Serena Williams defeatedVictoria Azarenka in the final, 6–2, 2–6, 7–5 to win the women's singles tennis title at the2012 US Open.[1] It was her fourthUS Open singles title and 15thmajor singles title overall. Azarenka served for the championship and led 5–3 in the third set. It was the first time since1995 that the final went to three sets. With the victory, Williams became the third woman in history to winWimbledon, theOlympics, and the US Open in the same season, afterSteffi Graf andVenus Williams.
Samantha Stosur was the defending champion, but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Azarenka.
Three-time US Open championKim Clijsters, who was on a 22-match winning streak at the tournament, lost toLaura Robson in the second round. This was also Clijsters' last professional tournament before her second retirement (her first being in 2007), until she returned to the tour in 2020 at theDubai Tennis Championships.
This marked the first major main draw appearance of futureworld No. 1 and two-time major championGarbiñe Muguruza, who lost toSara Errani in the first round. It was also the first major main draw appearance of futureWTA Finals championElina Svitolina, who lost toAna Ivanovic in the first round. This marked the first time Ivanovic reached the quarterfinals of a major since winning the2008 French Open.