Kim Clijsters defeated Li Na in the final, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2011 Australian Open.

Li was the first Asian player to reach a major singles final, and would go on to win the French Open a few months later.

1; she lost to Li in the semifinals, despite having a match point in the second set.

Serena Williams was the two-time reigning champion, but did not participate due to a long-term foot injury.

The fourth-round match between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone, which lasted 4 hours and 44 minutes, was the longest women's singles major match, with Schiavone winning in the third set, 16–14.