1. Maria Bueno
Maria Ester Audion Bueno, won the title of being first women player (14 years) for her country, Brazil, started playing tennis at early age and without any formal training won her first tournament at the age of 12. She was also the first non-American women to capture Wimbledon and U.S Championships. In her career,
she won the singles titles at Wimbledon three times and U.S. Championships for the four times She also won twelve Grand Slam championships as a double player with six different partners. Again in 1960, she became the first women to win the women’s doubles title at all four Grand Slam tournament in a year.
2. Billie Jean King
Billie Jean Moffit, born in California, was an exceptional softball player in her early years, yet her parents introduced her to tennis, the game that would change her life and the lives of other women players. In 1967 she was selected as "Outstanding Female Athlete of the World". In 1972 she was named Sports Illustrated "Sportsperson of the Year", the first woman to be so honored; and in 1973, she was dubbed "Female Athlete of the Year". She was the first female athlete to win over $100,000 prize money in a single season. Billie Jean King spoke out for women and their right to earn comparable money in tennis and other sports. Her constant lobbying and commitments have broken many barriers. For her contributions to tennis as President of Tennis-America, Billie Jean King was awarded the National Service Bowl.
3. Tracy Austin
The Worlds No. 1 tennis player from United States, Tracy Ann Austin Holt, started her career at very early age and as a Junior player won 21 age-group titles, including the U.S. national 12 and under title at the age of 10 (1972). She became famous as the youngest player to win a professional tournament at the age of 14 (1977). She was the one to become the youngest-ever U.S. Open Champion at the age of 16 (1979). In 1980 she broke the records of Chris Evert and Navratilova’s of being six year monopolization of the top spot. She continued with the same success and defeated again Evert at Toyota Series Championships (1981). In 1992, she became the youngest person to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. After her retirement from the game she worked as a commentator for NBC and the USA Network and now usually participates in the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage.
4. Dorothea Douglass Chambers
One of the early starters in women’s tennis players, Dorathea Katherine Douglass Lambert Chambers from England won her first seven ladies single tiles in 1903. She was the one to play the longest Wimbledon final up to that time. She took retirement from singles in 1921 but continued as doubles player till 1927. From 1924 to 1926 she was captained Britain’s Wightman Cup team and turned to professional coaching in 1928.
5. Charlotte Cooper
Charlotte Reinagle Cooper, England, a very young lady was a member of the Ealing Lawn Tennis Club. In 1895, she won her first of five Wimbledon championships singles and continued to success. Also known as "Chattie" was a tall, slender and elegant woman but a powerful athlete who became the first women to win the Olympic Gold Medal. At her time when she was 30 she was called as "spinster" got married, during the same year when she could win her fourth Wimbledon championship. After living a family life she returned to active tennis and won her fifth Wimbledon championship (1908) at the age of 37, an age record that still stands. Till the age of 41, 1912, she was still tone of the best players. She died at the age of 96.
6. Lottie Dod
Lottie Dod starting her career at the age of 11 won her first Wimbledon title at the age of 15. An English athlete best known as tennis player won five times the Wimbledon Championships. She remains the youngest players to win the women’s singles tournament and press dubbed her as "Little Wonder". She was not only a tennis player but she also played golf, field hockey and archery. She is also named in the Guinness Book of Records as the most versatile female athlete of all time. She died at the age of 88, unmarried, listening to the Wimbledon radio broadcasts in bed.
7. Althea Gibson
The first African-American woman, Althea Gibson, become a competitor on the world tennis tour. She was the one to break "color barrier" and so sometimes she is referred as "the Jackie Robinson" of tennis. Under the assistance of a sponsor she moved in her tennis career from 1946. She was also the first black person to win a title at Wimbledon. She was also honored at the Associated Press Female Athlete of the year and that year she took retirement from tennis.
8. Chris Evert
Christine Marie Evert from United States is a former World No.1 woman tennis player. A daughter of Jimmy Evert, who himself is a professional tennis coach, started her tennis lessons at the age of 5 and become the No.1 ranked at 14-the one under girl, in United States (1970). Her tennis career gave her 18 Grand Slam singles, including a record 7 at French Open. One of the greatest writer Steve Flink in his book "The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century", named Chris Evert as the third best female player of 20th century after Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.
9. Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova, a former World No. 1 women tennis player was quoted by Billie Jean King as "She is the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who’s ever lived". She was named second best female player of 20th century in "The greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century", a book by Steve Flink. Tennis magazines have declared her as the greatest player for the years 1965 till 2005. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Starting her career with her first coach and her stepfather Miroslav Navratil, is famous for her superb volleying skills. She is left- handed. She won her first Grand Slam singles at Wimbledon defeating Evert in 1978. In 1985, she also released an autobiography entitled "Martina".
10. Steffi Graf
Stefanie Maria Graf, popularly known as Steffi, a former World No.1 ranked female tennis player is from Germany. She is the one who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles since the start of the open era and that too more than any other player (male or female). In 1999, December, the panel of Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden named Graf as the greatest female tennis player of 20th century. She also won Olympic Gold Medal in the year 1988 and was ranked No.1 player in the Women’s Tennis Association for a record of 377 weeks. Her father Peter Graf taught her basics of tennis at her age of 3. Soon she learnt the game and played her first tournament at the age of 5. She continued with the success in spite of her injury year 1991-1992, when she was defeated by Monica Seles, she continued to remain on her position. She got retired in 1999.
11. Monica Seles
Monica Seles, a Hungarian-American, is a professional tennis player who won 9 Grand Slam singles titles playing for Yugoslavia and United States. She learnt from her father Karoly Seles at the age of 6 and won her first tournament at the age of 9. She played her professional at the age of 14, 1988. She was ranked World No.6 when finished her first year on her tour. She was also remarked as "power player". After her come back in 1996 she won her fourth Australian Open and was ranked World No.3 player. She has also won a bronze medal at Olympic Games, Sydney, 2000. Tennis magazines have listed her as the 13th greatest player of all time. Monica Seles is unmarried and now lives in Florida.
12. Jennifer Capriati
The former world number one women’s tennis player from United States, Jennifer Capriati, won three Grand Slam single titles and a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1992. She became the youngest player to twin the French Open Junior singles title at the age of 13 and continued on the same position till 1993 where her record was broken by Martina Hingis. She was entitled with the youngest –ever semifinalist at the French Open at 14 yrs 2 moths. She was also the youngest-ever semifinalist in 1991 after defeating Martina Navratilova. After a break, she turned up back in 1996 as the Worlds No.1 ranking but after wining her first tournament in six years, 1999. Finally capturing the Australian Open title in 2001 she followed up capturing the French Open title five months later defeating Kim Clijester.
13. Martina Hingis
The former World No. 1 Swiss tennis player, Martina Hingis is also known as "Swiss Miss" won 5 Grand Slam singles titles, 9 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and 1 Grand Slam mixed doubles title. Setting the set of series of "youngest ever" At 12, she was the youngest palyer to win a Grand Slam junior title at the French Open. She withdrew from professional tennis because of ligament injuries in both of her ankles at very early age of 22. Taking a break for her ankle surgery she came back in 2002 and won Astralion Open doubles. Again she made a successful return to competition in 2005 where she lost and claimed that she has no plans to return back. But she made and all the wining we all saw her winning 5th singles title record at Tokyo finals tournaments, 2007 defeating Ana Ivanovic.
14. Kim Clijsters
Deep, powerful, well-placed groundstroker, Kim Clijster from Belgium is a former World No. 1 ranker in singles and doubles. Also known as Kim Kong, Killing Kim or Kim Possible, she won most of her career matches by her speed, power, and strength. Starting her career as runner-up in 1998 at Wimbledon Junior event she has been a successful player. Few critics quoted "too nice" for her and she replied "You don’t have to hate your opponents to beat them". Kim won 34 WTA singles titles and 11 WTA doubles title, U.S. Open single title (2005), French Open and Wimbledon Women’s doubles title (2003). She announced her retirement from game on May 6, 2007 to live a married life with American Basketball player Brain Lynch.
15. Lindsay Davenport
Daughter of Wink Davenport, member of U.S. Volleyball team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Lindsay Davenport is a former World No.1 American professional female tennis champion. In 1988 she won U.S Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 2000 Australian Open, the three Grand Slam singles tournaments. In 1996 she also won Olympic gold medal in singles. Lindsay Davenport has earned about US $21 million in prize money and recently in March 2007.
The list of Women Tennis stars is never ending. There is Maria Sharapova, Amelie Mauresmo, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Mary Pierce, Anna Kournikova, and not to forget Venus and Serena Williams Sisters.
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