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List of Australian Open women's singles champions

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Australian Open women's singles champions
LocationMelbourne
Australia
VenueMelbourne Park
Governing bodyTennis Australia
Created1922 (established)
Editions98 events (2024)
56 events (Open Era)
SurfaceGrass (1922–1987)
Rebound Ace (1988–2007)
Plexicushion
(2008–present)
Prize moneyA$ 4,000,000 (2018)
TrophyDaphne Akhurst Memorial Cup
WebsiteAustralian Open
Most titles
Amateur era7: Margaret Court
Open era7: Serena Williams
Most consecutive titles
Amateur era7: Margaret Court
Open era3: Margaret Court
3: Evonne Goolagong
3: Steffi Graf
3: Monica Seles
3: Martina Hingis
Current champion
Aryna Sabalenka

The Australian Open[a][b] is an annual tennis tournament created in 1905 and played on outdoor hard courts[c][d] at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.[6]

The women's singles was first contested in 1922 along with the women's and mixed doubles competition as the last three events to be added. The Australian Open is played during two weeks mid-January, and has been chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the tennis season since 1987. The event was not held from 1940 to 1945 because of World War II, and 1986 because Tennis Australia wanted to move the tournament start from mid-December 1986 to mid-January 1987.[1][7] Margaret Court holds the all-time record for singles titles at this tournament with 11; 7 in the Amateur Era and 4 in the Open Era. Serena Williams holds the Open Era record with 7 singles titles.

History

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Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne, Australia have all held the event. The competition switched locations every year before it settled in 1972 at the Kooyong Stadium, moving to Flinders Park, now Melbourne Park, in 1988.[1] Several calendar changes took place for the Australian Open, from January to December in 1972 to bypass the January-to-June International Lawn Tennis Federation (ITLF) ban of World Championship Tennis (WCT) players; from late to early December in 1977 to avoid the Christmas holidays, which resulted in having two Opens in the season;[8] and back to January, when the planned December 1986 edition was moved to early 1987, leaving no Open for the 1986 season.[9][10]

An all British and an all American final were contested in 1935 and 1979 respectively, but otherwise every other final contested until 1980 featured an Australian player.

The women's singles' rules have undergone several changes, since the first edition. This event has been contested in a knockout format, and all matches played at the best-of-three sets.[6] Since 1922, all sets have been decided in the advantage format, with six games and two games difference. The lingering death best-of-twelve points tie-break was introduced in 1971, and used for the first two sets since then, except from 1980 to 1982, when the tie-break was also played in final sets.[6][11]

The court surface changed once, from grass (1922–1987) to hard courts, since the move to Flinders Park in 1988.[1][3][4] No tennis player has won this event on both grass and Rebound Ace; Serena Williams is the only player to win the tournament on two different surfaces, winning her first three titles on Rebound Ace and her last four on Plexicushion.[2]

The champion receives a miniature replica of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, named after the five-time champion, which was first awarded to the champion in 1934.[12] In 2010, the winner received prize money of A$2,100,000.[13]

In the Australasian Championship, Margaret Molesworth (1922–1923) and Daphne Akhurst (1925–1926) co-hold the records for most wins and most consecutive wins.[7]

In the Australian Championships, Margaret Court (1960–1966) holds the records for most titles with seven wins, and most consecutive titles with seven from (1960–1966).[7]

In the Australian Open, Serena Williams (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009–2010, 2015, 2017) has the most victories, with seven. The record for most consecutive titles is three held by the following players: Margaret Court (1969–1971), Evonne Goolagong (1974–1976), Steffi Graf (1988–1990), Monica Seles (1991–1993), Martina Hingis (1997–1999).[7]

Overall in the Championship's history, Margaret Court (1960–1973) holds the records for most titles with eleven wins, and most consecutive titles with seven from (1960–1966).[7]

This event has been won in straight sets during the Open Era of tennis by the following players: Margaret Court in 1969, 1970 and 1973, Virginia Wade in 1972, Kerry Melville Reid in 1977 January, Evonne Goolagong in 1975, 1976 and 1977 December, Chris O'Neil in 1978, Barbara Jordan in 1979, Hana Mandlíková in 1980 and 1987, Martina Navratilova in 1983, Steffi Graf in 1988, 1989 and 1994, Monica Seles in 1992 and 1996, Mary Pierce in 1995, Martina Hingis in 1997, 1998 and 1999, Lindsay Davenport in 2000, Jennifer Capriati in 2001, Amélie Mauresmo in 2006, Maria Sharapova in 2008, Victoria Azarenka in 2012, Li Na in 2014 and Serena Williams in 2007, 2009, 2015 and 2017.

Finals

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Australasian Championships

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Year[e] Country Champion Country Runner-up Score in the final[14]
1922  AUS Margaret Molesworth  AUS Esna Boyd 6–3, 10–8
1923  AUS Margaret Molesworth  AUS Esna Boyd 6–1, 7–5
1924  AUS Sylvia Lance Harper  AUS Esna Boyd 6–3, 3–6, 8–6
1925  AUS Daphne Akhurst  AUS Esna Boyd 1–6, 8–6, 6–4
1926  AUS Daphne Akhurst  AUS Esna Boyd 6–1, 6–3

Australian Championships

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Year[e] Country Champion Country Runner-up Score in the final[14]
1927  AUS Esna Boyd  AUS Sylvia Lance Harper 5–7, 6–1, 6–2
1928  AUS Daphne Akhurst  AUS Esna Boyd 7–5, 6–2
1929  AUS Daphne Akhurst  AUS Louie Bickerton 6–1, 5–7, 6–2
1930  AUS Daphne Akhurst  AUS Sylvia Lance Harper 10–8, 2–6, 7–5
1931  AUS Coral Buttsworth  AUS Marjorie Cox Crawford 1–6, 6–3, 6–4
1932  AUS Coral Buttsworth  AUS Kathleen Le Messurier 9–7, 6–4
1933  AUS Joan Hartigan  AUS Coral Buttsworth 6–4, 6–3
1934  AUS Joan Hartigan  AUS Margaret Molesworth 6–1, 6–4
1935  GBR[f] Dorothy Round  GBR Nancy Lyle 1–6, 6–1, 6–3
1936  AUS Joan Hartigan  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton 6–4, 6–4
1937  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Emily Hood Westacott 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1938  USA Dorothy Cheney  AUS Dorothy Stevenson 6–3, 6–2
1939  AUS Emily Hood Westacott  AUS Nell Hall Hopman 6–1, 6–2
1940  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Thelma Coyne Long 5–7, 6–4, 6–0
1941 No competition (due to World War II)[g]
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Joyce Fitch 6–4, 6–4
1947  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Nell Hall Hopman 6–3, 6–2
1948  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Marie Toomey 6–3, 6–1
1949  USA Doris Hart  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton 6–3, 6–4
1950  USA Louise Brough  USA Doris Hart 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1951  AUS Nancye Wynne Bolton  AUS Thelma Coyne Long 6–1, 7–5
1952  AUS Thelma Coyne Long  AUS Helen Angwin 6–2, 6–3
1953  USA Maureen Connolly  USA Julia Sampson Hayward 6–3, 6–2
1954  AUS Thelma Coyne Long  AUS Jenny Staley 6–3, 6–4
1955  AUS Beryl Penrose  AUS Thelma Coyne Long 6–4, 6–3
1956  AUS Mary Carter Reitano  AUS Thelma Coyne Long 3–6, 6–2, 9–7
1957  USA Shirley Fry Irvin  USA Althea Gibson 6–3, 6–4
1958  GBR Angela Mortimer  AUS Lorraine Coghlan 6–3, 6–4
1959  AUS Mary Carter Reitano  RSA Renée Schuurman 6–2, 6–3
1960  AUS Margaret Smith  AUS Jan Lehane 7–5, 6–2
1961  AUS Margaret Smith  AUS Jan Lehane 6–1, 6–4
1962  AUS Margaret Smith  AUS Jan Lehane 6–0, 6–2
1963  AUS Margaret Smith  AUS Jan Lehane 6–2, 6–2
1964  AUS Margaret Smith  AUS Lesley Turner Bowrey 6–3, 6–2
1965  AUS Margaret Smith  BRA Maria Bueno 5–7, 6–4, 5–2, retired
1966  AUS Margaret Smith  USA Nancy Richey walkover
1967  USA Nancy Richey  AUS Lesley Turner Bowrey 6–1, 6–4
1968  USA Billie Jean King  AUS Margaret Court 6–1, 6–2

Australian Open

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A blonde haired woman in a white polo shirt
Steffi Graf is a four-time champion and won three times consecutively
A brown haired woman, in black pants and blue shirt with a microphone in hand
Monica Seles is a four-time champion and won three times consecutively
A black woman with a blue dress holding a tennis racket out in front of her
American Serena Williams is a seven-time champion, which is an Open Era record.
Naomi Osaka is a two-time champion.
Ashleigh Barty won the title in 2022, becoming the first Australian woman to win the title in 44 years.
Year[e] Country Champion Country Runner-up Score in the final[14]
1969  AUS Margaret Court  USA Billie Jean King 6–4, 6–1
1970  AUS Margaret Court  AUS Kerry Melville 6–1, 6–3
1971  AUS Margaret Court  AUS Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 7–6(7–0), 7–5
1972  GBR[f] Virginia Wade  AUS Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 6–4
1973  AUS Margaret Court  AUS Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 7–5
1974  AUS Evonne Goolagong  USA Chris Evert 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 6–0
1975  AUS Evonne Goolagong  TCH[h] Martina Navratilova[i] 6–3, 6–2
1976  AUS Evonne Goolagong  TCH Renáta Tomanová 6–2, 6–2
1977 (1)[j]  AUS Kerry Melville Reid  AUS Dianne Fromholtz 7–5, 6–2
1977 (2)[j]  AUS Evonne Goolagong  AUS Helen Gourlay 6–3, 6–0
1978  AUS Chris O'Neil  USA Betsy Nagelsen 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
1979  USA Barbara Jordan  USA Sharon Walsh 6–3, 6–3
1980  TCH[h] Hana Mandlíková  AUS Wendy Turnbull 6–0, 7–5
1981  USA Martina Navratilova[i]  USA Chris Evert 6–7(7–4), 6–4, 7–5
1982  USA Chris Evert  USA Martina Navratilova 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1983  USA Martina Navratilova  USA Kathy Jordan 6–2, 7–6(7–5)
1984  USA Chris Evert  TCH Helena Suková 6–7(4–7), 6–1, 6–3
1985  USA Martina Navratilova  USA Chris Evert 6–2, 4–6, 6–2
1986 No competition (due to date change)[k]
1987  TCH Hana Mandlíková  USA Martina Navratilova 7–5, 7–6(7–1)
1988  FRG[l] Steffi Graf  USA Chris Evert 6–1, 7–6(7–3)
1989  FRG Steffi Graf  TCH Helena Suková 6–4, 6–4
1990  FRG Steffi Graf  USA Mary Joe Fernández 6–3, 6–4
1991  YUG[m] Monica Seles  TCH Jana Novotná 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
1992  YUG Monica Seles  USA Mary Joe Fernández 6–2, 6–3
1993  YUG Monica Seles  GER[l] Steffi Graf 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1994  GER Steffi Graf  ESP Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–0, 6–2
1995  FRA Mary Pierce  ESP Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–3, 6–2
1996  USA[m] Monica Seles  GER Anke Huber 6–4, 6–1
1997   SUI Martina Hingis  FRA Mary Pierce 6–2, 6–2
1998   SUI Martina Hingis  ESP Conchita Martínez 6–3, 6–3
1999   SUI Martina Hingis  FRA Amélie Mauresmo 6–2, 6–3
2000  USA Lindsay Davenport   SUI Martina Hingis 6–1, 7–5
2001  USA Jennifer Capriati   SUI Martina Hingis 6–4, 6–3
2002  USA Jennifer Capriati   SUI Martina Hingis 4–6, 7–6(9–7), 6–2
2003  USA Serena Williams  USA Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4
2004  BEL Justine Henin  BEL Kim Clijsters 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
2005  USA Serena Williams  USA Lindsay Davenport 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
2006  FRA Amélie Mauresmo  BEL Justine Henin 6–1, 2–0 retired
2007  USA Serena Williams  RUS Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2
2008  RUS Maria Sharapova  SRB Ana Ivanovic 7–5, 6–3
2009  USA Serena Williams  RUS Dinara Safina 6–0, 6–3
2010  USA Serena Williams  BEL Justine Henin 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
2011  BEL Kim Clijsters  CHN Li Na 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
2012  BLR Victoria Azarenka  RUS Maria Sharapova 6–3, 6–0
2013  BLR Victoria Azarenka  CHN Li Na 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
2014  CHN Li Na  SVK Dominika Cibulková 7–6(7–3), 6–0
2015  USA Serena Williams  RUS Maria Sharapova 6–3, 7–6(7–5)
2016  GER Angelique Kerber  USA Serena Williams 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
2017  USA Serena Williams  USA Venus Williams 6–4, 6–4
2018  DEN Caroline Wozniacki  ROU Simona Halep 7–6(7–2), 3–6, 6–4
2019  JPN Naomi Osaka  CZE Petra Kvitová 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–4
2020  USA Sofia Kenin  ESP Garbiñe Muguruza 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
2021  JPN Naomi Osaka  USA Jennifer Brady 6–4, 6–3
2022  AUS Ashleigh Barty  USA Danielle Collins 6–3, 7–6(7–2)
2023 [n] Aryna Sabalenka  KAZ Elena Rybakina 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
2024 [n] Aryna Sabalenka  CHN Zheng Qinwen 6–3, 6–2

Statistics

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Multiple champions

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Player Amateur Era Open Era All-time Years
 Margaret Smith Court (AUS) 7 4 11 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
 Serena Williams (USA) 0 7 7 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
 Nancye Wynne Bolton (AUS) 6 0 6 1937, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1951
 Daphne Akhurst Cozens (AUS) 5 0 5 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930
 Evonne Goolagong (AUS) 0 4 4 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977(Dec)
 Steffi Graf (GER)[l] 0 4 4 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia United States Monica Seles (YUG / FRY / USA)[m] 0 4 4 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996
 Joan Hartigan Bathurst (AUS) 3 0 3 1933, 1934, 1936
 Martina Hingis (SUI) 0 3 3 1997, 1998, 1999
 Martina Navratilova (USA)[i] 0 3 3 1981, 1983, 1985
 Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 0 2 2 2012, 2013
 Coral Buttsworth (AUS) 2 0 2 1931, 1932
 Jennifer Capriati (USA) 0 2 2 2001, 2002
 Chris Evert (USA) 0 2 2 1982, 1984
 Thelma Coyne Long (AUS) 2 0 2 1952, 1954
 Hana Mandlíková (CZE) 0 2 2 1980, 1987
 Margaret Molesworth (AUS) 2 0 2 1922, 1923
 Naomi Osaka (JPN) 0 2 2 2019, 2021
 Mary Carter Reitano (AUS) 2 0 2 1956, 1959
Aryna Sabalenka[o] 0 2 2 2023, 2024

Champions by country

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Country Amateur Era Open Era All-time First title Last title
 Australia (AUS) 33 11 44 1922 2022
 United States (USA) 7 18 25 1938 2020
 Germany (GER)[l] 0 5 5 1988 2016
 Great Britain (GBR) 2 1 3 1935 1972
  Switzerland (SUI) 0 3 3 1997 1999
 Belarus (BLR) 0 2 2 2012 2013[o]
 Belgium (BEL) 0 2 2 2004 2011
 Czechoslovakia (TCH)  0 2 2 1980 1987
 France (FRA) 0 2 2 1995 2006
 Japan (JPN) 0 2 2 2019 2021
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 0 2 2 1991 1992
 China (CHN) 0 1 1 2014 2014
 Denmark (DEN) 0 1 1 2018 2018
 Russia (RUS) 0 1 1 2008 2008
 Yugoslavia (FRY) 0 1 1 1993 1993

See also

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Australian Open other competitions

Grand Slam women's singles

Notes

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  1. ^ Known as the Australasian Championships (1905–1926) and as the Australian Championships (1927–1968) during the Amateur Era.[1]
  2. ^ The tournament entered the Open Era with the 1969 edition, allowing professional players to compete alongside amateurs.[1]
  3. ^ Since 1988, Rod Laver Arena features a retractable roof and lights, allowing indoor and night-time play.[2]
  4. ^ The Australian Open specifically uses Plexicushion Prestige hardcourts, categorized as a "Medium" speed surface by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).[3][4][5]
  5. ^ a b c Each year is linked to an article about that particular event's draw.
  6. ^ a b Three wins by players from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922–present).
  7. ^ The tournament was not held from 1941 to 1945 because of World War II.[7]
  8. ^ a b Czechoslovakia (TCH, 1918–1992), does not include the totals of Czech Republic (CZE, 1993–present) and Slovakia (SVK, 1993–present).
  9. ^ a b c Martina Navratilova was born in Czechoslovakia, but competed as an American after the US Open in 1975, having sought asylum in the United States, which made her relinquish her Czechoslovakian citizenship.[15]
  10. ^ a b Two Australian Opens were in held in 1977 because of a date change, the first in January and the second in December.[8]
  11. ^ The tournament was not held in 1986 because of a date change. See 1986 Australian Open tournament.[9][10]
  12. ^ a b c d FRG was West Germany, but after unification in 1990 became just Germany (GER).
  13. ^ a b c Monica Seles won her first three titles as a Yugoslavian, but the last one was won as an American after gaining citizenship.
  14. ^ a b On 1 March 2022, the WTA announced that players from Belarus will not be allowed to compete under the name or flag of Belarus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[16]
  15. ^ a b Aryna Sabalenka is from Belarus and won in 2023 and 2024, but was competing as a neutral competitor in both years because on 1 March 2022, the WTA announced that players from Belarus will not be allowed to compete under the name or flag of Belarus following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[17]

References

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General
  • "Grand Slam Tournaments – Australian Open" (PDF). usta.com. United States Tennis Association. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  • "Women's Singles". Australian Open. 31 January 2010. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e Foenander, Tristan. "History of the Australian Open – the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific". australianopen.com. IBM, Tennis Australia. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Rod Laver Arena". mopt.com.au. Melbourne & Olympic Parks. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  3. ^ a b Schlink, Leo (14 January 2008). "Plexicushion replaces Rebound Ace at Australian Open". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  4. ^ a b Bevan, Chris (11 January 2008). "On-court blues for Aussie tennis?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  5. ^ "List of Classified Court Surfaces". itftennis.com. ITF Licensing. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  6. ^ a b c "Tournament profile – Australian Open". atpworldtour.com. ATP Tour, Inc. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Grand Slam Tournaments – Australian Open" (PDF). usta.com. United States Tennis Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  8. ^ a b "1977 Grand Slam calendar". atpworldtour.com. ATP Tour, Inc. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  9. ^ a b "1986 Grand Slam calendar". atpworldtour.com. ATP Tour, Inc. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  10. ^ a b "Australian Open – History – Year-by-year". australianopen.com. IBM, Tennis Australia. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  11. ^ "Roddick survives 83-game epic". The Guardian. 22 January 2003. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  12. ^ Jones, Cathy (March 2006). "Daphne Akhurst Australian Tennis Champion" (PDF). Strathfield Scene. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  13. ^ "Australian Open – Prize Money". australianopen.com. IBM, Tennis Australia. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  14. ^ a b c "Women's Singles". ausopen.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Women's Singles". australianopen.com. IBM. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  16. ^ "Joint Statement by the International Governing Bodies of Tennis". WTA Tour. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Joint Statement by the International Governing Bodies of Tennis". WTA Tour. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
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