Women’s sports are becoming more recognized across the world, with viewership increasing every year. In tennis, the popularity of the women’s tournaments is having a positive impact on women’s athletics in general. Discover more about the history of women’s tennis in the United States, including famous competitors from the past and present.
Historical Overview of Women’s Tennis
Women’s tennis has been present in the United States for over a century. The sport was introduced to America in the 1870s, and by 1887, the first professional women’s event, the U.S. Women's National Singles Championship, was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Such a fast development was, and still is, an impressive progression in women’s athletics!
In the early days, it was a social sport for the wealthy, and matches were often held at private clubs. But even then, women began making their mark. By the 1920s, the U.S. had become a major center for competition.
Early Pioneers
Since the 1870s and 1880s, there have been many star American athletes. Women’s tennis reached new levels of popularity beginning in the Open Era (since 1968), which is where many of the first stars are known. But, even in the Early and Amateur Eras (1870s to 1968), there were a few stand-out names.
Ellen Hansell won the first U.S. Women's National Singles Championship in 1887.
Helen Wills Moody was a household name in the 1920s and 30s. In her career, she won eight Wimbledon singles, seven U.S. Championships, four French Championships, and two Olympic gold medals.
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory was one of the earliest and most successful figures in the sport in the United States. The Norwegian-American won eight U.S. singles titles between 1915 and 1926, which was a record-breaking achievement at the time. It was decades before she was surpassed.
In the 50s, Althea Gibson broke barriers both in sport and society. She became the first Black woman to win a Grand Slam title, claiming the French Open in 1956, then Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships in 1957 and 1958.
These early athletes helped set the stage for the incredible players in the next few decades.
10 Legendary U.S. Female Tennis Players
The Open Era began in 1968. It was a pivotal moment in the sport. That was the year Grand Slam championships started opening the competition to pros and amateurs alike. Previously, only amateurs were allowed to compete. This development led to bigger money prizes for champions and a surge of popularity in the sport around the world.
This era has yielded many famous women tennis players. Since many of these women have achievements spanning from before the Open Era, you’ll need to disregard their accomplishments from before ‘68 if you want to compare all athletes pound-for-pound. We are including pre-Open Era achievements since they are part of the athletes’ record sheet.
The Open Era is ongoing, so we’ll be talking about competitors from the 60s to the early 2010s, with a dedicated entry of active contemporary pros in the next section.
1. Billie Jean King
Billie Jean is one of the most famous female athletes, period. Among her list of achievements are triumphs such as being the first American to win Olympic Gold in women’s singles, securing four US Opens, earning two Career Grand Slams, one in 1972 (singles) and the other in 1968 (mixed doubles), and 39 wins in total. She also holds a total of 20 Wimbledons across various categories.
Outside of her incredible athleticism, King also advocated for equal prize money for female athletes in the sport starting in the early 1970s, and helped establish the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973.
She is also famous for winning the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” against Bobby Riggs, a male athlete vs female athlete match to prove women deserved equal consideration in the sport.
Learn more about the men in the sport.
Face your fears; live your passions, be dedicated to your truth.
Billie Jean King
2. Chris Evert
Chris Evert was the first player to be ranked No. 1 on the WTA, a position she held for 260 weeks, solidifying her status as a modern celebrity. She was almost unstoppable, failing to appear in the semi-final just four times out of 56 appearances. Evert was known for being one half of one of the most famous rivalries in history, with Martina Navratilova.
3. Martina Navratilova
Although born in Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova became a U.S. citizen and one of the greatest American women tennis players ever. Known for her unique and effective serve-and-volley style, she frequently faced Evert for some of the most charged matches in the sport's history. The two were such a popular rivalry for their clear advantages in play style. Navratilova dominated on grass and hard courts, while Evert handily won on clay courts.
Beyond her achievements on court, Navratilova became a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and athlete equality, showing how female athletes can influence both athletics and society.
Changes made to please others are unrealistic, but more important, they're unfair to you.
Martina Navratilova
4. Serena Williams
Serena Williams is often considered one of the greatest athletes in history. She holds 23 Opens singles, which is the most in the Open Era, plus 14 doubles wins with her sister Venus, and she is the only player to have ever achieved a Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.
Serena was ranked world No. 1 for more than 300s weeks. She has multiple Career Grand Slams to her name with multiple records attached. Some of those records include being the fifth woman to hold all four Open singles titles simultaneously and being the oldest player to hold all Open singles titles simultaneously.
Her incredible success has led her to be a global ambassador for women, especially Black women in sports.
Everything requires discipline, hard work and dedication, and, most importantly, self-belief.
Serena Williams
5. Venus Williams
The only reason Venus isn’t on the list of contemporary best athletes is simply because she is past her athletic prime, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a fierce competitor. While she holds fewer wins than other names on this list, her history of consistent appearances in high-stakes tournaments means she is a solidly excellent player.
Five US athletes have won gold in singles: Helen Wills, 1924; Jennifer Capriati, 1992; Lindsay Davenport, 1996; Venus Williams, 2000; Serena Williams, 2012.
Like Billie Jean King, Venus is known for demanding equal prize money at Wimbledon. Her efforts successfully led to a change across all major tournaments, helping ensure that future generations of women would be paid and respected on the same level as men.
6. Lindsay Davenport
Throughout her active years, Davenport was ranked world No. 1 for 98 weeks. As both an athlete and a person, she is very well-respected, with a great leadership and sportsmanship attitude. In 2000, she was voted by journalists at the French Open as the winner of the Prix Orange for displaying fairness, kindness, availability, and friendliness. Her powerful play style contributed to the rise in the ‘power’ era.
7. Jennifer Capriati
Capriati began her profession extremely young, finding immediate success and making it to the French Open semi-finals the same year. She faced personal challenges early on (likely due to immense pressure and fame at such a young age), but was able to make a strong comeback.
Her story is an inspiration in athleticism and in the power of second chances and never giving up on yourself. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.
I've never fooled anyone I'm the fastest person in the world or the skinniest. I know my game, I work hard at it and I do the best with what I was given. But that's not good enough for some people. If this is how people try to knock me down, I can take it. I'm the one in the semi-finals.
Jennifer Capriati
8. Tracy Austin
Another youth prodigy, Austin won her first U.S. Open title in 1979 at just 16 years old, becoming the youngest Open singles champion at the time. Unfortunately, she suffered from injuries in 1981 and a car accident in 1989, which kept her from playing consistently for many years. Still, she managed 2 US Open wins in singles and a Wimbledon doubles win. Later, she became a respected commentator, continuing to contribute to the sport long after her playing days.
9. Nancy Richey
Richey was a force to be reckoned with in her day. She captured two Opens singles titles the Australian Open in 1967 and the French Open in 1968, and was a vital member of the U.S. Fed Cup team. Plus, she was the first woman to win the French Open in the Open Era. In 1965, she was even ranked No. 1 by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA), jointly with Billie Jean King.
10. Rosie Casals
Casals is known for her formidable playing record as well as her contribution to women’s equality in athletics. Casals’ talent was recognized by Billie Jean King, who asked Casals to be her doubles partner. The pair went on to have one of the most successful runs in women’s doubles history. She, along with King and seven other trailblazing women, created the “Original Nine.” The group actively worked to improve the pay disparity and increase media attention for women in the sport.
Current Top US Female Tennis Players
The contemporary generation of female stars features powerful competitors who are making the sport more popular. Their athleticism helps compel committees to increase pay rates and improve media exposure for women's leagues. Plus, the matches are genuinely interesting for fans and inspiring for people who look up to the athletes. Here are some of the star athletes presently working to help female athletes gain the recognition they deserve.
Watch their stats, rankings, and ratings to see their progression!
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff turned pro in 2018 at just 14 and is already a two-time Grand Slam champion. She made headlines at Wimbledon 2019, defeating Venus Williams and reaching the fourth round. Gauff won her first U.S. Open title in 2023 and her second at the French Open in 2025. Off the court, Gauff supports her community through charitable work, including housing initiatives and scholarships for student-athletes attending HBCUs.
Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula is building momentum as one of the most consistent athletes on tour. She premiered on the Open circuit in 2011 at the US Open, and while she has yet to secure a championship title, she has appeared in 27 competitions since. Pegula has earned WTA wins in both singles and doubles, and represented the United States in the Olympics.
With her winnings and support from her wealthy family, Pegula helps rescue and train dogs to become service animals, as well as help people in need afford to adopt them.
Speaking things into existence is real. I've been trying to speak more positively of myself and actually telling myself that I'm a great player.
Coco Gauff
Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova first gained international attention when she reached the French Open semifinals in 2019 at just 17 years old, which made her the youngest American to make it to an Open semifinal since Venus Williams in 1997.
She has already racked up impressive achievements so far, such as defeating Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open qualifying rounds and winning the 2017 US Open girls' singles title. In 2022, she took a hiatus from playing, but returned in 2023 with renewed vigor. Her openness about her mental health and subsequent improvement is a public testament to the importance of taking care of your mental health, setting a good example for others.
Impact of Female Tennis Players Beyond the Court
Women’s tennis has long been a pioneering sport for women athletes. The US Open was one of the first athletic competitions to allow women to compete (1887), giving the athletes a national platform long before other sports did.
The women in the sport before the Open Era were determined and effective. In 1970, a group of women known as the Original 9 broke away from the main organization to create their own tour, the Virginia Slims Circuit, which later became the WTA.
Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Judy Dalton, Julie Heldman, Billie Jean King, Kerry Melville, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, Valerie Ziegenfuss.
In 1973, the US Open was the first sporting tournament in history to award equal prize money for both men and women winners; a direct result of the Original 9’s efforts and the famous Battle of the Sexes match.
The ripple effect of these women’s contributions has been seen across multiple sports and segments of society. More women’s athletics (and other professions) are slowly creeping towards equality in terms of pay and media exposure. In society, fans and non-sport-watchers alike are absorbing the message that women should earn equal respect for athleticism and more.
Individual athletes throughout history have made substantial contributions to society, afforded to them by their fame and fortune:
- Sloane Stephens: Established the Sloane Stephens Foundation in 2013, which uses the sport as a medium to help elevate underserved and undereducated kids develop healthy emotional and life skills. Additional academic assistance helps them have a better chance of securing a future above poverty.
- Venus and Serena Williams: Have contributed to many philanthropic pursuits, such as the Yetunde Price Resource Center for people affected by trauma, several initiatives to help people obtain masks and food during the pandemic, plus organizations like UNICEF, Build African Schools, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
- Billie Jean King: Beyond her efforts as an athlete, she has created and contributed to efforts such as the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative to help create discrimination-free workspaces, and served on the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Women’s Sports Foundation.
These American female stars, plus the many others mentioned in this article and beyond, have each helped society, whether by just existing as a woman in athletics or through charitable causes.
Women's tennis is an underrated sport, both in athletic terms and in terms of its worldwide influence. Over the years, the amazing competitors have worked hard to improve conditions within their sport, which has also positively affected the world.
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