The Top 5 First Wimbledon Wins by the Greatest Women Tennis Stars of All Time

To make a comparison on who are the greatest tennis players of all time, the deciding factor may come down to how many Wimbledon Championships a specific woman tennis star has. Although many well educated tennis critics may disagree on which tennis stars are the top ten Wimbledon performances of all time, there can be no denying that each of the five women tennis stars very first Wimbledon win will be remembered as their opening great performance of all time.

1. Maria Bueno vs. Darlene Hard: Even though Maria Bueno did not overpower Darlene Hard in her first Wimbledon appearance in 1959-60, the contest would prove that Bueno's court skills, and volleys would be too much for the power play of Darlene Hard. Maria Bueno solid serves and grand slams would overwhelm Darlene Hard - as the match would conclude 6-4, 6-3. This was a great match-up due to the fact that Darlene Hard was a well respected champion, and she could also control the court with her dominating serves, on the other hand, Maria Bueno was a very graceful player who was not intimidated by an opponent's power or first serves. Maria Bueno is the pride of Brazil, she is a rare breed, an athlete that comes along once in a lifetime, and that is why the Argentinean people call her the queen of swing.

2. Althea Gibson vs. Darlene Hard: Althea Gibson sleek speed and finishing points are what led her to defeat Darlene Hard in the 1957-58 Wimbledon singles tournament. Darlene Hard was a dominating force on the court as she matched Althea Gibson's over handed swings and masterful over the net volleys, but the speed of Gibson's return volleys proved to be too much for Hard to handle, the match final score was 6-3, 6-2. Althea Gibson broke the color barrier in 1950 as she became the first African-American women tennis player to represent the United States of America. Althea Gibson proved that her extensive training and natural abilities is what help her become a superstar in the world of tennis during the fifties, a time when the sport was dominated by White-American tennis players.

3. Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert: When Martina Navratilova faced Chris Evert in her very first Wimbledon match - it would prove one for the ages, as two of the best skilled tennis stars would not give an inch to a tournament that mean so much to both tennis stars. The first few sets were a grueling display of how hard and fast Martina Navratilova could serve the ball, and also how fast Evert could return the serve - as she would make Martina travel across the court trying to throw her off track. The deciding factors of Martina Navratilova's first Wimbledon win in 1978-79 was her superior backhand volley, and her speed to get to the serve, which also help Navratilova win the match by a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 score. Martina Navratilova was one of the most exciting women tennis players that I have ever seen play, she could captivate a crowd by her magnificent court skills, and she had the speed of a graceful gazelle.

4. Billie Jean King vs. Maria Bueno: The match-up between Billie Jean King and Maria Bueno would prove to be an historic first Wimbledon tournament between these two masters which took place in 1966. Billie Jean King would set the tone of the tennis match by not allowing Maria Bueno to return volleys that were outside of the perimeter of her reach. The power play and sleek smooth overhand returns from Maria Bueno would test Billie Jean King's dexterity skills pertaining to how fast she could return her volleys. The fever pitch of the Wimbledon match would intensify in the 4^th round, but Billie Jean King would prove to have the upper hand as she won her first Wimbledon tournament by a dominating score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. This 1966 Wimbledon match-up was the stepping stone of Billie Jean King's spectacular career; King's tennis talents were measured by her enthusiastic passion to become one of the greatest of all time. During the early years of her tennis career Billie Jean King became an ambassador of a sport that would evolve into a great American form of entertainment.

5. Venus Williams vs. Lindsay Davenport: It was not the sleek sexy outfit that help Venus Williams defeat Lindsay Davenport in the 2000 Wimbledon tournament; it was more so her extraordinary power and natural athleticism that were too much for Davenport to handle. The first three rounds - Davenport seemed to have the upper hand, her serves were strong and direct, but Venus would not be intimidated by the speed and velocity that did not take her by surprise. As the match proceeded on - Davenport began to miss a few shots that would have put her on top of the Leaderboard; it would be Venus decisive grand slam moves that would begin to pick apart Davenport's defensive playmaking shots. Venus Williams would go on to win her very first Wimbledon tournament, and in the face of adversity - Venus Williams became the second African-American women tennis player to win a Wimbledon title since Althea Gibson accomplished this feat in 1958. Without a doubt, this is one of the all time greatest moments pertaining to the world of women's professional tennis.

Informational Resources & Stats:

http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Bueno_Maria.html

http://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/maria-bueno

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2000/wimbledon/news/2000/07/08/women_final_ap/

www.wikipedia.com