The French Open, also known as Roland Garros, is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. As one of the four Grand Slam tennis events held annually, it is a coveted tournament to win for all tennis players.
These are the women who have won the most French Open singles titles since the Open Era began in 1968. Prior to 1968, only amateur tennis players could compete at the Grand slam tennis events. In 1968, the four Grand Slam events (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open) allowed professional tennis players to compete as well.
Prior to the Open Era, women tennis players who won the French Open multiple times include, Suzanne Lenglen (six titles), Francoise Masson (five), Kate Gillou (four), Jeanne Matthey (four), and Helen Wills (four). Except for Wills, who was from the United States, all the other women were from France.
Tennis Players Who Have Won the French Open the Most Times (Women)
1. Chris Evert (United States) – 7
American Chris Evert won the French Open a record seven times in her great career. Chris won at Roland Garros in 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, and 1986. Her seven wins at the French Open are the most by any women, including before the Open Era.
Chris Evert is tied with Rafael Nadal for the most wins at the French Open by any player since the Open Era began. In addition to seven French Open wins, Chris Evert also won the U.S. Open six times, Wimbledon three times, and the Australian Open twice, for 18 total Grand slam singles titles.
Evert would have won even more Grand Slam titles, but she only played the Australian Open six times in her career, and she skipped the French Open from 1976-1978. Chris won the French Open in 1974 and 1975, and then again in 1979 and 1980, so you have to think she would have won it at least once, and probably in all three years she skipped the tournament.
Chris Evert was 197-1 in matches she played on clay from 1973 to 1981. That’s an incredible record. She skipped the French Open from 1976 to 1979 to play World Team Tennis events instead.
2. Steffi Graf (Germany) – 6
German Steffi Graf won the French Open six times, which is the second most by a woman since the Open Era began. Steffi won at Roland Garros in 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, and 1999.
In addition to her six French Open titles, Steffi Graf also won Wimbledon seven times, the U.S. Open five times, and the Australian Open four times in her amazing career. That’s 22 total Grand Slam singles titles, which is the most by any player since the Open Era began.
3. Justine Henin (Belgium) – 4
Belgian Justine Henin won the French Open four times, which is the third most by a woman in the Open Era. Justine won at Roland Garros in 2003, and then consecutively from 2005 to 2007.
In addition to four French Open titles, Justine Henin also won twice at the U.S. Open, and once at the Australian Open, for seven career Grand Slam singles titles. Justine made two finals at Wimbledon, but she never won the most prestigious title in all of tennis.
As a big tennis fan, it’s surprising that Justine never won at Wimbledon, but that has to count against her when talking about the all-time greatest tennis players.
T-4. Margaret Court (Australia) – 3
Margaret Court actually won the French Open five times in her career, but only three of her wins came during the Open Era. Margaret won at Roland Garros in 1962 and 1964, before the Open Era, and then in 1969, 1970, and 1973, during the Open Era.
In total, Margaret Court won 24 Grand Slam singles titles in her career, with 11 of them coming during the Open Era. In 1970, she won a true Grand Slam by winning the singles titles at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open in the same calendar year.
The only other woman to win a true Grand Slam in the Open Era is Steffi Graf, who did it in 1988. Graf also won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1988, for what is known as a Golden Slam.
T-4. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (Spain) – 3
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario won the French Open three times in her career. Arantxa won at Roland Garros in 1989, 1994, and 1995.
In addition to three French Open titles, Arantxa also won the U.S. Open once, for four career Grand Slam singles titles. She made the finals at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice each in singles play, but never won either tournament.
T-4. Monica Seles (Serbia) – 3
Monica Seles won the French Open consecutively from 1990 through 1992. Monica would probably have won more titles at the French Open in her career, but she was never really the same player after she was stabbed in the back by a crazed Steffi Graf fan during a match in Germany in 1993.
In addition to her three French Open titles, Monica Seles also won four Australian Open titles, and two U.S. Open titles, for nine career Grand Slam singles titles. Only one of her titles, a 1996 win at the Australian Open, came after the 1993 stabbing in Germany.
7. Martina Navratilova (United States) – 2
Martina Navratilova, who was born in what is now the Czech Republic but became an American citizen in 1981, won the French Open in 1982 and 1984. In addition to her two wins at Roland Garros, Martina Navratilova also won Wimbledon nine times, the U.S. Open four times, and the Australian Open three times, for 18 career Grand Slam singles titles.
