All the instances when an unseeded player won a Grand Slam Singles title

#9 Serena Williams, 2007 Australian Open

Williams defied all odds to win the 2007 Australian Open

Serena Williams had a very disappointing 2006 as injuries and depression kept her out of the sport for a long time which resulted in the American falling out of the Top 100 of the WTA rankings for some time. Serena entered the 2007 Australian Open ranked 81st in the world and was considered by many to be “out of shape”.

However, she began her tournament pretty well by winning her first two matches easily before defeating 5th seed Nadia Petrova in a tight three-setter. Serena then defeated 11th seed Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final in two years.

In the quarter-finals, Serena came from a set down to defeat 16th seed Shahar Pe’er and defeated 10th seed Nicole Vaidisova in two tight sets to reach the final where she would play top seed Maria Sharapova, their first encounter since the 2005 Australian Open semi-finals.

Unlike that game, this one was way too one-sided as Serena dropped only three games in demolishing the Russian 6-1, 6-2 to win her third Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam title.

#10 Kim Clijsters, 2009 US Open

Clijsters is the only female wildcard to win a Grand Slam

Almost two years after winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2005 US Open, Kim Clijsters announced her retirement from the sport. However, in 2009, after playing an exhibition match at Wimbledon’s Center Court, Clijsters announced that she would be returning back to tennis.

The Belgian received a wildcard into the main draw of the 2009 US Open and began her tournament by dropping only two games in her first round victory over Ukrainian Viktoriya Kutuzova. In the second round, she defeated future Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli in three sets before defeating compatriot Kirsten Flipkens in the third round to set up a fourth round encounter against Venus Williams, their first game since the quarter-finals of the 2005 US Open.

Both players bageled each other in the first two sets before Clijsters won the third 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals where she registered a routine victory over Li Na to set up a semi-final clash against Serena Williams. Clijsters defeated Serena in straight to reach the final against 9th seed Caroline Wozniacki.

Clijsters defeated Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 to become the first female wildcard winner of a Grand Slam and only the second player to do so after Goran Ivanisevic at the 2001 Wimbledon Championships.