena Williams dominated the Australian Open for a long time.
Her explosive power, booming serves, and unmatched mental strength ensured that few opponents at Melbourne Park were a match for her. One of her most impressive victories was her 2017 title, which she won while pregnant.
Beyond her titles, Serena Williams redefined women's tennis with athleticism and competitiveness.
3. Nancye Wynne Bolton (AUS)
During the pre-Open Era, Nancye Wynne Bolton was among the best Australian tennis players. Between 1937 and 1951, she won an impressive six singles titles at the Australian Championships (now the Australian Open).
Like many athletes and sporting events, her career was interrupted by World War II. Still, she came back after with four consecutive titles between 1946 and 1948.
How many would she have won if the tournament had continued?
Her consistency, graceful movement, and tactical intelligence helped her succeed on the grass courts used for the tournament. An interesting fact about the Australian Open: it was a grass court tournament until 1988, when it found its permanent home in Melbourne on hard courts.
Resilient and adaptable, Bolton stood out during a time when tennis was evolving, helping to build the tournament's reputation and inspiring a generation of Australian tennis players.
4. Daphne Akhurst (AUS)
With five Australian Championships between 1925 and 1930, Daphne Akhurst dominated the early years of the competition.
The Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, which has been given to the winner of the women's singles competition since 1934, honours her impressive impact on the tournament and Australian tennis.
5. Evonne Goolagong Cawley (AUS)
Evonne Goolagona Cawley won four Australian Open titles between 1974 and 1977, showcasing exceptional talent and consistency.
She became a trailblazer as the first Indigenous Australian to achieve international tennis success through her fluid movement, graceful playing style, and effortless technique.
Fans loved her composure and sportsmanship, and her achievements would inspire generations of future tennis players, particularly in Indigenous communities.
She wasn't just a great singles player, she also was a great doubles player.
6. Steffi Graf (GER)
Steffi Graff is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and her victories at the Australian Open helped prove this.
During her career, she won the competition four times, with her first victory in 1988 being part of a Calendar-Year Grand Slam, which included an Olympic gold medal.
Steffi Graf achieved the rare "Golden Slam" in 1988, winning all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.
She was dominant on Melbourne Park's hard courts with a relentless baseline game, speed, and precision.
7. Monica Seles (USA/YUG)
Monica Seles won four Australian Open titles, three consecutively between 1991 and 1993.
Her unique playing style, which included powerful two-handed forehand and backhand, paired with exceptional footwork, ensured she was a dominant player on the hard courts of Melbourne Park.
Though she was out for two years after an on-court incident in 1993, she returned with a vengeance, winning the Australian Open again in 1996.
8. Martina Hingis (SUI)
In the late 1990s, Martina Hingis dominated the Australian Open by winning three consecutive titles. More impressive, she won her first Australian Open at 16 and still holds the record for the youngest-ever Australian Open champion.
Using finesse rather than sheer power to beat her opponents, she used exceptional court intelligence, precise shot placement, and tactical brilliance. She'd read the game, anticipate her opponent's moves, and deliver accurate shots to outmanoeuvre even the best.
That reminds us of another great Swiss tennis player, the legendary Roger Federer.
9. Martina Navratilova (USA)
Martina Navratilova is another three-time Australian Open champion who dominated the tournament in the early 1980s with a powerful serve-and-volley game and relentless determination.
She was adaptable and fit and used aggressive net play to outperform her opponent in singles, doubles, or mixed doubles.
In addition to her accomplishments at the Australian Open, she has won an incredible 18 Grand Slam singles titles.
10. Mary Pierce (FRA)
With two singles titles in 1995 and 2000, French tennis player Mary Pierce beat her opponents with powerful groundstrokes and aggressive baseline play.
Her 1995 victory was awe-inspiring, as she defeated Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the final. Five years later, she defeated Amélie Mauresmo to win two Australian Open titles.
Honorable Mentions
Of course, these aren't the only people to have ever won the tournament, and we could have easily mentioned the American Chris Evert, who won twice in 1982 and 1984. Though she was known as the "Queen of Clay," she won twice on the grass courts used at the Australian Open at the time.
We also need to mention Aryna Sabalenka. She won the Australian Open in 2023, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final, and the 2024 edition, defeating Zheng Qinwen.
Watch the entire match between the two here.
A two-time champion, she's also been named WTA Player of the Year and is a strong favourite for the 2025 Australian Open.
Lastly, Justine Henin won the 2004 Australian Open in an all-Belgian final against Kim Clijsters. Her exceptional footwork, mental toughness, and one-handed backhand helped her secure victory in Melbourne. Across her career, she'd win seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Of course, these are just the women's singles winners and there have been plenty of incredible men's singles winners, too!
Throughout its long history, the Australian has been the stage for some of the greatest tennis players to have ever taken up the sport.
From Margaret Court's legendary dominance in the earlier years of the tournament to modern phenomenons like Aryna Sabalenka, every tennis fan should start their year by watching the best of the best battle it out at Melbourne Park.
Every January, prepare for new legends to be born, records to be broken, and the tournament's rich legacy to continue well into the future.
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For personalised improvement, consider hiring a dedicated tennis coach to refine your skills on the court.
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