WTA: Sofia Kenin named player of the year
Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin has been voted player of the year 2020 on the WTA tour by her colleagues. Victoria Azarenka , French Open Champion, Kristina Mladenovic with partner Timea Babos and the Argentinean Nadia Podoroska were also able to look forward to awards.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Dec 08, 2020, 05:31 pm
The US-American has already proven that Sofia Kenin can play great tennis in Roland Garros in 2019: She defeated fellow favorite Serena Williams, who was then in a hurry to get the compulsory press conference over with. Kenin almost went one better this year, but lost the final against Iga Swiatek in straight sets. It's a shame from the American's point of view. But not too big a mishap, as Kenin first defeated Ashleigh Barty at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year and Garbine Muguruza in the final. Sofia Kenin then followed her first major by winning the tournament in Lyon. Good enough for the colleagues on the WTA tour to choose Kenin as Player of the Year.
If you could have found arguments for Naomi Osaka , who also made an outstanding figure next to the court with her political commitment, the choice for the best double pairing of the shortened season 2020 was honestly easy: Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic won the last two Grand Slam tournaments of the year in New York City and Roland Garros. And thus also the award for the best couple of the year.
Azarenka and Swiatek excellent
The most improved player in 2020 was Iga Swiatek, who did not make a set in her round for the title in Roland Garros, yes, in no set allowed more than four games of her opponent. And because he played a big part in this, Piotr Sierzputowski, the coach of the Polish woman, was voted Trainer of the Year.
As expected, the award for the best returnee went to Victoria Azarenka, who won the Premier Mandatory Event, which had been relocated from Cincinnati to New York City (Naomi Osaka did not appear in the final due to an injury), and failed in the final at the US Open (this time Osaka was on Begin). French Open semi-finalist Nadia Podoroska was awarded as the best newcomer in 2020. The Argentine improved in the accounting period from world ranking position 255 to 48th place. Marie Bouzkova was honored as the fairest player on the WTA tour.