LONDON: Aryna Sabalenka has been voted the WTA Player of the Year for the first time after the Belarusian won two Grand Slam titles and secured the year-end world number one ranking, the governing body of women’s tennis said.

After successfully defending her Australian Open trophy in January, Sabalenka won the US Open crown in September for her third Grand Slam title and leapfrogged Iga Swiatek to top the world rankings a month later.

She also won tournaments in Cincinnati and Wuhan to end her 2024 campaign with four titles.

International tennis media also voted for Paris Olympics gold medallists Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini as the year’s top doubles team, while American Emma Navarro was named the season’s most improved player.

Ranked 38th at the end of 2023, Navarro broke into the top 10 in September after winning her first title in Hobart and making six semi-final appearances, including at Flushing Meadows, during the season.

Lulu Sun won the Newcomer of the Year award following the New Zealander’s run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon as a qualifier, which helped her climb to 40th in the world after being ranked outside the top 200 in January.

Former world number two Paula Badosa, who ended her 2023 season early due to a back problem that cast doubt about her future in the game, was named Comeback Player of the Year.

After returning to the tour this season, the Spaniard won the Washington title and also matched her best Grand Slam performance by reaching the US Open quarters to finish the year ranked 12th.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2024