Below is a recap of some of the biggest moments in women’s global sports over 2025. We’ve included our pick for sportswoman of the year too.
The sport of SailGP may have delivered the biggest break in the glass ceiling this year. The sport reached a major milestone with its first-ever Women’s Performance Camp, where 18 female athletes took over the high-speed F50 catamarans. New Zealand’s Liv Mackay made headlines by stepping into the driver’s seat—a role traditionally dominated by men—and proving that the gender gap in high-performance foiling is rapidly closing. The league’s commitment to having two female athletes per race crew by 2030 saw significant tactical gains this season.
In offshore sailing women made an impact too. During the Ocean Race Europe the standout female performance of the competition—and arguably the person who faced the most adversity—was Rosalie Kuiper, the skipper of Team Holcim-PRB. Kuiper made history by leading her team to a third-place overall finish, an incredible feat considering their campaign nearly ended on day one. After a violent collision in Kiel that forced them out of the first leg, Kuiper rallied her crew to stage one of the greatest comebacks the race has ever seen. Highlights included her big gamble: during Leg 5, while trapped in a light-wind "transition zone" behind the leaders, Kuiper famously ignored the fleet's tactical maneuvers to head straight for a waypoint off Sicily. The gamble paid off, catapulting Holcim-PRB from 5th to 1st place in a single afternoon. She showed consistency under pressure, leading her her team to second-place finishes in both the final offshore leg and the overall standings race, finishing just 1.5 points shy of the runner-up spot after six weeks of high-intensity racing. In addition to her tactical work, Kuiper successfully integrated veterans like Carolijn Brouwer into a high-performance unit, proving that she is now one of the most formidable skippers in the world, regardless of gender.
In tennis, it was the year of 4 queens. While the men’s side saw a two-man shootout, the WTA was a thrilling battle of parity with four different Grand Slam champions. The story of the year was Madison Keys, who defied the odds at 30 years old to claim her maiden Major at the Australian Open, saving a match point against Iga Świątek along the way. Coco Gauff then conquered her clay-court hurdles to win her first French Open, while Świątek reminded the world of her dominance with a "double-bagel" (6–0, 6–0) victory in the Wimbledon final—the most dominant championship performance in decades. Aryna Sabalenka was the best player of the year, however. Despite the parity in Grand Slams, Sabalenka ended 2025 as the Year-End World No. 1. With a near-to-invincible 63–12 win-loss record and a second US Open trophy, her raw power and improved mental grit made her the best on the WTA tour in 2025. While Sabalenka held the rankings, Coco Gauff dominated the culture. In 2025, she became the highest-paid female athlete in the world ($31 million), launching her own management firm and winning Roland Garros. Her ability to balance championship-level tennis with a massive global brand made her the most influential woman in the sporting landscape this year. She almost gets our pick for sportswoman of the year, but there is another racquet sports player we cannot ignore.
In Rugby Sevens the Black Ferns achieved the perfect double. The New Zealand Women’s Sevens team cemented their status as a sporting dynasty by winning both the SVNS League title and the World Championship in Los Angeles. Led by Jorja Miller, who was named World Player of the Year, they dismantled arch-rivals Australia 31–7 in the final. This season wasn't just about New Zealand, though; Kenya’s women made history by winning the Challenger Series, becoming the first female team from their nation to secure a global rugby crown.
In rugby union, the English women made some waves. The most significant moment in women’s rugby for 2025 in terms of sheer scale and impact was the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at a sold-out Twickenham Stadium. In September, 80,000 fans—a world record for a women’s rugby match—watched the England Red Roses clinch the world title on home soil. The image of the Red Roses lifting the trophy in the "Home of Rugby" became the definitive symbol of women's sports moving into the absolute mainstream, proving that women's rugby can command the same "cathedral-like" atmosphere as the men's game.
In the world of golf Minjee Lee made a major statement this year. She was crowned golfer of the year, securing her third career major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at PGA Frisco. Her consistency was so relentless that she became the first-ever multiple-time winner of the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, an honor given to the player with the best performance across all five majors. She edged out rising stars like Maja Stark and Mao Saigo in one of the most competitive LPGA seasons on record. Besides for Lee, Golfer Nelly Korda also turned heads. Even in a season where major trophies were shared, Korda’s dominance was found in the data. She remained the highest-paid and most marketable female golfer, ending the year with the lowest scoring average on the LPGA tour and a record-breaking streak of top-10 finishes.
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The sport of women’s squash saw the rise of a young star and the cementing of the legacy of an older one. The Rise of Amina Orfi was phenomenal. Squash’s march toward the 2028 Olympics was led by the "Teenage Sensation”. At just 18 years of age, Orfi shocked the world by defeating Nour El Sherbini at the U.S. Open. Although she narrowly lost that match in Philly, Sherbini was actually dominant this season.
So dominant, in fact, that our favorite female athlete and pick for sportswoman of 2025 is Egyptian professional squash player, Nour El Sherbini. While her younger rivals provided fireworks, Nour remained the "Final Boss," using tactical mastery to stay atop the podium more often than not.
Now regarded as one of the greatest female squash players in history, El Sherbini reached several historic milestones in 2025. Her season began in January at the Tournament of Champions in New York, where she faced a major hurdle: back spasms during the semi-final. Despite being "staring down the barrel of defeat" in the final against long-time rival Nouran Gohar, she relied on her tactical mindset to outlast Gohar in a grueling five-game battle, winning 11-5 in the fifth.
In May 2025, she secured her most significant victory at the World Championship in Chicago against Hania El Hammamy. Following a mentally and physically "tough season," El Sherbini took a 2-0 lead before El Hammamy fought back to dominate the third 11-4. Regaining her composure, El Sherbini won the fourth 11-7 to secure her eighth World Title, equaling the all-time record. In June at the British Open, she displayed immense grit in the final against Gohar. After landing heavily on her right shoulder while diving, she played through visible pain and forced a fifth-game decider before finally succumbing to Gohar’s pace, and the pain she was carrying. Many wondered if she could still hang with the youngsters.
By December 2025, El Sherbini had to dig deep at the Hong Kong Open after a title drought and persistent soreness. In the semi-finals, she trailed El Hammamy 1-2 in games but staged a massive comeback to win 11-7, 11-3. She then won the final in straight games against Olivia Weaver to claim an incredible 45th professional squash title.
Nour’s journey began at age 6, winning British Junior Open titles in 2007 and 2008. She became the youngest World Junior Champion at 13 in 2009 and the youngest senior World Champion at 20 in 2016. Sh is known for her pinpoint accuracy and physical resilience, she draws inspiration from Roger Federer’s technique. Nour has a shy personality off court, you would never guess she has spent four years as the World No. 1 at her sport.
But her record of 45 PSA titles and 8 World Championships places her alongside Heather McKay, who went undefeated for 20 years, and Nicol David, who held No. 1 for 112 months before retiring at 35.
El Sherbini is currently rewriting the record books and is the only player to legitimately challenge Nicol David's modern stats. As of May 2025, she has equaled Nicol David’s record of 8 World Championship titles. Nour also holds the record for being the youngest ever World Champion (age 20) and World Junior Champion (age 13). While she hasn't matched Nicol David's months at No. 1 yet, she is not done yet. She is still many years from retirement. In fact, she is still only 30 years old.
As we head into the 2026 season, El Sherbini remains one of the most fascinating figures in all of women's sports—not just for her skill, but for her mental toughness in those high-stakes comebacks. Her biggest rivals right now are Hania El Hammamy, Nouran Gohar and Amina Orfi. Now in her thirties, El Sherbini is the "senior" stateswoman among these top four players, and she will be focusing on managing her physical health to ensure she can go for a record-breaking 9th World Championship later this year.
And, if she stays healthy, an Olympic medal in 2028 is certainly on the cards too. That is something Nicol David would have loved to win. The Malaysian squash player famously stated she would trade all 8 of her World Championship titles for a single Olympic gold medal, highlighting the immense significance of the Olympics for her and the sport. Squash makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. So, Nour could chase a medal at the Olympics, and hold onto her 8 World Championship medals, no matter the outcome. She's earned all 8 of them after all.
