2013 BSA's: Regional Honors

The presentation of the 2013 Backspin Awards began with the annual "MVP List." Up next, positioning a magnifying glass on the world... region by region.

==NORTH AMERICAN/ATLANTIC REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Serena Williams, USA
POY (RUNNER-UP): Sloane Stephens, USA
RISERS: Eugenie Bouchard, CAN & Jamie Hampton, USA

SURPRISES: Monica Puig, PUR & Tornado Alicia Black, USA
VETERAN: Venus Williams, USA
FRESH FACES: Madison Keys, USA & Victoria Rodriguez, MEX
COMEBACKS: Vania King, USA & Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (doubles)
DOWN: Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA & Rebecca Marino, CAN
JUNIORS: Taylor Townsend, USA & Louisa Chirico, USA
DOUBLES: Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
TEAMS: Washington Kastles (WTT) & Stanford Cardinal (NCAA)
ITF PLAYER: Shelby Rogers, USA
IMPROVED: Alison Riske, USA
UNDERRATED: Varvara Lepchenko, USA
FED CUP: Serena Williams, USA & Kerrie Cartwright, BAH
SISTER TO WATCH: Francoise Abanda, CAN
KEY AN EYE ON...: Lauren Davis, USA
TOP PERFORMANCE: Serena Williams puts together 34-match winning streak, which includes a title run at Roland Garros
NATION TO WATCH: Canada
COMEBACK NATION: United States
WORRIED NATION: none, really (but, really, the future of the U.S. men on the ATP is almost dismal enough to jump tours and be included here)
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Mexico
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Eugenie Bouchard, CAN & Vicky Duval, USA

SELL: Liezel Huber, USA & Venus Williams, USA (as far as a semi-consistent threat to add to her singles title total)
HOLD: Christina McHale, USA & Aleksandra Wozniak, CAN

==SOUTH AMERICAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Paula Ormaechea, ARG

POY (RUNNER-UP): Teliana Pereira, BRA
RISER: Mariana Duque-Marino, COL
SURPRISES: Domenica Gonzalez, ECU & Carolina Zeballos, ARG (doubles)
VETERAN: Catalina Castano, COL
FRESH FACE: Montserrat Gonzalez, PAR
COMEBACK: Catalina Castano, COL
DOWN: Gisela Dulko, ARG (retired)
JUNIOR: Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
DOUBLES: Catalina Castano/Mariana Duque-Marino, COL/COL
TEAM: ARG Fed Cup team
ITF PLAYER: Teliana Pereira, BRA
IMPROVED: Laura Pigossi, BRA
UNDERRATED: Maria Irigoyen, ARG
FED CUP: Paula Ormaechea, ARG
SISTER TO WATCH: Flavia Guimaraes Bueno, BRA
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Brazilian Fed Cup team
TOP PERFORMANCE: Paula Ormaechea leads Argentine Fed Cup team to victory over GBR in World Group II Playoffs
NATION TO WATCH: Brazil
COMEBACK NATION: Argentina
WORRIED NATION: Venezuela
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Paraguay
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Camila Giangreco Campiz, PAR & Paula Cristina Goncalves, BRA
SELL: Roxane Vaisemberg, BRA
HOLD: Florencia Molinero, ARG

==ASIA/PACIFIC REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Li Na, CHN
POY (RUNNERS-UP): Hsieh Su-Wei/Peng Shuai, TPE/CHN
RISERS: Zhang Shuai, CHN & Ayumi Morita, JPN
SURPRISES: Jang Su Jeong, KOR & Australian Jr. Fed Cup team
VETERAN: Zheng Jie, CHN & Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN
FRESH FACES: Ashleigh Barty, AUS & Misaki Doi, JPN
COMEBACK: Sesil Karatantcheva, KAZ
DOWN: Samantha Stosur, AUS
JUNIOR: Mayo Hibi, JPN
DOUBLES: Sania Mirza, IND
(non-slam winning) TEAM: Ashleigh Barty/Casey Dellacqua, AUS/AUS

ITF PLAYERS: Wang Yafan, CHN & Ksenia Palkina, KGZ
IMPROVED: Duan Ying-Ying, CHN & Luksika Kumkhum, THA
UNDERRATED: Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ & Marina Erakovic, NZL
FED CUP: Ayumi Morita, JPN
SISTERS TO WATCH: Chan Yung-Jan/Chan Hao-Ching, TPE/TPE
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Li Na, CHN (w/ Carlos Rodriguez)
TOP PERFORMANCE: Li Na defeats two Top 4 players (Sharapova & A-Rad) and reaches the Australian Open final
NATION TO WATCH: China
COMEBACK NATION: Japan
WORRIED NATION: Thailand
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Kazakhstan
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Ashleigh Barty, AUS & Kurumi Nara, JPN
SELL: Jarmila Gajdosova, AUS
HOLD: Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN

==AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cara Black, ZIM
POY (RUNNER-UP): Julia Glushko, ISR

RISERS: Basak Eraydin, TUR & Fatma Al Nabhani, OMA
SURPRISE: Mayar Sherif, EGY
VETERAN: Nathalie Grandin, RSA
FRESH FACES: Ons Jabeur, TUN & Chanel Simmonds, RSA
COMEBACK: Shahar Peer, ISR
DOWN: Keren Shlomo, ISR
JUNIOR: Ipek Soylu, TUR
DOUBLES: Cara Black, ZIM
TEAM: Tunisian Fed Cup team
ITF PLAYERS: Deniz Khazaniuk, ISR & Melis Sezer, TUR
IMPROVED: Pemra Ozgen, TUR
UNDERRATED: Chanelle Scheepers, RSA
FED CUP: Ons Jabeur, TUN
SISTERS TO WATCH: Hulya Esen/Lutfiye Esen, TUR/TUR
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Ines Ibbou, ALG
TOP PERFORMANCE: Cara Black sweeps Tokyo & Beijing women's doubles titles
NATION TO WATCH: Turkey
COMEBACK NATION: South Africa
WORRIED NATION: Israel
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Egypt
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Ipek Soylu, TUR
SELL: Nadia Lalami, MAR
HOLD: Shahar Peer, ISR

==RUSSIA==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maria Sharapova
POY (RUNNER-UP): Elena Vesnina

RISERS: Ekaterina Makarova & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
SURPRISES: Nina Bratchikova & Valeria Savinykh
VETERANS: Maria Kirilenko & Svetlana Kuznetsova
FRESH FACE: Daria Gavrilova
COMEBACK: Alisa Kleybanova & Evgeniya Rodina
DOWN: Nadia Petrova
JUNIORS: Elizaveta Kulichkova & Darya Kasatkina
DOUBLES: Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina
TEAM: Russian Fed Cup & Jr. Fed Cup teams

ITF PLAYER: Anna Morgina
IMPROVED: Olga Puchkova
UNDERRATED: Vera Dushevina & Valeriaa Solovyeva
FED CUP: Ekaterina Makarova
SISTER TO WATCH: Arina Rodionova (AUS...eventually)
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Maria Sharapova's ailing shoulder
TOP PERFORMANCE: Ekaterina Makarova leads comeback from 0-2 down vs. SVK in Fed Cup semifinals
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Alisa Kleybanova
SELL: Nadia Petrova (singles)
HOLD: Vera Zvonareva

==EASTERN EUROPEAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Victoria Azarenka, BLR

POY (RUNNER-UP): Simona Halep, ROU
RISERS: Monica Niculescu, ROU & Alexandra Cadantu, ROU
SURPRISES: Kateryna Kozlova, UKR & Valentini Grammatikopoulou, GRE
VETERANS: Kaia Kanepi, EST & Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
FRESH FACES: Elina Svitolina, UKR & Iryna Shymanovich, BLR
COMEBACK: Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU
DOWN: Anna Tatishvili, GEO
JUNIORS: Anett Kontaveit, EST & Anhelina Kalinina, UKR
DOUBLES: Irina Buryachok/Oksana Kalashnikova, UKR/GEO
TEAM: Anett Kontaveit/Jelena Ostapenko, EST/LAT
ITF PLAYER: Nadiya Kichenok, UKR
IMPROVED: Lyudmyla Kichenok, UKR & Maryna Zanevska, UKR
UNDERRATED: Olga Govortsova, BLR
FED CUP: Elina Svitolina, UKR
SISTERS TO WATCH: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Nadiya Kichenok, UKR/UKR
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Jelena Ostapenko, LAT
TOP PERFORMANCE: Victora Azarenka defends her Australian Open crown
NATION TO WATCH: Romania
COMEBACK NATION: Ukraine
WORRIED NATIONS: Georgia
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Belarus
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Elina Svitolina, UKR & Jelena Ostapenko, LAT
SELL: Raluca Olaru, ROU
HOLD: Sorana Cirstea, ROU

==WESTERN EUROPEAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Agnieszka Radwanska, POL

POY (RUNNER-UP): Roberta Vinci, ITA
RISERS: Sabine Lisicki, GER & Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
SURPRISES: Maria Joao Koehler, POR & Sandra Klemenschits/Andreja Klepac, AUT/SLO
VETERANS: Marion Bartoli, FRA & Daniela Hantuchova, SVK

FRESH FACES: Camila Giorgi, ITA & Annika Beck, GER
COMEBACKS: Jelena Jankovic, SRB & Michelle Larcher de Brito, POR
DOWN: Petra Kvitova, CZE & Serbian Fed Cup team
JUNIORS: Belinda Bencic, SUI & Ana Konjuh, CRO
DOUBLES: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
DOUBLES (Jr.): Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
TEAMS: Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE & Italian Fed Cup tean
ITF PLAYER: Reka-Luca Jani, HUN
IMPROVED: Kirsten Flipkens, BEL & Karin Knapp, ITA
UNDERRATED: Yvonne Meusburger, AUT & Alize Cornet, FRA
FED CUP: Roberta Vinci, ITA
SISTERS TO WATCH: Anna Schmiedlova, SVK & Karolina Pliskova/Kristyna Pliskova, CZE/CZE
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Bojana Jovanovski, SRB & Aleksandra Krunic, SRB
TOP MORTAL PERFORMANCE: Marion Bartoli wins Wimbledon
TOP A-RAD PERFORMANCE: Agnieszka Radwanska opens seasons with back-to-back titles in Week 1 & 2
TOP RADWANSKIAN MASSACRE: The Radwanska wreaks havoc on Day 3 of Wimbledon, otherwise known as "Black Wednesday," as seven current/former #1's lose, players stumble, slip & fall all over the grounds, four matches are cancelled via walkovers and three others end with retirements
NATIONS TO WATCH: Germany & Poland
COMEBACK NATIONS: Spain & Croatia
WORRIED NATION: France
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Serbia
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Donna Vekic/CRO, Kristina Mladenovic/FRA & Garbine Muguruza/ESP
SELL: Sara Errani/ITA, Tamira Paszek/AUT & Yanina Wickmayer/BEL
HOLD: Angelique Kerber/GER, Caroline Wozniacki/DEN & Laura Robson/GBR



And a few more, without international borders...

2014 is MOST IMPORTANT for: Li Na/CHN & Samantha Stosur/AUS... late-career steps will be made. Or not. If it's that latter, time might suddenly be very short for both.
2014 is LEAST IMPORTANT for: Vera Zvonareva/RUS & Williams/Williams, USA... after more than a year away, playing again at a high level is likely a take-it-or-leave thing for the well-prepared-for-life-after-tennis Hordette; while Rio 2016 is the real goal for the Sisters
POISED FOR GREATNESS in 2014??: Makarova/Vesnina, RUS & Sabine Lisicki, GER... if Errani & Vinci slip, the Russians could become the best doubles team in the world; while the German's SW19 goals and dreams have only one more step to climb
READY TO TURN HEADS in 2014: Eugenie Bouchard, CAN & Ashleigh Barty, AUS... the Canadian gets closer to having fully arrived on a weekly basis, while the Aussie can be seen over everyone's collective shoulder
SHE COULD BE FORCED TO CONTINUE TO HOLD HER HORSES in 2014: Sloane Stephens/USA & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS... as talented as both are, inconsistency (everywhere but the slams for Current Sloane, and especially at them for the Russian) could continue to hold one -- or both -- back from what is/was perceived as her "career destiny"
LURCHING TOWARD DISASTER in 2014???: Maria Sharapova/RUS & Sara Errani/ITA... if Sharapova's shoulder becomes a lingering issue again, how much longer can she overcome it, or desire to work so hard to try? And Errani seems like she'd be much happier and less stressed if she settled into a ranking slot somewhere around #11-15. It'd still be a higher standing than she would have hoped for two years ago.

More 2013 Backspin Awards are coming soon!

All for now.



2013 REVIEW SERIES
Backspin MVP List