5 most dominant women in Australian Open history ft. Serena Williams, Steffi Graf

The Australian Open 2025 will get underway from January 12. Enthusiasm for the tournament is usually high as players are fresh after a break, and fans are eager to watch some tennis after the off-season.

Winning the season's first Major usually sets the tone for the remainder of the year for the victor. Players are keen to start the year on a high but only one can claim bragging rights in the end. Since the start of the Open Era in 1969, only 29 different women have won the tournament.

Out of those 29 champions, only a few of them have won the tournament multiple times. Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will be aiming to join an elite club by winning her third straight title here this year. With that in mind, here's a look at the most successful female players in Australian Open history:

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#5 - Margaret Court

Margaret Court at the Australian Open 2013. (Photo: Getty)

Court racked up most of her accolades prior to the Open Era. However, she was the player to beat even after that. Having accomplished the Calendar Year Grand Slam in the Amateur Era, she achieved the feat for the second time in 1970, starting with a successful title defense at the Australian Open.

Court claimed the Melbourne Major for the third time in the Open Era with another title defense in 1971. She didn't compete in 1972 as she was pregnant, though she picked up from where she left off in 1973. She started the year by winning the season's first Major for the fourth time.

Court's final Open Era tally in Melbourne stood at four titles, with a 21-1 record. She lost to Martina Navratilova in the quarterfinals in her final appearance at the venue in 1975.

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#4 - Evonne Goolagong

Evonne Goolagong at the Australian Open 2019. (Photo: Getty)

Goolagong initially lived in the shadow of her illustrious compatriot Court. However, she became a top player in her own right over the years. She reached her maiden Grand Slam final in front of her home crowd at the Australian Open in 1971 but came up short against Court. She overcame that disappointment by winning the French Open and Wimbledon later that year, her first two Major titles.

Goolagong was the runner-up in Melbourne for the next two years as well. She finally laid her hands on the winner's trophy in 1974 and defended her crown in 1975 and 1976. The tournament was held twice in 1977, and she didn't compete in the January edition, bringing an end to her three-year reign.

Goolagong did take part in the December edition and won her fourth title at the venue, and her last. She finished her career with a 41-10 record at the Australian Open, and with four titles.

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#3 - Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf at the Australian Open 1999. (Photo: Getty)

Graf's triumph at the Australian Open in 1988 laid the foundation for the Golden Slam, which she would accomplish that year. She won the remaining three Majors and the gold medal at the Olympics. She remains the only player to have done this in the same year.

Graf maintained her status as the Queen of Melbourne for the next two years as well. She was finally beaten by Jana Novotna in the quarterfinals in 1991. She didn't compete in 1992 and had to remain content with the runner-up trophy in 1993.

The German was back in the winner's circle in 1994 when she won her fourth and final title Down Under. She competed only two more times after that, with her last appearance being a quarterfinal loss in 1999. She had a 47-6 six record at the venue, which translated to an 89 percent winning rate.

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#2 - Monica Seles

Monica Seles at the Australian Open 2002. (Photo: Getty)

Seles made quite an impression at the Australian Open. Not only did she win the title on her debut in 1991, but also became the first woman in the Open Era to win the tournament after saving a match point. She did the same against Mary Joe Fernandez in the semifinals.

Seles maintained her perfect winning record over the next two years by sweeping the titles Down Under. After the unfortunate stabbing attack on her in April 1993, she remained out of the limelight for the next couple of years. She returned to the tour in 1995 and competed in Melbourne for the first time in 1996.

It was as if she never left. Seles made a triumphant return and captured the Australian Open title for the fourth time. Following another two-year absence, she returned once again in 1999 and tasted defeat for the first time after losing to Martina Hingis in the semifinals.

The loss snapped Seles' 33-match unbeaten run. Her 1994 triumph was her final victory Down Under, as well as her last Major title. She had four titles and a 43-4 record here by the end of her career, with a 91 percent winning rate.

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#1 - Serena Williams

Serena Williams at the Australian Open 2017. (Photo: Getty)

Williams' haul of seven Australian Open titles is the most among women in the Open Era. She won her first title here in 2003, which was also her fourth Major title on the trot, and she completed the "Serena Slam" for the first time. She subsequently won more titles in 2005, 2007, and 2009.

After winning the title every alternate year, Williams finally managed to win back-to-back titles with a title defense in 2010. It was her fifth title here, and she also claimed the Open Era record for most titles in Melbourne with the win, breaking the tie with the previous four women on this list.

Williams didn't taste success in Melbourne until 2015 after that when she won her sixth title here. She came quite close to defending her title the following year but was beaten by Angelique Kerber in the final.

Williams stormed to her seventh Australian Open title in 2017 and did so without losing a set. It was also her 23rd Major title and set a new Open Era record by surpassing Graf's count of 22 titles. The American had a 92-13 record in Melbourne at the end of her career, with an 88 percent winning rate.