WTA Finals: Who has won the most tour titles?
The WTA Finals undoubtedly holds a special place on the tennis calendar. This is the pinnacle of the season in women’s tennis, and it only brings together those who deserve it for their performance alone.
As a result, the list of former winners reads like a who’s who of women’s tennis greats.
So, who won the most coveted title in history? Let’s take a closer look.
=5 Justin Henin – 2 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 2006, 2007
Belgian women once dominated the WTA, and Justine Henin was one of them. She won three Grand Slam titles between 2006 and 2007 before losing in the final, and she cemented her relative dominance by winning back-to-back Tour finals.
In fact, such is the quality of Henin that it is perhaps surprising that she was limited to just two.
=5 Martina Hingis – 2 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 1998, 2000
When Martina Hingis burst onto the scene as a teenager in the mid-1990s, the world thought she would dominate the WTA for a decade.
Although she won an astonishing five singles Grand Slams in two years, starting with the 1997 Australian Open, she didn’t quite get there. During this time, she also won one WTA Finals title and another in 2000, as well as three doubles titles in 1999, 2000 and 2015.
=5 Gabriela Sabatini – 2 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 1988, 1994
Argentinian star Gabriella Sabatini may have never translated her obvious talent into a Grand Slam title, although it’s fair to say she was playing in an era when women’s tennis was extremely competitive.
She is actually the only player on this list with more WTA Tour Finals titles than singles Grand Slam titles, but her achievements should not be underestimated in the slightest.
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=5 Evonne Goolagong Cawley – 2x Champion
WTA Finals Champion: 1974, 1976
Evonne Goolagong can be said to be a pioneer of the WTA and a major dominant force in the 1970s. She won 14 Grand Slam titles, 7 in singles and 7 in doubles.
It will therefore come as a surprise to no one that her career also saw her win two Tour Finals in 1974 and 1976, when she was at the peak of her powers.
=4 Kim Clijsters – 3 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 2002, 2003, 2010
Kim Clijsters is another Belgian player who made an impression on the WTA in the 2000s, successfully combining power with baseline to create a special brand of elegant tennis.
Her remarkable career saw her win major championships during her early retirement in 2007. Two of her four Grand Slam titles came after her comeback, as did one of her three WTA Finals titles.
=4 Monica Seles – 3 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 1990, 1991, 1992
It’s impossible to talk about Monica Seles without a strong hint of what-if. In fact, Seles is arguably the greatest “what if” in all sports, not just tennis. She won eight Grand Slam titles as a teenager and dominated the WTA, but a knife attack by a fan of rival Steffi Graf cast a shadow on her confidence and career.
During those incredible years when she couldn’t lose, she also dominated the WTA Finals, winning three in a row between 1990 and 1992.
3 Chris Evert – 4 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977
Chris Evert has won many accolades during her illustrious career and the WTA Finals is not immune to her talent in any way. Like Goolagong, she was an important part of the ultra-competitive world of women’s tennis in the 1970s.
Still, she won nearly half of the WTA Finals during that decade, which really highlights what a special player she was.
= 2 Serena Williams – 5 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
You’d never write a feature about the back-to-back WTA champions without Serena Williams on the list, and her dominance and sheer longevity means you’re always a little surprised to discover her Not at the top of the list.
However, that was the case at the WTA Finals. Her five titles are a remarkable achievement, one that was advanced by only one equally outstanding woman. That said, competition has never been particularly important to Serena.
= 2 Steffi Graf – 5 Champions
WTA Finals Champion: 1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996
Steffi Graf’s career has always felt relatively short compared to others. Not really, but she did feel unbeatable at her peak. Incredibly, Graf won 22 singles titles, all but one of which came within eight years from 1988 to 1996.
Her dominance was also reflected in those years at the WTA Finals, where she won five titles.
1 Martina Navratilova – 8 titles
WTA Finals Champion: 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 (x2)
Tennis loves its “GOAT” debate, and you’d be hard-pressed to beat Martina Navratilova by any standard. She won 167 singles titles during her career, including 18 Grand Slam titles, a public record. However, this is only half the story. Despite her many victories, she also won 177 double titles – including 41 major championships.
Her eight Tour Finals wins are part of an incredible run of titles, a number that even the best players in history cannot come close to.
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