The 6 women with most Italian Open titles: Serena Williams with 4, Iga Swiatek joint fifth

Oli Dickson Jefford 05 May 2025 3:12 PM

Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams at the Italian Open.

The Italian Open is one of the most prestigious tournaments in tennis, and six different women have won the title three times or more since the start of the Open Era in 1968.

=5) Maria Sharapova – Three titles (2011-12, 2015)

Despite early struggles on clay, Sharapova would ultimately thrive on the dirt – with her three triumphs in Rome among her greatest successes.

The Russian beat Sam Stosur in straight sets to claim her first title in 2011, before successfully defending her title thanks to a thrilling three-set victory over Li Na in 2012.

Sharapova would claim her third and final title in 2015, rallying from a set down to beat Carla Suarez Navarro.

=5) Iga Swiatek – Three titles (2021-22, 2024)

Swiatek heads into the 2025 Italian Open searching for her fourth Rome title, having won the event in three of the last four years.

The Pole sensationally claimed her first WTA 1000 title at the event in 2021 with an astonishing 6-0, 6-0 triumph over former winner Karolina Pliskova, before downing Ons Jabeur to defend her title in 2022.

After retiring injured in her quarter-final in 2023, Swiatek bounced back in 2024 with an emphatic run to the title, capped off by beating chief rival Aryna Sabalenka in the championship match.

=2) Gabriela Sabatini – Four titles (1988-89, 1991-92)

Sabatini was one of the leading players of her era, and her consistency towards the very top is highlighted by her four Italian Open triumphs in the space of five years.

After losing in the 1987 final, the former world No 3 claimed her first title in 1988 with a three-set victory over Helen Kelesi.

Sabatini would then successfully defend her title in 1989 with a three-set triumph against Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, a battle of future Grand Slam winners.

The Argentine missed out on a third straight title in 1990 but bounced back in 1991 and 1992 with further back-to-back victories, beating Monica Seles in both finals.

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=2) Conchita Martinez – Four titles (1993-96)

Former world No 2 Martinez dominated in Rome across the mid 1990s, with the Spaniard winning a staggering four straight titles at the event.

Martinez ended Sabatini’s reign with victory in the 1993 final, and then defended her title in 1994 with victory over tennis icon Martina Navratilova.

The Spaniard then saw off compatriot Sanchez Vicario in straight sets to complete a successful ‘three-peat’, before easing past Martina Hingis to seal a fourth consecutive triumph in 1996.

Martinez nearly made it five titles in a row in 1997, though she was ultimately beaten by Mary Pierce in the final.

=2) Serena Williams – Four titles (2002, 2013-14, 2016)

Williams is somewhat underrated as a clay-courter, and her four Italian Open titles makes this her most successful event on the dirt.

The US star won the title for the first time in 2002, dispatching key rival and clay-court icon Justine Henin in straight sets to triumph.

Eleven years later, Williams finally captured her second title with an emphatic win over Victoria Azarenka, before brushing aside Sara Errani in 2014 to defend her crown.

After withdrawing midway through the 2015 tournament, the former world No 1 returned in 2016 and captured her fourth title, beating compatriot Madison Keys in the final.

1) Chris Evert – Five titles (1974-75, 1980-82)

Tennis legend Evert holds an array of records on clay courts, and among them is her tally of five Italian Open women’s singles titles.

Evert won her first Rome title in 1974 with victory over Navratilova, and she beat her great rival once again in the final twelve months later.

Five years later, the American regained her title with a rallying three-set triumph over Virginia Ruzici, before defeating the Romanian for the second straight year in 1981.

Evert claimed her final Italian Open title with an emphatic victory over Hana Mandlikova in 1982, though she would also finish as the runner-up in 1984.