Individual Sports/women

The only player to win all four Grand Slam events at least four times; her 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1 (1987-91) are more than any other player, male or female.

" Steffi Graf cannot be stopped.... She has reached a point defying all athletic logic. Players now fear taking a lead over her because that just means, as Lindsay Davenport says, 'Oh, no, you've made her mad.' "
—S.L. PRICE SI, April 8, 1996

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

One of the greatest all-around athletes in history, male or female, she won three Olympic medals and 31 LPGA titles, including 10 majors.

"If you knew somebody who entered eight of 10 events in the national AAU track meet and won five; who won two gold medals in the 1932 Olympics; who took up golf and won 82 tournaments as an amateur and a pro; who was a three-time All-America in basketball; who won championships in billiards, cycling, shooting, speed skating, squash, swimming and tennis; and who pitched in several major league exhibition games, wouldn't you say that's the greatest athlete you've ever heard of?"
—RICK REILLY SI, Oct. 11, 1999

Martina Navratilova

Her 167 titles (singles and doubles) are more than any other tennis player; 56 of those came in Grand Slam events, including a record nine in Wimbledon singles.

"This year Martina Navratilova seems to have arrived at some numinous place where the longitude of majesty and the latitude of grace meet."
—FRANK DEFORD, SI, July 16, 1984