Every January, the Australian Open takes over Melbourne’s hard courts captivating the tennis community. Margaret Court holds the record for the most wins in the women’s singles at the Australian Open ruling the amateur era with 11 titles and achieving one of the most remarkable feats in tennis history. Nowadays, players like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina continue this legacy.

Margaret Court playing at the Dutch Open in Hiversum on 2nd August 1970.
Margaret Court playing at the Dutch Open in Hiversum on 2nd August 1970.
Photo Credit: Eric Koch for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Top 5 Most Wins in Australian Open Women’s Singles

Here are the top 5 players with the most wins in Australian Open women’s singles with records spanning both the Amateur Era (before 1968) and the Open Era (after professionals were allowed).

RankPlayerTitles
1Margaret Court11
2Serena Williams7
3Nancye Wynne Bolton6
4Daphne Akhurst5
5Evonne Goolagong Cawley4

Margaret Court (11 Titles)

Years Won: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
Era: Amateur Era & Open Era

Margaret Court is the most successful champion in the history of the Australian Open. She secured 11 singles titles including an incredible run of seven consecutive wins from 1960 to 1966. She triumphed over some of the top players of her era such as Billie Jean King and Evonne Goolagong. In total, she reached 12 finals winning 11 of them and her record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles remains unmatched. This is why Melbourne named the stadium Margaret Court Arena.

Serena Williams (7 Titles)

Years Won: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
Era: Open Era

Serena Williams is known as the queen of the Australian Open during the Open Era, having won 7 titles from 2003 to 2017. She has never lost a final in Melbourne boasting a perfect record of 7-0. Her victories include matches against some of the biggest names in tennis such as Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin. With a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, her dominance and longevity in the sport solidify her status as one of the greatest players of all time.

Nancye Wynne Bolton (6 Titles)

Years Won: 1937, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1951
Era: Amateur Era

Nancye Wynne Bolton was a prominent figure in Australian tennis during the Amateur Era. She secured six singles titles at the Australian Championships from 1937 to 1951. Although her career faced a setback due to World War II, she made a powerful comeback post-war clinching three consecutive titles without dropping a single set. Overall, she achieved a total of 20 titles at the Australian Championships which included singles, doubles and mixed doubles. In 2006, the International Tennis Hall of Fame honored her with induction.

Daphne Akhurst (5 Titles)

Years Won: 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930
Era: Amateur Era

Daphne Akhurst was the first tennis superstar from Australia. In the 1920s, she secured five titles at the Australian Championships only losing once in the finals. Esna Boyd fiercely competed with her and she became the first Australian woman to reach the world’s top 10 ranking. Unfortunately, she died young in 1933 but her legacy continues as the women’s trophy at the Australian Open bears her name. With her induction into the Hall of Fame, Akhurst is celebrated as one of the trailblazers of women’s tennis in Australia.

Evonne Goolagong Cawley (4 Titles)

Years Won: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
Era: Open Era

Evonne Goolagong Cawley was a tennis superstar during the 1970s Australian Open. She clinched four titles and reached the finals for seven consecutive years. Her most memorable achievement happened in 1977 when she won the Australian Open while being a mother. Throughout her journey, she triumphed over legends such as Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. With a total of seven Grand Slam singles titles, she is regarded as one of Australia’s most cherished tennis icons. She even has a court named after her at Melbourne Park.