ComScore
sports

Queens of Tennis: Recent Women's US Open Champions

US Open Womens Champions mobile
Jason Koeppel // ONE37pm

So, you're wondering who all of the recent women's US Open Champions are? Let's get in to it!

Both tennis mega-fans and casual viewers of the sport can agree that there is something special about the US Open. Perhaps it's the way that it effortlessly wraps up the summer, or maybe it's the fact that all the pros bring their A-game to the hard courts in NYC. Arthur Ashe stadium has seen some epic matches, including legendary battles between the best women to have ever picked up a racket. 

Related: Serena Williams 5 Best US Open Matches

In preparation for the upcoming 2023 US Open, let’s take a look back at some of the most recent women’s US Open Champions:

2022: Iga Świątek

GettyImages 1424598626
Tim Clayton - Corbis
  • Runner Up: Ons Jabeur
  • Home Country: Poland

Several months after her win at the 2022 French Open, Iga Świątek came into the US Open hungry for her next major title. Then 21-years-old (currently 22) she had already won the French Open twice, making this her third title, though she would go on to win the French Open again in 2023. 

The 2022 US Open will be remembered as the farewell tournament for US Open legend, Serena Williams, but beyond that, the performance that Świątek put on to win the tournament was one to remember. She only lost one set in the entire tournament, and eventually defeated Ons Jabeur in two sets in the finals to win her first US Open. Świątek is a favorite to win again in 2023.  

2021: Emma Raducanu

GettyImages 1235225537
Xinhua News Agency / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Leylah Fernandez
  • Home Country:  England

Emma Raducanu’s US Open win was one to be remembered, because by winning, she became the first qualifier to win a major. A qualifier gets a spot in the major tournament by playing in a pre-tournament, as opposed to qualifying based on their world-ranking like many of the pros. She was also only the second player to win the US Open on her first time playing in the tournament. Raducanu did not lose a single set during the entire tournament, including the final round where she defeated Leylah Fernandez in two sets.

2020: Naomi Osaka

GettyImages 1272163141 e1701202565826
Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Victoria Azarenka
  • Home Country: Japan

Naomi Osaka entered the US Open seeded fourth, after dropping from her No. 1 ranking after a couple of losses in tournaments leading up to the Open. The 2020 US Open took place in the midst of the pandemic and the rise of activism related to confronting police brutality in America. She used her platform during the tournament to raise awareness to these causes.

Osaka dropped the first set 1-6 in the finals against her competitor, Victoria Azarenka, but went on to win the next two sets, making her the first woman to win the US Open single final after going down the first set since 1994.  

2019: Bianca Andreescu

GettyImages 1166629863
Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Serena Williams
  • Home Country: Canada

Bianca Andreescu’s US Open title in 2019 was her first major title, and it was also the first major singles title for a Canadian. Andreescu was only 19 years old when she won the US Open, defeating Serena Williams in the final in two sets. Andreescu climbed from the 15th spot in the world rankings to being ranked 5th in the world with her win at the Open.

2018: Naomi Osaka

GettyImages 1029442908 e1701202622548
Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Serena Williams
  • Home Country: Japan

With her 2018 US Open victory, Osaka won her first major title, though it would not be her last. Osaka became the first Japanese player to win a major title. This win helped her break the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. She only lost one set during the tournament, and beat her opponent, Serena Williams, in two sets in the finals.

2017: Sloane Stephens

GettyImages 912345348
Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Madison Keys
  • Home Country: United States

Sloane Stephens was unseeded when she entered the US Open, but that did not stop her from winning the tournament and becoming the first unseeded woman to win the US Open title since 2009. All four of the semifinalists at the 2017 US Open were from the US, and in the finals it came down to Americans Stephens and her opponent Madison Keys, who she defeated in two sets.

2016: Angelique Kerber

GettyImages 609731110
Tim Clayton - Corbis / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Karolina Pliskova
  • Home Country: Germany

The match-up between Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova in the 2016 US Open final was an exhilarating back and forth between the two players who both entered the tournament ranked in the top 10 in the world. Kerber came away victorious, winning the first and third sets, thus earning her a second major title and ultimately the No. 1 spot on the world rankings. 

2015: Flavia Pennetta

GettyImages 488028858
Jean Catuffe / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Roberta Vinci
  • Home Country: Italy

Flavia Pennetta became the first woman to win her first major title after turning 30 when she won the US Open in 2015. She defeated her competitor and fellow Italian, Roberta Vinci, in the finals in two sets. Pannetta was a seasoned veteran when it came to major tournaments, though this was the first time she won one. Following her win, Pennetta walked away on top, retiring from her tennis career at the end of the 2015 season.

2014: Serena Williams

GettyImages 454876890 e1691697092724
Julian Finney / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Caroline Wozniacki 
  • Home Country: United States

No list of women's US Open Champions would be complete without Serena Williams! Her domination of the US Open continued on in 2014, as this was her third year in a row winning the tournament. With this win, Williams tied the record for US Open titles, as this was her sixth. She dominated throughout the tournament, never losing a set, or even losing more than three games in one set. 

2013: Serena Williams

GettyImages 180084894
Maddie Meyer / Getty Images
  • Runner Up:  Victoria Azarenka
  • Home Country: United States

The 2013 matchup between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka was back-to-back rematch between the pair, both of which ended with Williams coming out on top. The only set that Williams lost in the entire tournament was the second set of the finals. This was the midst of one of the great peaks of Serena Williams’ storied career, as her 2013 victory was sandwiched between the same outcome the year prior and the year to follow.

2012: Serena Williams

GettyImages 151704579
Mike Stobe
  • Runner Up:  Victoria Azarenka
  • Home Country: United States

2012 was the start of Williams’ three year domination of the US Open. She entered the tournament fresh off her Wimbledon and Olympic wins. Azarenka did not shy away from the challenge of facing a red-hot Williams in the finals, as she fought to bring the finals to three sets for the first time since 1995, but in the end, Williams was able to pull off the win.

2011: Samantha Stosur

GettyImages 124719359
Patrick McDermott / Getty Images
  • Runner Up: Serena Williams
  • Home Country: Australia

For the first time ever, no representatives from the United States were seeded in the top at the US Open in 2011. Serena Williams was the highest seeded American at number 28. Williams made it all the way to finals, but was defeated in the finals by Samantha Stosur. This was Stosur’s first and only major singles title.

Who will be the next to crack the list of recent women's US Open Champions? Tweet us @137pm and let us know!

Did you like this article?
Thumbs Up
Liked
Thumbs Down
Disliked