6 Iconic winners of WTA Finals

Two legendsThe WTA Finals is the event where the crème de la crème of the Tour assembles to fight for the coveted season-ending title. A win in this tournament is a matter of much prestige and requires even harder work than the Slams as, unlike the Slams, here each opponent is a tough nut to crack.Since its inception in 1972, there have been many winners at the WTA Finals – some have managed to win it just once and some multiple times. With Agnieszka Radwanska taking a hard-fought victory tonight against the higher-seeded Petra Kvitova, it is the perfect time to take a look back at some of the most successful players in the history of this prestigious year-ending tournament.

#1 Martina Navratilova: 8 titles

Navratilova also took the Legends title in Singapore this year

Any mention of the WTA Finals remains incomplete without talking about Martina Navratilova. Till date, the 18-time Slam champion has remained its most successful winner with a whopping eight singles titles (1978-1979, 1981, 1983-1986) and 12 doubles titles!

The Czech-turned-American legend was simply ruthless at this championships and she went on a spectacular run of five consecutive title wins from 1983 to 1986 (including two wins in 1986), dispatching every opponent with consummate ease. What makes it an even more incredible effort is that her wins since 1984 were over best of five sets as the final of the WTA Finals used to be in that format from 1984-1998.

In doubles too, Navratilova was at the top of her game in the 1980s as she and Pam Shriver were an absolutely formidable pair and they scooped up 10 doubles titles. The two other doubles titles for Martina came with Billie Jean King and Betty Stove.

The ace has also won the legends title at this year’s tournament.

Martina Navratilova’s eight singles titles

1978 Martina Navratilova def Evonne Goolagong Cawley 7–6(7–0), 6–41979 Martina Navratilova def Tracy Austin 6–3, 3–6, 6–21981 Martina Navratilova def Andrea Jaeger 6–3, 7–6(7–3)1983 Martina Navratilova def Chris Evert 6–2, 6–01984 Martina Navratilova def Chris Evert 6–3, 7–5, 6–11985 Martina Navratilova def Helena Suková 6–3, 7–5, 6–41986 (Mar.) Martina Navratilova def Hana Mandlíková 6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–11986 (Nov.) Martina Navratilova def Steffi Graf 7–6(8–6), 6–3, 6–2

#2 Serena Williams: 5 titles

Williams won the title last year; she is on hiatus from tennis for the remainder of this year following the US Open

There is perhaps no tournament which the World No. 1 Serena Williams has not dominated. The ageless competitor that she is, Serena has been winning this elite event since 2001. However, the American’s second win came after quite a gap – in 2009 – and since then, she has added another three titles in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Interestingly, the 21-time major winner’s first win in 2001 came under the most unusual circumstances as Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the final due to a right knee injury that she sustained in her semi-final. That made Serena the first ever player to be crowned the WTA Finals champion on her maiden appearance. Out of the four finals that Williams have played, she has lost a set only once – in 2013 to Li Na.

Serena Williams’ titles

2001 Serena Williams def Lindsay Davenport walkover2009 Serena Williams def Venus Williams 6–2, 7–6(7–4)2012 Serena Williams def Maria Sharapova 6–4, 6–32013 Serena Williams def Li Na 2–6, 6–3, 6–02014 Serena Williams def Simona Halep 6–3, 6–0

#3 Steffi Graf: 5 titles

Graf at the WTA Championships in the 1990s; she is widely considered one of the GOAT of tennis

How can the Open Era’s most successful major winner be left out of this list? 22-time Grand Slam champion and one of the Greatest of All Time in the sport, has etched her name five times on the cup, currently known as the Billie Jean King Trophy.

Graf won five titles, prevailing over five different opponents. The German’s first victory came over Gabriela Sabatini in four sets in her breakthrough year of 1987. Her next win was in 1989, when as a 20-year-old she got the better of Navratilova in four sets.

Her last three victories were in 1993, 1995 and 1996 over Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Anke Huber and a 16-year-old Martina Hingis respectively. The final two triumphs required a lot of grit and stamina form the German icon as she had to battle for five sets.

Steffi Graf’s titles

1987 Steffi Graf def Gabriela Sabatini 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–41989 Steffi Graf def Martina Navratilova 6–4, 7–5, 2–6, 6–21993 Steffi Graf def Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–11995 Steffi Graf def Anke Huber 6–1, 2–6, 6–1, 4–6, 6–31996 Steffi Graf def Martina Hingis 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0

#4 Chris Evert:4 titles

Evert took the title at the 1977 event; she ended that year as world no. 1

18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert was supreme at the season-ending championships during her heyday. She triumphed in the first two editions in 1972 and 1973. In 1972, Evert was still an amateur 17-year-old, who, after winning had to forfeit her winner’s cheque.

In 1975, she met a young Navratilova in the summit clash and bested her in straights sets. The American megastar reached her sixth successive final in 1977 and went on to grab the crown once more, by getting the better of Sue Barker in three sets.

Chris Evert’s titles

1972 Chris Evert def Kerry Melville Reid 7–5, 6–41973 Chris Evert def Nancy Richey Gunter 6–3, 6–31975 Chris Evert def Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–21977 Chris Evert def Sue Barker 2–6, 6–1, 6–1

#5 Kim Clijsters: 3 titles

Clijsters beat Caroline Wozniacki to take the 2010 title in Doha

Belgian superstar Kim Clijsters captured a total of three titles at the Year-Ending Championships. Clijsters’ three titles came at different stages of her career – the first two arrived when she was still a fledgling talent in 2002 and 2003 and the last of the three titles came seven years later in 2010 when she was a mother making an incredible comeback to the Tour.

The first of her WTA Finals triumph remains a very commendable effort. Serena Williams was in immaculate form in 2002, having captured three Slams and was just one major win away from completing her first ‘Serena Slam’. But it was the 19-year-old Clijsters who not only beat Venus Williams in the semi-finals but also went on to stop the imperious Serena in the finale!

Kim Clijsters’ titles

2002 Kim Clijsters def Serena Williams 7–5, 6–32003 Kim Clijsters def Amélie Mauresmo 6–2, 6–02010 Kim Clijsters def Caroline Wozniacki 6–3, 5–7, 6–3

#6 Monica Seles: 3 titles

A 19-year-old Seles beat Martina Navratilova in ‘92 to take the title

With a bundle of talent and some impressive raw firepower, young Monica Seles appeared on the scene to take the tennis world by storm in 1990. That year, apart from winning her first French Open title, the 16-year-old also took the Year-Ending Championships, outlasting Gabriela Sabatini in five sets.

It was a historic feat since it was the first time since 1901 that a women’s match was stretched to five sets. She also became the youngest ever to win the WTA Finals.

The determined Seles came back the next two years to take the title in 1991 and 1992 with wins over Navratilova. In the process, she also emulated Navratilova’s hattrick of titles, achieved just a few years earlier.

Seles’ titles

1990 Monica Seles def Gabriela Sabatini 6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–21991 Monica Seles def Martina Navratilova 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–01992 Monica Seles def Martina Navratilova 7–5, 6–3, 6–1