Ashleigh Barty, the world's number one tennis player, was voted WTA 'Player of the Year'. Barty won four WTA trophies this year, including winning her first Grand Slam title as the French Open. It also include the prestigious WTA Finals.
Barty is the first Australian woman to reach number one in the WTA rankings in the past 43 years. Before that, in 1976, Iwone Galagong Kawale reached the top. Barty received 82 percent media votes. Twenty-three-year-old Barty started the season in 15th place. She won 57 matches in 15 tournaments this year. Barty will end the year with first place. She has 7851 points, which is 1911 points higher than second-placed Czech Republic's Carolina Pliskova. Barty's coach Craig Tizard was voted WTA 'Coach of the Year'.
In voting, Barty beat US Open champion Bianca Andrescu of Canada, Wimbledon winner Simona Halep of Romania and Naomi Osaka of Japan. Barty reached the top only after removing Osaka.
Nineteen-year-old Bianca was voted 'Newcomer of the Year'. This session was a great one for Bianca. She is the first player to become a champion in US Open history. America's Sophia Kainin was awarded 'Most Improved Player' and Switzerland's Belinda Benisich was named the 'Comeback Player of the Year'. Timia Bebos and Kristina Mladenovic were voted 'Best Doubles Team'.
