Gallery of Champions
Biggest ranking outsiders to win Slams
A look at the 16 players outside the Top 10 of the WTA Rankings this century.
01
/16
Justine Henin won four French Open titles, including 2005, when she was ranked World No.12 - although seeded 10th at Roland Garros.
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02
/16
When Jennifer Capriati won her debut major title at the 2001 Australian Open, she was the World No.14. By the end of the same year, she had ascended to the top of the ladder for the first time.
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03
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Although a major winner at the French Open, by the time that Garbiñe Muguruza defeated Venus Williams in the 2017 Wimbledon final, she had slipped to World No.15 and caused a shock by winning in SW19 as No.14 seed.
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04
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Bianca Andreescu capped a memorable 2019 by winning the US Open. Aged only 19 and 83 days, the Canadian was the World No.15 when she won in New York.
05
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In 2013, Marion Bartoli won Wimbledon without dropping a set. It was a feat made all the more remarkable given that she was the World No.15 and had failed to win her first 46 entries into a Grand Slam before finally breaking that run.
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06
/16
Maria Sharapova had just turned 17 when she won the 2004 title at Wimbledon. At the time, she was World No.15.
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07
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Another rising star to win a major from World No.15 is Sofia Kenin, who picked up the 2020 Australian Open from that position. She was 21 when she lifted the crown in Melbourne.
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08
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Venus Williams has a tremendous record at Wimbledon, winning The Championships on five occasions. In 2005, she picked up the title from No.16 in the world.
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09
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In 2010, Francesca Schiavone picked up the French Open title, which would be the sole major of her career. She was ranked No.17 in the world when she won in Paris.
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10
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Naomi Osaka burst into the spotlight when she won the 2018 US Open, overcoming Serena Williams in the final. She was World No.19 at the time.
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11
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The 2015 US Open final was an all-Italian affair, with World No.26 Flavia Pennetta overcoming the unseeded Roberta Vinci, 7-6(4), 6-2.
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12
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When Venus Williams won Wimbledon in 2007 from No.37 in the world, she became the lowest-ranked player to pick up the crown this century.
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13
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Jelena Ostapenko had not won a title of any sort on the WTA Tour before she produced a memorable run in Paris to win the 2017 French Open. She was the World No.47 at the time.
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14
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Serena Williams has rarely spent time outside the Top 10 during her legendary career but she was World No.81, having missed six months of the previous year, when she won the 2007 Australian Open.
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15
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Sloane Stephens was on the comeback from a foot injury when she won the 2017 US Open. She was World No.83 at the time she stormed to success over Madison Keys in New York.
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16
/16
Playing in just her third tournament back from a two-year absence from the game, Kim Clijsters won the 2009 US Open without a ranking. The Belgian defended the title the following year.
Photo by Getty Images
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