Aryna Sabalenka has been named WTA Player of the Year for the first time, following a stellar season in which she captured two Grand Slam titles and claimed the year-end world No. 1 ranking, the governing body of women’s tennis announced.
After defending her Australian Open title in January, the Belarusian clinched her third Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open in September and then surged past Iga Świątek to take the top spot in the world rankings a month later.
Sabalenka also won titles in Cincinnati and Wuhan to cap her 2024 campaign with four titles.
International tennis media voted Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, who earned gold at the Paris Olympics, as the year’s top doubles team. American Emma Navarro was named the season’s most-improved player.
Ranked No. 38 at the end of 2023, Navarro broke into the top 10 in September after winning her first title in Hobart and making six semifinal appearances, including at Flushing Meadows, during the season.
Lulu Sun won the Newcomer of the Year award after the New Zealander’s run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals as a qualifier, helping her climb to No. 40 in the world after being ranked outside the top 200 in January.
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa, who ended her 2023 season early due to a back issue that cast doubt on her future in the sport, was named Comeback Player of the Year.
After returning to the tour this season, the Spaniard won the Washington title and matched her best Grand Slam performance by reaching the U.S. Open quarterfinals to finish the year ranked No. 12.