2012 BSA's: Player Lists

Lists have always been a stock and trade component of Backspin, and that's never more the case than with the annual Backspin Awards.

The final "Ms. Backspin" standings (w/ the performance/match/rankings recaps) won't show up in this space until next week. Of course, we sort of know who'll make up the Big 3 there... well, unless a certain all-Italian doubles team slips onto the "medal stand," that is.



In the mean time, everyone can try to come up with a reason (though I'm not sure there really IS a great one, though there is one other player legitimately in the running) why "Ms. B" won't be the player everyone should suspect she HAS to be. Elsewhere, other top players not named Serena and Vika can spend the next few months trying to figure out whether or not they really have what it takes to keep that certain player (whichever one ends up being honored) from backing up her '12 honors with similar and/or more plaudits in 2013. And, thus, next season's storylines are already taking shape.

Anyway, here are 2012's player lists (and a recap of past BSA winners):

*RISERS*

1. Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
2. Angelique Kerber, GER
3. Sara Errani, ITA
4. Maria Kirilenko/Nadia Petrova, RUS/RUS
5. Maria Kirilenko, RUS
6. Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ
7. Kaia Kanepi, EST
8. Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
9. Urszula Radwanska, POL
10. Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
11. Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
12. Coco Vandeweghe, USA
13. Julia Goerges, GER
14. Lucie Safarova, CZE
15. Lucie Hradecka, CZE
16. Polona Hercog, SLO
17. Marina Erakovic/Heather Watson, NZL/GBR
18. Romina Oprandi, SUI
19. Sofia Arvidsson, SWE
20. Petra Martic, CRO
21. Mathilde Johansson, FRA
22. Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
23. Chan Yung-Jan, TPE
24. Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
25. Ayumi Morita, JPN
26. Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
27. Aleksandra Wozniak, CAN
28. Johanna Larsson, SWE
29. Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
30. Vania King, USA
HM- Andrea Petkovic, GER

*FRESH FACES*

1. Laura Robson, GBR
2. Heather Watson, GBR
3. Sloane Stephens, USA
4. Bojana Jovanovski, SRB
5. Tamira Paszek, AUT
6. Irina-Camelia Begu, ROU
7. Monica Niculescu, ROU
8. Timea Babos, HUN
9. Mona Barthel, GER
10. Camila Giorgi, ITA
11. Christina McHale, USA
12. Kiki Bertens, NED
13. Ashleigh Barty, AUS
14. Donna Vekic, CRO
15. Simona Halep, ROU
16. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, ESP
17. Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
18. Julia Cohen, USA
19. Chang Kai-Chen, TPE
20. Arantxa Rus, NED
21. Mariana Duque-Marino, COL
22. Ksenia Pervak, KAZ
23. Mallory Burdette, USA
24. Misaki Doi, JPN
25. Melanie Oudin, USA
26. Alexandra Krunic, SRB
27. Karolina Pliskova, CZE
28. Kristyna Pliskova, CZE
29. Lesia Tsurenko, UKR
30. Garbine Muguruza, ESP
31. Jana Cepelova, SVK
32. Alexandra Cadantu, ROU
33. Ksenia Milevskaya, BLR
34. Cristina Mitu, ROU
35. Sharon Fichman, CAN
36. Chanel Simmonds, RSA
37. Johanna Konta, GBR
38. Duan Ying-Ying, CHN
39. Ximena Hermoso, MEX
40. Maryna Zanevska, UKR
HM- Gabriela Paz, VEN

*UP-AND-COMERS, JUNIORS & NCAA*

1t. Eugenie Bouchard, CAN
1t. Taylor Townsend, USA
3. Annika Beck, GER
4. Taylor Townsend/Gabby Andrews, USA/USA
5. Yulia Putintseva, KAZ
6. Anett Kontaveit, EST
7. U.S. Jr. Fed Cup Team
8. Elina Svitolina, UKR
9. Francoise Abanda, CAN
10. Zheng Saisai, CHN
11. Irina Khromacheva, RUS
12. Basek Eraydin, TUR
13. Samantha Crawford, USA
14. Allie Kiick, USA
15. Nicole Gibbs, USA (Stanford Univ.)
16. Antonia Lottner, GER
17. Anna Schmiedlova, SVK
18. Marcela Zacarius, MEX
19. Grace Min, USA
20. Lauren Davis, USA
21. Victoria Kan, RUS
22. Victoria Duval, USA
23. Anna Danilina, KAZ
24. Alison van Ulytvanck, BEL
25. Monica Puig, PUR
26. Carol Zhao, CAN
27. Allie Will, USA (Univ. of Florida)
28. Madison Keys, USA
29. Zarina Diyas, KAZ
30. Katerina Siniakova, CZE
31. Sabina Sharipova, UZB
32. Lauren Embree, USA (Univ. of Florida)
33. Krista Hardebeck, USA
34. Chelsey Gullickson, USA (ex-Univ. of Georgia)
35. ChiChi Scholl, USA
36. Chalena Scholl, USA
37. Louisa Chirico, USA
38. Barbara Haas, AUT
39. Marta Sirotkina, RUS
40. Belinda Bencic, SUI
41. Carina Witthoeft, GER
42. Ons Jabeur, TUN
43. Ilka Csoregi, ROU
44. Jamie Loeb, USA
45. Shelby Rogers, USA
HM- Sachia Vickery, USA

*SURPRISES*

1. Sara Errani, ITA
2. Varvara Lepchenko, USA
3. Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
4. Marina Erakovic, NZL
5. Svetlana Kuznetsova/Vera Zvonareva, RUS/RUS (at AO)
6. Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, ESP
7. Jamie Hampton, USA
8. Alexandra Panova, RUS
9. Silvia Soler-Espinosa, ESP
10. Stefanie Voegele, SUI
11. Anna Tatishvili, GEO
12. Paula Ormaechea, ARG
13. Andrea Hlavackova, CZE
14. Klaudia Jans-Ignacik/Kristina Mladenovic, POL/FRA
15. Florencia Molinero, ARG
16. Sandra Zaniewska, POL
17. Nina Bratchikova, RUS
18. Olga Govortsova, BLR
19. Anastasia Rodionova, AUS
20. Irena Pavlovic, FRA
21. Tatjana Malek, GER
22. Pauline Parmentier, FRA
23. Eva Birnerova, CZE
24. Margarita Gasparyan, RUS
25. Paula Kania/Polina Pekhova, POL/BLR
26. Nastassja Burnett, ITA
27. Anna-Lena Friedsam, GER
28. Katerina Vankova, CZE
29. Estelle Guisard, FRA
30. Daniela Seguel, CHI
31. Irina Buryachok/Valeria Solovieva, UKR/RUS
32. Maria Joao Koehler, POR
33. Luksika Kumkhum, THA
34. Sofia Kvatsabaia, GEO
35. Valeria Solovieva, RUS
36. Ana Sofia Sanchez, MEX
37. Maria-Elena Camerin, ITA
38. Samantha Murray, GBR
39. Shuko Aoyama/Chang Kai-Chen, JPN/TPE
40. Heidi El Tabakh, CAN
HM- Reka-Luca Jani!... Reka-Luca Jani!... Reka-Luca Jani!, HUN

*VETERANS*

1. Serena Willliams, USA
2. Maria Sharapova, RUS
3. Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
4. Li Na, CHN
5. Roberta Vinci, ITA
6. Nadia Petrova, RUS
7. Venus Williams, USA
8. Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE
9. Liezel Huber/Lisa Raymond, USA/USA
10. Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
11. Samantha Stosur, AUS
12. Lisa Raymond, USA
13. Marion Bartoli, FRA
14. Zheng Jie, CHN
15. Jelena Jankovic, SRB (Fed Cup)
16. Sofia Arvidsson, SWE
17. Francesca Schiavone, ITA
18. Flavia Pennetta, ITA
19. Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
20. Iveta Benesova, CZE
21. Kveta Peschke, CZE
22. Kim Clijsters, BEL
23. Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
24. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik, CZE/SLO
25. Nuria Llagostera-Vives/Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, ESP/ESP
26. Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN
27. Lourdes Dominquez-Lino, ESP
28. Virginie Razzano, FRA
29. Alberta Brianti, ITA
30. Anna-Lena Groenefeld/Kveta Peschke, GER/CZE
31. Kimiko Date-Krumm/Rika Fujiwara, JPN/JPN
32. Melinda Czink, HUN
33. Klara Zakopalova, CZE
34. Greta Arn, HUN
35. Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
36. Laura Pous-Tio, ESP
37. Edina Gallovits-Hall, ROU
38. Mandy Minella, LUX
39. Eleni Daniilidou, GRE
40. Gisela Dulko/Paola Suarez, ARG/ARG
HM- Janette Husarova, SVK

*COMEBACK PLAYERS*

1. Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE
2. Venus Williams, USA
3. Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ (singles)
4. JPN Fed Cup Team
5. Ana Ivanovic, SRB
6. Melanie Oudin, USA (singles)
7. Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
8. Alize Cornet, FRA
9. AUS Fed Cup Team
10. Alexa Glatch, USA
11. Sorana Cirstea, ROU
12. Ana Savic, CRO
13. Mirjana Lucic, CRO
14. Nuria Llagostera-Vives/Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, ESP/ESP
15. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (mixed doubles)
16. Alisa Kleybanova, RUS
17. Eleni Daniilidou, GRE
18. Virginie Razzano, FRA
19. Sesil Karatantcheva, KAZ
20. Karin Knapp, ITA
21. Julia Glushko, ISR
22. Paola Suarez, ARG
23. Severine Beltrame, FRA
24. Janette Husarova, CZE
25. Anna Chakvetadze, RUS
HM- Evgeniya Linetskaya, ISR

*DOUBLES*

1. Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2. Roberta Vinci, ITA (solo year-end doubles #1)
3. Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
4. Maria Kirilenko/Nadia Petrova, RUS/RUS
5. Lisa Raymond, USA (Mixed)
6. Liezel Huber/Lisa Raymond, USA/USA
7. Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
8. Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
9. Elena Vesnina, RUS
10. Victoria Azarenka, BLR (Olympic Mixed)
11. Kveta Peschke, CZE
12. Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
13. Marina Erakovic/Heather Watson, NZL/GBR
14. Sania Mirza, IND
15. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik, CZE/SLO
16. Nuria Llagostera-Vives/Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, ESP/ESP
17. Svetlana Kuznetsova/Vera Zvonareva, RUS/RUS (at AO)
18. Taylor Townsend/Gabby Andrews, USA/USA (Jr.)
19. Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
20. Klaudia Jans-Ignacik, POL
21. Chang Kai-Chen, TPE
22. Chuang Chia-Jung, TPE
23. Alexandra Panova, RUS
24. Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN
25. Zhang Shuai, CHN
HM- Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (Mixed)

*DOWN*

1. Vera Zvonareva, RUS
2. Sabine Lisicki, GER
3. ITA Fed Cup Team
4. Jelena Dokic, AUS
5. Gisela Dulko, ARG
6. Vania King/Yaroslava Shvedova, USA/KAZ
7. RUS Fed Cup Team
8. Aravane Rezai, FRA
9. Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
10. Shahar Peer, ISR
11. Jarmila Gajdosova, AUS
12. Gisela Dulko/Flavia Pennetta, ARG/ITA
13. CHN Fed Cup Team
14. FRA Fed Cup Team
15. Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU
16. Rebecca Marino, CAN
17. Alison Riske, USA
18. Andrea Petkovic, GER
19. GER Fed Cup Team
20. Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
21. Liezel Huber, USA (off-court)
22. Caroline Garcia, FRA
23. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
24. Flavia Pennetta, ITA
25. Samantha Stosur, AUS
26. Francesca Schiavone, ITA
27. Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
28. Marion Bartoli, FRA
29. Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
30. Petra Kvitova, CZE
HM- Dinara Safina, RUS



**HARD COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS**
2004 Lindsay Davenport, USA
2005 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2006 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2007 Justine Henin, BEL
2008 Serena Williams, USA
2009 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2010 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2011 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2012 Victoria Azarenka, BLR

**CLAY COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS**
2004 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2005 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL
2006 Nadia Petrova, RUS
2007 Justine Henin, BEL
2008 Dinara Safina, RUS
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2010 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2011 Li Na, CHN
2012 Maria Sharapova, RUS

**GRASS COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS**
2004 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2005 Venus Williams, USA
2006 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2007 Venus Williams, USA
2008 Venus Williams, USA
2009 Serena Williams, USA
2010 Serena Williams, USA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Serena Williams, USA

**INDOOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS**
2004 Anastasia Myskina, RUS
2005 Mary Pierce, FRA
2006 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2007 Justine Henin, BEL
2008 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2009 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2010 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Angelique Kerber, GER



*"RISING PLAYER" WINNERS*
2002 Daniela Hantuchova
2003 Elena Dementieva
2004 Maria Sharapova & Svetlana Kuznetsova
2005 Anna-Lena Groenefeld
2006 Nadia Petrova
2007 Jelena Jankovic & Ana Ivanovic
2008 Dinara Safina
2009 Caroline Wozniacki
2010 Caroline Wozniacki
2011 Victoria Azarenka
2012 Agnieszka Radwanska

*"FRESH FACE" WINNERS*
2002 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2003 Maria Sharapova
2004 Tatiana Golovin
2005 Nicole Vaidisova
2006 Nicole Vaidisova
2007 Agnes Szavay
2008 Caroline Wozniacki
2009 Victoria Azarenka
2010 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2011 Monica Niculescu
2012 Laura Robson

*"UP & COMING" WINNERS*
2002 Vera Zvonareva
2003 Vera Dushevina
2004 Maria Kirilenko & Nicole Vaidisova
2005 Ana Ivanovic
2006 Olga Puchkova
2007 Tamira Paszek
2008 Michelle Larcher de Brito & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2009 Melanie Oudin
2010 Alisa Kleybanova
2011 Caroline Garcia
2012 Taylor Townsend & Eugenie Bouchard

*"SURPRISE" WINNERS*
2002 Anna Smashnova
2003 Anca Barna
2004 Claudine Schaul
2005 Samantha Stosur
2006 Severine Bremond
2007 Sybille Bammer
2008 Aleksandra Wozniak
2009 Yanina Wickmayer
2010 Vania King/Yaroslava Shvedova
2011 Galina Voskoboeva
2012 Sara Errani

*"COMEBACK" WINNERS*
2002 Chanda Rubin
2003 Lina Krasnoroutskaya
2004 Mary Pierce
2005 Venus Williams
2006 Martina Hingis
2007 Serena Williams & Venus Williams
2008 Flavia Pennetta
2009 Kim Clijsters
2010 Justine Henin
2011 Sabine Lisicki
2012 Hsieh Su-Wei

*"VETERAN" WINNERS*
2002 Monica Seles
2003 Ai Sugiyama
2004 Lindsay Davenport
2005 Lindsay Davenport
2006 Martina Hingis
2007 Venus Williams
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2009 Serena Williams
2010 Francesca Schiavone
2011 Li Na
2012 Serena Williams

*"DOWN" WINNERS*
2002 Meghann Shaughnessy
2003 Daniela Hantuchova
2004 Jelena Dokic
2005 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2006 Serena Williams & Venus Williams
2007 Maria Sharapova
2008 Nicole Vaidisova
2009 Ana Ivanovic
2010 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2011 Venus Williams
2012 Vera Zvonareva

*"DOUBLES PLAYER" WINNERS*
2003 Martina Navratilova
2004 Virginia Ruano-Pascual
2005 Cara Black
2006 Lisa Raymond
2007 Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2009 Nuria Llagostera-Vives/Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez
2010 Gisela Dulko
2011 Liezel Huber
2012 Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci


All for now.



MORE BSA's STILL TO COME: including "Ms. Backspin '12" and 2012's WTA Yearbook