Swiatek wins WTA Participant of Yr Pegula’s mentor Witt honored

Iga Swiatek was honored as WTA Participant of the 12 months for the initially time on Monday just after increasing to No. 1 in the rankings in April and remaining there for the relaxation of the period thanks in aspect to two Grand Slam titles.

Swiatek, a 21-12 months-previous from Poland who was the WTA Newcomer of the Yr in 2020, led the tour with 67 match wins and eight titles. That provided a operate of 6 trophies in a row throughout a 37-match successful streak that lasted from February to July and was the longest undefeated stretch in women’s tennis in a quarter of a century.

“I felt like anything clicked this season,” Swiatek explained in a video clip job interview with The Involved Push in the course of her unbeaten streak. “And I wasn’t expecting to be that regular.”

She ascended to the best of the rankings soon after Ash Barty quickly retired at age 25 and relinquished that location. Swiatek later on gained her next main championship at the French Open up in June, then claimed the U.S. Open up title in September, creating her the first woman with two Slam trophies in 1 season due to the fact Angelique Kerber in 2016.

The WTA Mentor of the 12 months award went to David Witt. He works with Jessica Pegula, a 28-calendar year-aged American who rose to a profession-greatest No. 3 in the rankings all through 2022 and was a quarterfinalist at 3 Grand Slam tournaments — getting rid of to Barty or Swiatek just about every time.

Pegula also received the Guadalajara Open, produced it to her to start with WTA 1000 remaining at the Madrid Open and experienced for the WTA Finals in singles and doubles (with Coco Gauff).

Witt’s honor was voted on by other registered coaches. Participant awards established by a vote of global media customers incorporated:

— Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic ended up the WTA Doubles Group of the 12 months for the second consecutive season and 3rd time in general soon after winning the Australian Open up, Wimbledon and U.S. Open up

— Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil was the WTA Most Enhanced Participant of the 12 months soon after rising from No. 80 to No. 15 in the rankings and successful her 1st two tour-amount titles

Story carries on

— Zheng Qinwen of China, who turned 20 in October, was the WTA Newcomer of the Calendar year soon after soaring additional than 100 destinations in the rankings and achieving the fourth spherical in her French Open up debut in advance of bowing out from Swiatek

— Tatjana Maria of Germany was the WTA Comeback Participant of the Year immediately after finding to her to start with occupation Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon at age 34, generating her the oldest lady to make her debut at a key match. She 2 times took time away from the tour to have small children.

Ons Jabeur gained the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, Gabriela Dabrowski collected the Peachy Kellmeyer Participant Services Award for a third time and Maria Sakkari gained the Jerry Diamond ACES Award for helping advertise the activity by way of off-courtroom pursuits.

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