We often tend to think that the best athletes in the history of sports are men. It’s not difficult to see why when there’s so much emphasis and attention drawn to famous male sports stars and players. But there have been dozens and dozens of female athletes throughout history that have been just as talented and deserving of all the attention that their male counterparts received.

As we move into a more progressive age, one that honours the talents and skills of all people, regardless of their backgrounds, sex, religion, creed, or physical characteristics, it’s worth looking back at some of the best female athletes that the sporting world has ever seen.

Billie Jean King

Widely considered to be one of the best female tennis players in history, Billie Jean King ended her career with a total of 12 grand slam singles, 11 mixed doubles, and 16 doubles. This mean that by the time that she had officially retired, she had 39 grand slam titles to her name.

On top of that, King was an advocate for gender quality, and became the first female athlete to win $100,000 at the Open Era in 1968. There have been few other players that have quite been able to match up with King’s incredible sporting record.

Danica Patrick

The world of professional car racing is one that’s almost entirely dominated by men, so it came as quite a surprise to many when Danica Patrick came on to the scene and showed everyone that she was just as capable as her male competitors.

Despite the fact that she was competing in a sport that had countless male racers, Patrick was thoroughly successful, winning the Indy 300 in 2008 that was held in Japan, and becoming the first woman to champion in the IndyCar Series. Just five years later, she would go on to win a NASCAR Print Pole, and her success story has helped other female drivers enter the sport.

Serena Williams

There are not that many people that have not heard of Serena Williams. The tennis star has spent a lifetime racking up countless awards, and there are not many other professional tennis players that can claim the same amount of success as Williams. She currently has 23 grand slam titles under her belt, and holds the record for the most grand slam wins of any tennis player in history, both male and female, and getting to the top is as much work as consistent wins while playing roulette for real money.

Ronda Rousey

Similar to Williams, Rousey has become something of a household name, but she earned her fame through professional fighting rather than tennis. While she’s not quite as active as she once was, Rousey, managed to win the World Championship thanks to 12 victories from 14 games, a seriously impressive feat that not many go on to achieve. She was the first and only woman in history to become a World Champion after signing on to the UFC in 2018, and has since become a Hollywood star and has been in a number of famous films.