Recapping the top moments in women’s sports from January in past years.
January may be the beginning of a new calendar year, but in women’s sports, it is often the beginning of a new era. From tennis courts to snowy slopes, soccer pitches and hockey arenas, the first month of the year has seen historic milestones that have helped define entire seasons, and sometimes the sport itself.
The most consistent January milestones come in tennis, where the Australian Open kicks off the Grand Slam calendar. Throughout the years, the tournament has been a stage for history: in January 2017, Serena Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, surpassing the Open Era record and solidifying her status among the greatest athletes to have ever lived. More recently, January introduced new generations of stars, with Naomi Osaka’s first major title in 2019, and in a fairly recent development, Madison Keys’ long-awaited first Grand Slam victory in 2025, moments that reshaped the women’s tennis landscape.
In the Winter sports category, there is alpine skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin, who reached unprecedented heights in January 2023 when she surpassed Ingemar Stenmark’s World Cup wins record, becoming the most successful skier in history, men’s or women’s.
Though January is a quieter month for women’s sports, especially in the United States, the month still plays a crucial role in sports’ growth. While the transfer window is open, there have been record-breaking deals that have happened in this month. For example, in January of this year, Naomi Girma made history when she left San Diego Wave FC to go to Chelsea FC for a total of about $1.1 million.
In January 2024, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) dropped the puck for the first time in history, selling out arenas all over the U.S. and instantly changing the future of what women’s hockey can be.
In all sports, the significance of the month of January lies in the fact that it symbolizes momentum. It is a month when firsts, breakthroughs and records are established. Many times, January has demonstrated that the greatest happenings in women’s sports do not wait for spring or for the warm weather to come.