Serena Headlines Year-End WTA Award Winners

The WTA has announced its yearly awards, voted on by a combination of media and fans, on Tuesday, and to no surprise, world number one Serena Williams took home Player of the Year honors for the fourth straight year and seventh time overall.

Serena put together a remarkable 2015 season, winning the first three majors of the season, giving her 21 for her career, before falling short of the Calendar Grand Slam at the  U.S. Open.

She put together a record of 53-3 and won two more tournaments in Miami and Cincinnati. Serena accomplished a bit of a personal milestone when she returned to Indian Wells for the first time in 14 years.

Her older sister, Venus, was named the Comeback Player of the Year. At number seven in the world, the 35-year-old is the oldest player in the top 10 since 38-year-old Martina Navratilova accomplished that feat in 1995.

Venus won three titles in 2015 and reached the quarterfinals of two Grand Slams, the Australian Open in January and U.S. Open in September.

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza were named the WTA Team of the Year. The Swiss/Indian duo won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the WTA Finals in addition to titles in Guangzhou, Wuhan and Beijing.

The pair won 34 of its final 37 matches.

“Martina and I have had an incredible year and I feel honored that we have been voted as the WTA Doubles Team of the Year by the international media,” said Mirza. “We hope to continue with our dream run in 2016.”

“Sania and I have enjoyed every minute of the season and we hope to continue in 2016 in the same fashion,” added Hingis. “We both appreciate all the support that we have received from the fans, the media, the tournaments and the tour.”

Hingis’ compatriot, Timea Bacsinszky, was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player. She had a fantastic start to 2015, winning 21 of her first 21 matches, winning titles in Acapulco and Monterrey, and reached the quarterfinals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

“To breakthrough into the top 10, to be honest, it’s something I never even dreamed of—I never thought that would be possible for me,” said Bacsinszky. “But when you don’t set any limits for yourself, you push yourself and sometimes some great things are happening.”

The WTA Newcomer of the Year Award went to Russia’s Daria Gavrilova. She battled through a torn ACL a couple of years ago and now finds herself within the WTA’s Women’s Singles top 50.