The 2021 women’s tennis season has come to an end, so the WTA has announced the Nominees for the annual WTA Player Awards. Let’s look at each category in detail:
Emma Raducanu is nominated for WTA Player of the Year with her historic win at the US Open. The 18-year-old created history after defeating the 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez in the women’s singles final at US Open 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday. She became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title ever. Emma Raducanu also became the first British woman in 44 years to win a Grand Slam title. She is also nominated for the WTA Newcomer of the Year plum.
Leylah Fernandez has been nominated for Most Improved Player of the Year in the 2021 WTA Player Awards. She had a stellar season, reaching her career-best No. 24 in the WTA rankings. Fernandez also won her first-ever WTA title in March at the Monterrey Open. Maria Sakkari, Barbora Krejcikova, Liudmila Samsonova, Ons Jabeur, Anett Kontaveit are the other players who have been nominated for this award.
The likes of Carla Suarez Navarro (defeated cancer), Sania Mirza (return from childbirth), Ana Konjuh (finishing inside the top 100 after years of injuries), and Elena Vesnina (great comeback in doubles) have been nominated for the 2021 WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award. Meanwhile, in the doubles section, Siniakova and Krejcikova have been among the most successful doubles teams of the last few years. The duo is a favorite to win the 2021 WTA Doubles Team award.
2021 WTA Player of the Year
Ashleigh Barty
Barbora Krejcikova
Emma Raducanu
Naomi Osaka
Garbine Muguruza
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Swiatek
2021 WTA Newcomer of the Year
Emma Raducanu
Mayar Sherif
Ann Li
Clara Tauson
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano
2021 WTA Most Improved Player Award
Leylah Fernandez
Maria Sakkari
Barbora Krejcikova
Liudmila Samsonova
Ons Jabeur
Anett Kontaveit
Paula Badosa
Jessica Pegula
2021 WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award
Carla Suarez Navarro
Sania Mirza
Elena Vesnina
Ana Konjuh
2021 WTA Doubles Team of the Year
Shuko Aoyama/Ena Shibahara
Hsieh Su-Wei/Elise Mertens
Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova
Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai
Nicole Melichar-Martinez/Demi Schuurs
Alexa Guarachi/Desirae Krawczyk
