Iga Swiatek becomes first woman since Serena Williams to win WTA Player of the Year in consecutive years
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Iga Swiatek’s second consecutive season-ending No 1 ranking helped her collect a second consecutive WTA Player of the Year award, making her the first woman since Serena Williams to claim that honour twice in a row.
Williams, who retired last year, was the WTA Player of the Year seven times in total, including every season from 2012-15.
The Pole went 68-11 in 2023 with a tour-leading six titles, including at the French Open in June.
That was Swiatek’s third Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and fourth overall at a Grand Slam tournament.
The 22-year-old wrapped up the season with an undefeated run at the WTA Finals in Cancun last month, which allowed her to overtake Aryna Sabalenka atop the rankings.
Svitolina picked up the award for the Comeback of the Year
In other WTA awards, Zheng Qinwen of China was the Most Improved Player of the Year, Mirra Andreeva of Russia was the Newcomer of the Year, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine was chosen for the Comeback of the Year and Tomasz Wiktorowski – who works with Swiatek – was Coach of the Year.
Svitolina and her tennis playing husband, Gael Monfils, welcomed their daughter, Skai, last October.
She returned to the Grand Slam circuit at the French Open earlier this year, where she lost in the quarter-finals before reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon.
Storm Hunter of Australia and Elise Mertens of Belgium earned Doubles Team of the Year.
Ons Jabeur of Tunisia was the recipient of both the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award and the Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award, and Jessica Pegula was given the Jerry Diamond ACES Award for her off-court promotional and charitable activities.
Simon to relinquish role as WTA CEO, remain as executive chairman
Steve Simon will relinquish his role as WTA CEO but stay on as executive chairman
WTA boss Steve Simon will relinquish his role as CEO but stay on as executive chairman, the governing body of women’s tennis said as it announced an organisational restructure.
Simon has been chairman and chief executive of the WTA for eight years but has come under increasing fire from the players recently, not least over the decision to hold the season-ending WTA Finals outdoors in the Mexican resort of Cancun.
The WTA added that Micky Lawler, who has served as president since 2015, had decided to leave the organisation at the end of the year to pursue new opportunities.
“Once the position of CEO has been filled, Simon will assume the role of executive chairman,” the WTA said.
“In this role, Simon will focus on governance, strategic interests of the WTA within the sport, integrity issues and the development of new markets and frontiers for the WTA.”
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