Best female tennis players of all time from the Netherlands

Currently, Arantxa Rus is the highest-ranked Dutch female tennis player globally. The 32-year-old from Delft holds the 107^th spot on the WTA ranking at the time of writing, keeping Lesley Pattinama (WTA-198) and Arianne Hartono (WTA-227) relatively far behind. A few years ago, the Netherlands had a true world-class player in Kiki Bertens, who at one point was ranked number four globally. Now, the 31-year-old from Wateringen has retired, and Rus is the standard-bearer of Dutch women's tennis. But who are actually the best female tennis players of all time from the Netherlands, and how successful were our countrywomen in the past? Sjeng Sports presents a top ten!

Marcella Mesker (highest position: 31)

The name Marcella Mesker might only ring a bell for the younger generation because the Hague native has been providing commentary for NOS for years. However, Mesker herself used to be quite a formidable player, which earned her a 31^st position on the WTA ranking. For example, in 1986, she won the WTA tournament in Oklahoma and was also successful in doubles, especially with Christiane Jolissaint as her partner. In total, Mesker secured ten doubles titles at the highest level.

Stephanie Rottier (highest position: 30)

Where Mesker reached the 31^st spot in the WTA ranking, Stephanie Rottier made it one spot higher. Unfortunately for Rottier, she was forced to end her career at the young age of 24 due to a shoulder injury. Before that, she managed to reach two WTA finals: one in singles (Tokyo) and one in doubles (Beijing). Unfortunately for Rottier, both finals were lost.

Michaëlla Krajicek (highest position: 30)

Michaëlla Krajicek will be known to many as the younger half-sister of Richard Krajicek. Yet, Michaëlla also possessed great talent, which earned her the 30^th position on the WTA ranking. In singles, Krajicek reached three finals at the highest level, all of which she managed to win. She was the best in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Hobart, and Rosmalen. Moreover, she was successful six times with a victory in women's doubles.

Manon Bollegraf (highest position: 29)

Manon Bollegraf was a professional tennis player from 1985 to 2000, and her highest ranking dates from July 9, 1990. At that time, she reached the 29^th spot on the WTA ranking. In singles, she reached three WTA finals, one of which she won (1989 in Oklahoma). However, her greatest successes were in doubles. In women's doubles, she reached no less than 56 finals, winning 26 of them, and in mixed doubles, it went even better. In this category, she won the US Open, the Australian Open, and Roland Garros!

Kristie Boogert (highest position: 29)

Like Mesker, Kristie Boogert is also frequently heard on television these days. However, from 1991 to 2003, she also played at a high level herself, which led to her highest ranking (29^th) on the WTA ranking on February 5, 1996. Boogert was also particularly successful in doubles, winning, among other things, three tournaments in women's doubles. She also excelled in mixed doubles, and for example, in 1994, Boogert, together with Menno Oosting, won Roland Garros in that category.

Miriam Oremans (highest position: 25)

The story of Miriam Oremans is a special one. Oremans, who was ranked number 25 in the world in July '93, reached five WTA singles finals but didn't win any of them. A good consolation for the Berlicum native was that she did manage to win three doubles finals. She was successful with her partner in Linz, Paris, and Rosmalen. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Oremans and Boogert reached the women's doubles final. Unfortunately for our countrywomen, they lost this final to the sisters Serena and Venus Williams.

Marijke Jansen (highest position: 21)

Marijke Jansen, who played under the name Marijke Schaar after she married, became particularly known for the unique tennis game she played. Jansen did not use a backhand, but hit a forehand with both hands. Nevertheless, Jansen, who at one point was ranked number 21 on the WTA ranking, reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros and claimed the WTA tournament in Cannes by defeating compatriot Betty Stöve in the final. She lost a singles final six times.

Brenda Schultz (highest position: 9)

Brenda Schultz rightfully belongs in the list of 'best female tennis players of all time from the Netherlands', if only for the fact that she was once among the global top ten. In singles, Schultz reached sixteen finals: seven were won and nine were lost. Schultz was also adept in doubles. She won nine titles with a female partner and, together with compatriot Michiel Schapers, reached the mixed doubles final at Roland Garros in 1988.

Betty Stöve (highest position: 5)

The only Dutch female tennis player to reach the final of the Wimbledon women's singles tournament is Betty Stöve. During this tournament, she defeated, among others, Martina Navrátilová, before having to acknowledge her superior in Virginia Wade in the final. On the WTA ranking for singles, Stöve was at one point ranked fifth, and that's not even mentioning her qualities in doubles. In women's doubles, Stöve won no less than six Grand Slam titles, while she also excelled in mixed doubles (four Grand Slam titles).

Kiki Bertens (highest position: 4)

For many, Kiki Bertens will be the most famous female tennis player in this list of 'the best female tennis players of all time in the Netherlands'. The Wateringen native ended her professional career in 2021 and reached fifteen finals in singles during her career. Ten of these were won, and thus she claimed, among others, the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid. This led to Bertens reaching the fourth place in the WTA ranking at one point, which is the highest a Dutch female tennis player has ever been. Bertens also won many prizes in doubles, and it came as a shock to many tennis enthusiasts when she decided to stop playing high-level tennis in 2021 due to persistent physical ailments.

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