Two-time defending championMartina Hingis defeatedAmélie Mauresmo in the final, 6–2, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the1999 Australian Open. It was her thirdAustralian Open singles title and fifth and lastmajor singles title overall. With the win, 18-year-old Hingis joinedMargaret Court,Evonne Goolagong,Steffi Graf, andMonica Seles as the only women to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, and remains the youngest to do so. Hingis also became the only woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles in singles and doubles simultaneously.
This tournament marked future world No. 1 Mauresmo's first major final, and the first time she progressed past the third round of a major. It would be her only major final until2006, despite being one of the top players of the early 2000s.
Prior to her semifinal defeat to Hingis, Seles was undefeated in 33 matches at the Australian Open, dating back to her tournament debut in1991, the longest undefeated winning streak at one tournament by a woman in theOpen Era.[1]
This was the last Australian Open appearance for four-time champion Graf, who was defeated by Seles in the quarterfinals.