Australian · Albury, Australia · Born 16 July 1942Australian who holds the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles and completed the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1970.
Margaret Court, born Margaret Smith, was born on 16 July 1942 in Albury, on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, and grew up in modest circumstances, first playing tennis through public courts and local competitions, with her earliest racquet reportedly a timber paling. Her family lived across the road from 24 grass tennis courts, where local coach Wally Rutter noticed her raw ability and became her first mentor, before she moved to Melbourne at 16 for specialist coaching under Frank Sedgman. Court developed a powerful, physically dominant game built around a strong serve and aggressive net play, unusual for women's tennis at the time, and won her first of seven consecutive Australian Championships in 1960 at just 17. She completed the career Grand Slam in singles at 21 with her 1963 Wimbledon triumph, and achieved the rare calendar-year Grand Slam in 1970, winning all four majors in the same season. Court won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, still the most in tennis history for either gender, along with a combined 64 major titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, also the most ever recorded. In 1973, remarkably, she became the first mother to be ranked world No. 1, and won 24 of the 25 tournaments she entered that year. Court retired in 1977 and was among the first inductees into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993, with Melbourne Park's second-largest arena renamed in her honour in 2003. She later became an ordained Pentecostal minister, and remains one of the most statistically dominant players in the history of the sport.
Most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis history (24)
She holds the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles — more than Serena Williams (23), Steffi Graf (22), or any other player.
Did You Know?How They Played
Court possessed a powerful serve and strong groundstrokes that dominated opponents from the baseline. Her height advantage allowed her to generate significant power and reach, while her aggressive style of play put constant pressure on her opponents. She was particularly effective on grass courts, which suited her serve-and-volley capabilities.
Lasting Impact
Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles remains unmatched in tennis history and stands as one of sport's most enduring achievements. Her dominance during the 1960s and 1970s helped establish women's professional tennis as a major spectator sport.
Career Honours
- 24 Grand Slam singles titles (all-time record)
- 1970 calendar-year Grand Slam
- International Tennis Hall of Fame (1979)
Australian Athletes