The 15 countries to produce a US Open women’s singles champion in Open Era
Countless greats of the women’s game have lifted the US Open title in the Open Era.
With the 2024 tournament getting underway, we go back and look through the 16 countries that have produced a women’s champion since 1968.
United States – 9
The most successful nation in tennis history, America has produced nine women’s singles champions in the professional age.
Serena Williams and Chris Evert hold a joint record of six US Open titles each, with Martina Navratilova winning four times and Billie Jean King winning three of her four titles in the Open Era.
Venus Williams and Tracy Austin are two-time champions in New York, while Lindsay Davenport, Sloane Stephens, and reigning champion Coco Gauff have also all prevailed.
Germany – 2
One of tennis’ all-time greats, Steffi Graf won five of her 22 Grand Slam singles titles at Flushing Meadows.
The first of those victories came during her Calendar Slam of 1988, while she won for a final time in 1996.
Twenty years later, former world No 1 Angelique Kerber became the second German to lift the title.
Belgium – 2
Belgium developed into a tennis powerhouse in the mid-2000s thanks to the epic exploits of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.
Seven-time major champion Henin was twice a champion in New York, claiming her first title in 2003 and regaining her title in 2007 – her final Grand Slam victory.
After four previous major final losses, Clijsters finally broke her duck at the US Open in 2005 and, returning as a mum, won again in 2009 and 2010.
Australia – 2
Spanning the amateur and professional eras, no woman has won more Grand Slam singles titles than Margaret Court’s haul of 24 victories.
Three of the Australian’s five US Open victories came in the Open Era, lifting the title in 1969, 1970, and 1973.
Almost four decades on, compatriot Samantha Stosur won her first and only Grand Slam singles title at the event in 2011.
Russia – 2
The Russian tennis boom in the early to mid-2000s saw the nation’s two most successful female players of the era capture the US Open singles title.
The first to do so was Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is marking the 20th anniversary of her 2004 triumph this year.
Two years after Kuznetsova’s victory, Maria Sharapova claimed the second of her five major titles at the tournament.
Great Britain – 2
Four British women have won Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era, and two did so in New York.
Virginia Wade made history 56 years ago by lifting the title in 1968 and becoming the first women’s singles champion of the Open Era.
Three years ago, Emma Raducanu then made history of her own by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title.
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Japan – 1
Japan’s first and only Grand Slam singles champion to date, Naomi Osaka is a sporting icon in her home nation – and across the globe.
The former world No 1 won her first Slam at the US Open in 2018, and added a second Flushing Meadows crown to her collection in 2020.
Yugoslavia/Serbia – 1
A true icon of the sport and one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen, Monica Seles was a two-time champion.
The former world No 1 won her first title in 1991, and she successfully defended her title 12 months later.
Argentina – 1
One of the most popular players of all time, former world No 3 Gabriela Sabatini’s greatest career moment came at the US Open back in 1990.
After losing the final in 1988, Sabatini became the first – and currently only – Argentinian woman to win a major singles title with her triumph 34 years ago.
Switzerland – 1
One of the most dominant seasons in WTA history was delivered by Martina Hingis in 1997.
And, after victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, she went on to claim her sole US Open title later that summer.
Italy – 1
A first Italian champion was guaranteed in an all-Italian final nine years ago, and it was Flavia Pennetta who triumphed against compatriot Roberta Vinci.
The 26th seed defied the odds to lift her first major title in New York and retired just a few months later.
Canada – 1
Canada has produced a huge amount of talent in recent years, but so far only one player has managed to lift a Grand Slam singles title.
That was of course Bianca Andreescu, who stormed to her first, and so far only, major title at the US Open five years ago.
Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic – 1
The Czech Republic has punched well above its weight in terms of tennis talent, though only one woman representing the nation has lifted the US Open title.
That was four-time major winner Hana Mandlikova who, after losing the 1980 and 1982 finals, lifted her sole US Open title in 1985.
Poland – 1
The current world No 1 and a five-time Grand Slam champion, Iga Swiatek is the only Polish player of the Open Era to win a major.
Though best recognised for her Roland Garros dominance, the 23-year-old was the US Open champion two years ago.
Spain – 1
Spain’s greatest-ever female player, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is another best remembered for her Roland Garros exploits.
However, this year marks the 30th anniversary of one of her most memorable triumphs – her victory in New York back in 1994.
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