Only three women have ever achieved the ultimate tennis feat

Sport & Games · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Winning a Grand Slam is the pinnacle of the sport, but conquering all four in a single calendar year is a rarity that borders on the impossible. Since 1888, only three women have managed to do it, with one standing alone as the only person to add an Olympic gold to the mix.

The definition of a 'Grand Slam' depends on the timeframe: winning all four majors in one calendar year is the ultimate feat. If a player wins them consecutively but across different years, it is a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam. Winning any four at some point in a career constitutes a Career Grand Slam. The most prestigious version, the 'Golden Slam,' requires winning all four majors plus an Olympic gold medal—a feat achieved only by Steffi Graf.

The history of these records dates back to 1884, though the modern era began in April 1968 when professional prize money was introduced. Before this, players were amateurs who received no prize money and were compensated only for travel expenses. The four majors we recognize today—Wimbledon (founded 1877), the US Open (1881), the French Open (1891), and the Australian Open (1905)—have been played annually since 1905, with few exceptions like the World Wars or specific years like 1986 and 2020.

Statistical nuances often complicate these records. For instance, historical win percentages can be adjusted based on whether a match was a 'default' or a 'walkover,' which some sources do not count as official losses. While the WTA Tour and International Tennis Federation provide the primary data for modern records, many pre-Open Era titles remain incomplete, making the full history of women's tennis an ongoing archival project.

The French Open is a notable exception in historical record-keeping, only being considered a Grand Slam tournament from 1925 onwards. This distinction highlights how the 'all-time' records are not just about athletic dominance, but also about the evolving structure of the sport itself.

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