A new season that has come to an end, and as is customary at each conclusion of the year, the 2021 WTA Awards were awarded, rewarding the most outstanding players. Barty, Krejcikova and Carla Suárez Navarro, among the winners.
A few weeks after the last official event in WTA, 2021 left many conclusions to take into account. The overwhelming dominance of Ashleigh Barty during the first semester, making a difference as No. 1 in the world and conquering Wimbledon, the surprise of Barbora Krejcikova at Roland Garros, the ups and downs of Naomi Osaka with a degree in Australia included, the little activity of Serena Williams and the madness of Emma Raducanu in New York, together with the conquest of Garbiñe Muguruza At the WTA Finals, they may be the highlights of this great tennis year to come.
Already closer and closer to starting from scratch with the new season 2022, we review the WTA Awards that have been awarded to the most important names in the circuit during this 2021.
WTA 2021 Awards
Player of the Year
Ashleigh Barty
The Australian achieves this achievement for the second time in her career, after what was done in 2019. For the third year in a row she finished the season as No.1 in the world, marking a giant dominance in the first months of the season. As more important titles, Barty was crowned in the All England with his second Grand Slam trophy, in Wimbledon, as well as her defense of the WTA 1000 title in Miami. In addition, he achieved other conquests at the Yarra Valley Classic in Melbourne, in Stuttgart and in Cincinnati.
Couple of the Year
Barbora Krejcikova y Katerina Siniakova
The Czechs also receive this award for the second time, after having achieved it in 2018. Together they managed to add four titles, in Roland Garros, Melbourne, the WTA 1000 in Madrid and the Guadalajara WTA Finals. As a couple, they both finished the season as World No.1, while Siniakova also achieved it as an individual doubles player.
Player who has improved the most
Barbora Krejcikova
Precisely, much of Krejcikova’s dominance in doubles was also related to a notable improvement in her quality as a singlist. The Czech surprised the tennis world by winning the title of Roland Garros, maintaining a 12-match winning streak, as she had also won her first WTA trophy in Strasbourg previously. Established among the best on the circuit, Barbora was also champion in Prague. Due to her great leap, the Czech was able to participate for the first time in the WTA Finals, ending the year as No.3 in the world.
Breakthrough of the year
Emma Raducanu
The biggest surprise of the 2021 season, speaking of tennis in general. Emma Raducanu began to show her potential at Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round in her first Grand Slam, and playing through a wildcard. But that week is incomparable to what I would live in the US Open Some months later. The 18-year-old Briton made it through the qualifying round at Flushing Meadows, and then ended up taking the title there, without conceding a single set.
Return of the year
Carla Suarez Navarro
The most emotional award went to Carla Suárez Navarro and her historic rexit to the circuit to retire from tennis as he deserved: on the court. The Spanish won the battle against cancer, and reappeared on the courts to end her time as a professional tennis player. Carla played Roland Garros and Wimbledon, where she took a set from later champion Barty to end her career after the Olympics and the US Open. Already in his last event, he represented Spain in the Billie Jean King Cup.
