The 14 women to win a Grand Slam after saving a match point: Serena Williams has done it three times

Shahida Jacobs
Pictured: Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Madison Keys
From left to right: Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Madison Keys

Madison Keys has become only the 14th woman to win a Grand Slam after saving a match en route to the title with Serena Williams the only player to achieve the feat more than once.

Martina Navratilova was the first to come back from the brink in 1986 with Keys the most recent to join the club.

Incredibly, the feat has happened nine times at the Australian Open and 14 times since 2000.

The 15 women to win a Grand Slam after saving a match point:

1. Serena Williams – 2003, 2005 Australian Open and 2009 Wimbledon

Let’s start with the only player to have done it more than once with the legendary Serena Williams first pulling it off at the 2003 Australian Open as she saved two match points during her three-set semi-final win over Kim Clijsters in the semi-final. She then defeated sister Venus Williams in three sets in the final to claim her maiden title at Melbourne Park.

Two years later she saved two match points against Maria Sharapova in the semi-final and then beat Lindsay Davenport in the final on Rod Laver Arena.

At Wimbledon in 2009, Williams again had to save a match point, this time in the semi-final against Elena Dementieva before she again beat Venus in the final.

2. Martina Navratilova – 1986 US Open

While Williams has done it three times, Navratilova was the first to achieve it as her milestone came at the 1986 US Open. The Czech-born American saved three match points against teen star Steffi Graf (17) in the semi-final. She ended up beating Helena Sukova in straight sets in the final.

3. Monica Seles – 1991 Australian Open

Barely a year after winning the 1990 French Open at the age of 16, Monica Seles again showed experience well beyond her years as she saved a match point against Mary Joe Fernandez at Melbourne Park in the last four.

After winning the three-setter, Seles went on to beat Jana Navotna in the 1991 Australian Open final.

4. Jennifer Capriati – 2002 Australian Open

It would take another decade for the achievement to be repeated as Jennifer Capriati saved four match points against Martina Hingis in the final. The American was 6-4, 0-4 down, but somehow managed to come away with a 4–6, 7–6 (9–7), 6–2 victory.

5. Anastasia Myskina – 2004 French Open

After Serena’s 2003 feat, Anastasia Myskina was next to pull it off as she became the first player to do it at Roland Garros. She saved a match point against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round

She went on to beat compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final to become the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.

6. Justine Henin – 2005 French Open

After failing to convert a match point against Myskina in 2004, Svetlana Kuznetsova again lost out in 2005, this time against Justine Henin in the last 16.

Henin saved two match points during a three-set win and ended up beating Mary Pierce 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

7. Venus Williams – 2005 Wimbledon

Lindsay Davenport served for the trophy as she was 6-4, 6-5 up against Venus Williams, but the latter saved a match point and ended up winning 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 9-7

8. Li Na – 2014 Australian Open

Three years after becoming the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title when she lifted the French Open, Li Na found herself match point down at 5-6 in the second set against Lucie Safarova in the third round.

She averted disaster and won 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 before defeating Dominika Cibulkova in a two-set final.

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9. Angelique Kerber – 2016 Australian Open

Angelique Kerber faced a first-round exit at Melbourne Park as she was down against Misaki Doi, but she saved a match point and won 6-7 (4-7), 7-6(8-6), 6-3.

Kerber went on to beat Serena Williams in three sets in the final to win her maiden Grand Slam and she remains the only player to save a match point in the first round of a major before lifting the trophy.

10. Caroline Wozniacki – 2018 Australian Open

The Australian Open does love a comeback win as Caroline Wozniacki joined the list in 2016 as she saved two match points and came from 1-5 down in the third set to beat Jana Fett in the second round.

The Dane was the last player standing as she defeated Simona Halep in the final to lift her one and only major trophy.

11. Naomi Osaka – 2021 Australian Open

A few months after winning her third major at the 2020 US Open, Naomi Osaka saved two match points during her fourth-round win over Garbine Muguruza at the Australian Open.

Osaka then beat Serena Williams in the semi-final and Jennifer Brady in the final to lift her fourth Grand Slam trophy.

12. Barbora Krejcikova – 2021 French Open

World No 33 Barbora Krejcikova won both the singles and doubles title at Roland Garros in 2021, but her journey was nearly ended by Maria Sakkari in the semi-final.

She saved a match point and then beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final.

13. Iga Swiatek – 2024 French Open

Defending champion Iga Swiatek received a tricky draw as she was paired with former world No 1 Naomi Osaka in the second round. Although not known for her clay-court game, Osaka had a match point against the queen of clay, but Swiatek saved it.

The Pole came away with a 7-6 (7-1), 1-6, 7-5 win and then beat Jasmine Paolini in the final.

14. Madison Keys – 2025 Australian Open

Madison Keys beat 10th seed Danielle Collins, sixth seed Elena Rybakina, 28th seed Elina Svitolina, second seed Iga Swiatek and top seed Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden Grand Slam.

Against Swiatek she was match point down in the decider, but 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) before also beating defending champion Sabalenka in straight sets in the final.