Kenin Named WTA Player Of The Year

Australian Open champion, Sofia Kenin, has been named the WTA Player of the Year, becoming the eight American to be win the title.

She defeated world number one, Ashleigh Barry in Melbourne in the semifinals and then went on to beat Garbine Muguruza in the finals back in January to claim her first grand slam. She also made it to the finals of the French Open where she lost to Iga Swiatek. This year alone, Kenin won 24 of her matches and lost 9. She finished the season as world number four.

Kenin had shown great promise from 2019 after she won her first three titles. It was also the year she defeated Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Barty. This saw her end the year ranked number 14 on the WTA rankings and also earned her the WTA Most Improved Player Of The Year award.

Kenin had a very interesting 2020, winning awards and defeating some top players. Even though she participated in few events this year, as a result of the pandemic, she managed to stay on top of the few she contested. She earned 1000 points more than any other player this year.

The American has broken two records with this new title, by becoming the youngest person to have a high ranking in the top 10 category after Serena Williams debuted high in 2002. She is also the youngest person to have won the Australian Open, at age 22, after Maria Sharapova won the event in 2008, at age 20.

Iga Swiatek, who defeated Kenin at the finals in Roland Garrison won the WTA’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award. Another award recipient was Victoria Azarenka who was named WTA Comeback Player of the Year after winning the Western & Southern Open, her first title in four years, and finishing as runner up at the US Open while Nadia Podoroska was names Newcomer of the Year.