Great rivalries is something we want to see more on both the ATP and WTA tours. In women’s tennis, these matchups have produced some unforgettable moments, pushed players to new heights and captivated fans for decades. Here are some of the greatest rivalries in women’s tennis history.
1. Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova
Head-to-Head: Navratilova 43-37 (80 matches total) Grand Slam Finals: Navratilova 10-4 (14 meetings) Era: 1973-1988
This is widely considered the greatest rivalry in tennis history (image above). Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova met 80 times over 16 years, nearly twice as many meetings as any other women’s rivalry. Sixty of those matches were in finals.
The rivalry was defined by contrasts. Evert was the “Ice Maiden” – stoic, consistent, and methodical with her baseline game. Navratilova was emotional and aggressive with her serve-and-volley attack. Evert dominated clay courts; Navratilova owned grass. Their playing styles were mirror opposites, making every match a tactical chess match.
Between 1975 and 1987, one of them held the world No. 1 ranking for all but 23 weeks. Together they won 36 Grand Slam singles titles (18 each).
The rivalry evolved over time. Evert won 21 of their first 25 meetings, dominating the early years. But Navratilova went back to the gym, improved her fitness dramatically, and turned the tables. She won 30 of their last 39 meetings, including a 13-match winning streak in the early 1980s.
Their best match may have been the 1985 French Open final. After losing the first set, Navratilova rallied from 2-4, 0-40 down in the second to force a third set. At 5-5 in the third, Evert fought back from 0-40 on her own serve to take a 6-5 lead, then broke to win 6-3, 6-7, 7-5. At age 30, Evert reclaimed the No. 1 ranking.
They met in six consecutive Grand Slam finals between 1984 and 1985 and their final Grand Slam meeting came at the 1988 Wimbledon semifinals, with Navratilova winning in three sets.
Despite their fierce competition, they developed a close friendship that continues today. They supported each other through recent cancer diagnoses and remain close.
2. Steffi Graf vs. Monica Seles
Head-to-Head: Graf 10-5 Grand Slam Finals: Tied 3-3 Era: 1989-1996
This rivalry defined the early 1990s and featured two of the most dominant players of their generation. Graf had been No. 1 since 1987. Seles burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy with her powerful two-handed groundstrokes and fearless demeanor.
Seles won their first meeting at the 1990 French Open, snapping Graf’s 66-match winning streak. She then became No. 1 in 1991 and 1992, directly challenging Graf’s supremacy.
They met in three consecutive Grand Slam finals: the 1992 French Open and Wimbledon, and the 1993 Australian Open. Seles won the two French Open finals, while Graf won at Wimbledon.
The rivalry was tragically cut short in April 1993 when Seles was stabbed in the back during a match in Hamburg, Germany by an obsessed Graf fan who wanted Steffi to regain the No. 1 spot. Seles missed over two years at the peak of her career.
When Seles returned in 1995, Graf won both of their Grand Slam final meetings (1995 and 1996 US Open). While Seles competed at a high level after her return, she never fully reclaimed her previous dominance.
This rivalry will always be defined by what could have been. At 19 years old, Seles was ascending to greatness when the stabbing derailed her career.
Below watch the highlights from the Graf v Seles Final from the 1993 Australian Open:
3. Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams
Head-to-Head: Serena 19-12 (31 matches total) Grand Slam Meetings: Serena 11-5 Grand Slam Finals: Serena 7-2 (9 meetings) Era: 1998-2020
No rivalry in tennis is more unique than this one. Two sisters, both all-time greats, coached by their father Richard Williams, meeting on the biggest stages in sports.
Venus and Serena first played professionally at the 1998 Australian Open second round, with Venus winning. Their first Grand Slam final came at the 2001 US Open, where Venus won comfortably.
But Serena Williams soon took control. She won four consecutive Grand Slam finals against Venus from the 2002 French Open through the 2003 Australian Open – her first “Serena Slam.”
Their 2008 US Open quarterfinal is considered one of their most competitive matches, with Serena winning 7-6(6), 7-6(7) in a pair of tight tiebreaks.
Their final Grand Slam meeting came at the 2017 Australian Open final. Serena won 6-4, 6-4 to claim her 23rd Grand Slam title, surpassing Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22.
Together they won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals in doubles. Serena finished with 23 Grand Slam singles titles; Venus won seven.
The emotional complexity of competing against your sister, your best friend and doubles partner, made this rivalry compelling beyond just the tennis. After matches, they embraced and supported each other publicly.
4. Steffi Graf vs. Martina Navratilova
Head-to-Head: Tied 9-9 (18 matches total) Grand Slam Finals: Graf 4-2 Era: 1985-1994
Despite a nearly 13-year age gap, Graf and Navratilova produced an incredibly even rivalry. They met at the peaks of their respective careers, with their battles defining the late 1980s.
Their first Grand Slam final came at the 1987 French Open, where 17-year-old Graf defeated No. 1 Navratilova 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 in a classic changing-of-the-guard moment. Graf overcame a 3-5 deficit in the final set to win her first Grand Slam title.
They met in three consecutive Wimbledon finals (1987, 1988, 1989). Navratilova won the first; Graf won the next two on her way to the 1988 Golden Slam (all four majors plus Olympic gold in one year).
The 1988 Wimbledon final showcased Graf at her peak. After Navratilova led 7-5, 2-0, Graf won 12 of the last 13 games, breaking Navratilova in all of her last seven service games. It’s considered one of the greatest individual performances in women’s tennis history.
Their last Grand Slam meeting came at the 1991 US Open semifinals. No. 6-ranked Navratilova upset No. 1 Graf 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in an epic considered one of the greatest matches in US Open history. Navratilova was 34 at the time.
5. Justine Henin vs. Kim Clijsters
Head-to-Head: Clijsters 13-12 (25 matches total) Grand Slam Meetings: Henin 5-3 Grand Slam Finals: Henin 3-0 Era: 1998-2010
Belgium produced two of the greatest players of the 2000s in Henin and Clijsters. Together they won 11 Grand Slam singles titles and made Belgium a tennis powerhouse.
They first met in 1998, with their rivalry intensifying in the early 2000s. They met three times in Grand Slam finals – twice in 2003 (French Open and US Open) and once at the 2004 Australian Open. Henin won all three.
Henin dominated the Grand Slam finals (3-0 record), winning at the 2003 French Open (6-0, 6-4), 2003 US Open, and 2004 Australian Open. Clijsters had to wait until the 2005 US Open to win her first Grand Slam title.
The rivalry had an edge to it. In 2003, Clijsters publicly accused Henin of poor sportsmanship, claiming she faked injuries to distract opponents. The relationship between the two Belgian rivals was strained for years.
Both players retired early – Clijsters in 2007, Henin in 2008. Both also staged comebacks. Clijsters returned in 2009 and immediately won the US Open as an unranked player (with her daughter Jada stealing the show at the trophy ceremony). She won back-to-back US Opens in 2009-2010 and the 2011 Australian Open.
Henin returned in 2010 and reached the Australian Open final (losing to Serena Williams). They met three times during their comebacks, with Clijsters winning all three – including their final meeting at the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinal.
By the time they retired for good, their relationship had improved considerably. They played together in Fed Cup, texted each other, and found mutual respect.
Final tally: Henin won 7 Grand Slams and spent 117 weeks at No. 1. Clijsters won 4 Grand Slams and spent 20 weeks at No. 1.
Below highlights from their final of the 2023 US Open:
Honorable Mentions
Graf vs. Sanchez Vicario: Graf led 28-8 overall. Sanchez Vicario won the 1989 French Open final and 1994 US Open final in major upsets.
Evert vs. Goolagong: Evonne Goolagong’s seven Grand Slams came during the Evert era. Their contrasting styles (Evert’s baseline consistency vs. Goolagong’s varied attack with drop shots and net play) made for compelling matches.
Court vs. Goolagong: Margaret Court won all four of their Grand Slam final meetings. Billie Jean King also went 4-0 against Goolagong in major finals.
What Makes a Great Rivalry?
The best rivalries share common elements:
- Competitive Balance: The head-to-head records are relatively even, or the lower-ranked player wins the biggest matches
- Contrasting Styles: Evert’s baseline game vs. Navratilova’s serve-and-volley; Graf’s one-handed backhand vs. Seles’ two-handed power
- Era-Defining: They dominate their era and meet repeatedly in the most important moments
- Personal Narrative: Friendship (Evert-Navratilova), sisterhood (Serena-Venus), national pride (Henin-Clijsters), tragedy (Graf-Seles)
All of this remind us that the greatest champions are defined not just by their victories, but by the quality of their opponents.
Which is your favorite among the women’s rivalries and will we see another legend pairing in the coming years? Let us know in the comments below.
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