2014 BSA's: Player Award 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 (as well as the performance & match lists) are still to come. But the lists that form the backbone of those lists are right here. Of course, there may be some dispute about the placement of some players in these lists, but, really, just getting an "invitation" to the party is actually meant to be an honor.
So, try not to get too bent out of shape about it, Ms. Schmiedlova.
So, here are 2014's Player Awards lists, as well as recap of some past BSA winners (yes, lists of the players who've been atop the lists included in previous posts filled with lists... not that that's redundant, confusing or anything out of the ordinary):
*RISERS*
1t. Simona Halep, ROU & Eugenie Bouchard, CAN
2. Peng Shuai, CHN
3. Karolina Pliskova, CZE
4. Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
5. Garbine Muguruza, ESP
6. Andrea Petkovic, GER
7. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
8. Alize Cornet, FRA
9. Romanian Fed Cup Team
10. German Fed Cup Team
11. Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
12. Caroline Garcia, FRA
13. French Fed Cup Team
14. Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
15. Angelique Kerber, GER
16t. Coco Vandeweghe, USA & Madison Keys, USA
18. Garbine Muguruza/Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP/ESP
19. Lucie Safarova, CZE
20. Camila Giorgi, ITA
21. Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, ESP
22. Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
23. Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
24. Swiss Fed Cup Team
25. Sabine Lisicki, GER
26. Chan Hao-Ching/Chan Yung-Jan, TPE/TPE
27. Alison Riske, USA
28. Mona Barthel, GER
29. Monica Niculescu, ROU
30. Irina-Camilia Begu, ROU
31. Vitalia Diatchenko, RUS
32. Elena Vesnina, RUS
33. Polish Fed Cup Team
34. Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
35. Jocelyn Rae/Anna Smith, GBR/GBR
36. Kiki Bertens, NED
37. Dutch Fed Cup Team
38. Karin Knapp, ITA
39. Zhang Shuai, CHN
40. Alexandra Cadantu, ROU
41. Petra Martic, CRO
42. Stefanie Voegele, SUI
43. Romina Oprandi, SUI
44. Paula Ormaechea, ARG
45. Teliana Pereira, BRA
46. Duan Yingying, CHN
47. Michaelle Larcher de Brito, POR
48. Lesia Tsurenko, UKR
49. Anna Tatishvili, USA
50. Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
HM- Brazilian Fed Cup Team
*FRESH FACES*
1. Belinda Bencic, SUI
2. Elina Svitolina, UKR
3. Donna Vekic, CRO
4. Annika Beck, GER
5. Monica Puig, PUR
6. Jana Cepelova, SVK
7. Taylor Townsend, USA
8. Shelby Rogers, USA
9. Kurumi Nara, JPN
10. Alexandra Krunic, SRB
11. Anna Schmiedlova, SVK
12. Zarina Diyas, KAZ
13. Tereza Smitkova, CZE
14. Katerina Siniakova, CZE
15. Ana Konjuh, CRO
16. Canadian Fed Cup Team
17. Anna-Lena Friedsam, GER
18. Luksika Kumkhum, THA
19. Ajla Tomljanovic, AUS (CRO)
20. Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
21. Zheng Saisai, CHN
22. Denisa Allertova, CZE
23. Wang Qiang, CHN
24. Carina Witthoeft, GER
25. Lauren Davis, USA
26. Ksenia Pervak, RUS
27. Timea Babos, HUN
28. Alison Van Uytvanck, BEL
29. Richel Hogenkamp, NED
30. Gabriela Dabrowski, CAN
31. Sharon Fichman, CAN
32. Grace Min, USA
33. Vicky Duval, USA
34. Nicole Gibbs, USA
35. Naomi Broady, GBR
36. Allie Kiick, USA
37. Barbara Haas, GER
38. Antonia Lottner, GER
39. Sachia Vickery, USA
40. Maryna Zanevska, UKR
41. Rebecca Peterson, SWE
42. Krystyna Pliskova, CZE
43. Ons Jabeur, TUN
44. Carol Zhao, CAN
45. Montserrat Gonzalez, PAR
46. Yulia Putintseva, RUS
47. An-Sophie Mestach, BEL
48. Daria Gavrilova, RUS
49. Ana-Sofia Sanchez, MEX
50. Victoria Rodriguez, MEX
HM- Sara Sorribes Tormo, ESP
*UP-AND-COMERS, JUNIORS & NCAA*
1. CiCi Bellis, USA
2. Jelena Ostapenko, LAT
3. Tornado Black, USA
4. Darya Kasatkina, RUS
5. U.S. Junior Fed Cup Team
6. Elizaveta Kulichkova, RUS
7. Marie Bouzkova, CZE
8. Iryna Shymanovich, BLR
9. Anhelina Kalinia, UKR
10. Francoise Abanda, CAN
11. Ipek Soylu, TUR
12. Paula Badosa Gibert, ESP
13. Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov, ESP
14. Xu Shilin, CHN
15. Jana Fett, CRO
16. UCLA Women's Tennis Team
17. Ivana Jorovic, SRB
18. Danielle Collins, USA (Univ. of Virginia)
19. Jamie Loeb, USA (Univ. of North Carolina)
20. Jennifer Brady, USA (UCLA)
21. Gabriela Elena Ruse, ROU
22. Katerina Stewart, USA
23. Louisa Chirico, USA
24. Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
25. Jil Belen Teichmann, SUI
26. Anna Kalinskaya, RUS
27. Russian ITF World Junior Chsp. Team
28. Natalia Vikhlyantseva, RUS
29. Olga Fridman, UKR
30. Greetje Minnen, BEL
31. Kristina Schmiedlova, SVK
32. Dalma Galfi, HUN
33. Anna Bondar, HUN
34. Caroline Dolehide, USA
35. Fiona Ferro, FRA
36. Robin Anderson, USA (UCLA)
38. Lynn Chi, USA (California)
39. Kimberly Birrell, AUS
39. Michaela Gordon, USA
40. Kristie Ahn, USA (Stanford)
41. Katie Boulter, GBR
42. Renata Zarazua, MEX
43. Sun Ziyue, CHN
44. Varvara Flink, RUS
45. Veronika Kudermetova, RUS
46. Julia Elbaba, USA (Univ. of Virginia)
47. Hayley Carter, USA (Univ. of North Carolina)
48. Naiktha Bains, AUS
49. Tami Grende/Qui Yu Ye, INA/CHN
50. Nina Stojanovic, SRB
HM- Maya Jansen/Erin Routliffe, USA/USA (Univ. of Alabama)
*SURPRISES*
1. Tereza Smitkova, CZE
2. Aleksandra Krunic, SRB
3. Luksika Kumkhum, THA
4. Silvia Soler-Espinosa, ESP
5. Jovana Jaksic, SRB
6. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Nadiia Kichenok, UKR/UKR
7. Andreea Mitu, ROU
8. Pauline Parmentier, FRA
9. Wang Yafan, CHN
10. Magda Linette, POL
11. Paula Kania, POL
12. Liu Fangzhou, CHN
13. Olga Savchuk, UKR
14. Zhang Ling, HKG
15. Sofia Shapatava, GEO
16. Danka Kovinic, MNE
17. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, BLR
18. Kristina Kucova, SVK
19. Stephanie Vogt, LIE
20. Oceane Dodin, FRA
21. Reka-Luca Jani, HUN
22. Arina Rodionova, AUS
23. Veronica Cepede Royg, PAR
24. Nastassja Burnett, FRA
25. Zhang Kailin, CHN
26. Estrella Cabeza-Candela, ESP
27. Yuliya Beygelzimer, UKR
28. Tatiana Bua/Daniela Seguel, ARG/CHI
29. Laura Siegemund, GER
30. Naomi Osaka, JPN
31. Nigina Abduraimova, UZB
32. Maria Sakkari, GRE
33. Eri Hozumi, JPN
34. Risa Ozaki, JPN
35. Wang Yan, CHN
36. Katarzyna Piter, POL
37. Gabriela Ce, BRA
38. Kateryna Kozlova, UKR
39. Liang Chen, CHN
40. Zhu Lin, CHN
41. Bernarda Pera, USA
42. Liechtenstein Fed Cup Team
43. Amy Bowtell, IRE
44. Jasmina Tinjic, BIH
45. Bosnian Fed Cup Team
HM- Demi Schuurs, NED
*VETERANS*
1. Serena Williams, USA
2. Maria Sharapova, RUS
3. Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
4. Li Na, CHN
5. Ana Ivanovic, SRB
6. Andrea Petkovic, GER
7. Peng Shuai, CHN
8. Hsieh Su-Wei/Peng Shuai, TPE/CHN
9. Flavia Pennetta, ITA
10. Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
11. Venus Williams, USA
12. Sania Mirza, IND
13. Cara Black/Sania Mirza, ZIM/IND
14. Martina Hingis, SUI
15. Cara Black, ZIM
16. Alla Kudryavtseva/Anastasia Rodionova, RUS/AUS
17. Martina Hingis/Flavia Pennetta, SUI/ITA
18. Jelena Jankovic, SRB
19. Sara Errani, ITA
20. Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
21. Lucie Safarova, CZE
22. Samantha Stosur, AUS
23. Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
24. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
25. Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE (d)
26. Casey Dellacqua, AUS
27. Klara Koukalova, CZE
28. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik, CZE/SLO
29. Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
30. Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
31. Anabel Medina-Garrigues/Yaroslava Shvedova, ESP/KAZ
32. Varvara Lepchenko, USA
33. Vania King, USA
34. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, GER
35. Roberta Vinci, ITA
36. Chuang Chia-Jung, TPE
37. Francesca Schiavone, ITA
38. Johanna Larsson, SWE
39. Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN
40. Kaia Kanepi, EST
41. Swedish Fed Cup Team
42. Zheng Jie, CHN
43. Chanelle Scheepers, RSA
44. Anabel Medina-Garrigues, ESP (WTT)
45. Sofia Arvidsson, SWE
46. Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, ESP
47. Stephanie Foretz-Gacon, FRA
48. Renata Voracova, CZE
49. Olga Savchuk, UKR
50. Tamarine Tanasugarn, THA
HM- Junri Namigata, JPN
*COMEBACK PLAYERS*
1. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
2. German Fed Cup Team
3. Andrea Petkovic, GER
4. Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
5. Timea Bacsinszky, SUI
6. Vitalia Diatchenko, RUS
7. Evgeniya Rodina, RUS
8. Martina Hingis, SUI
9. Petra Cetkovska, CZE
10. Madison Brengle, USA
11. Australian Fed Cup Team
12. Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
13. Chuang Chia-Jung, TPE
14. Alisa Kleybanova, RUS
15. Russian Fed Cup Team
16. Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
17. Heather Watson, GBR
18. Naomi Cavaday, GBR
19. Jarmila Gajdosova, AUS
20. Christina McHale, USA
21. Edina Gallovits-Hall, ROU
22. Argentine Fed Cup Team
23. Emma Laine, FIN
24. Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
25. Aleksandra Wozniak, CAN
HM- Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
*MOST IMPROVED PLAYER*
1. Alize Cornet, FRA
2. Karolina Pliskova, CZE
3. Garbine Muguruza, ESP
4. Alison Riske, USA
5. Caroline Garcia, FRA
6. Coco Vandeweghe, USA
7. Maria-Teressa Torro-Flor, ESP
8. Silvia Soler-Espinosa, ESP
9. Casey Dellacqua, AUS
10. Madison Keys, USA
HM- Madison Brengle, USA
*DOUBLES*
1. Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2. Peng Shuai, CHN
3. Hsieh Su-Wei & Peng Shuai, TPE/TPE
4. Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
[photo by Jen Pottheiser/USTA]
5. Sania Mirza, IND
6. Cara Black/Sania Mirza, ZIM/IND
7. Cara Black, ZIM
8. Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE
9. Martina Hingis, SUI
10. Alla Kudryavtseva/Anastasia Rodionova, RUS/AUS
11. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik, CZE/SLO
12. Martina Hingis/Flavia Pennetta, SUI/ITA
13. Garbine Muguruza/Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP/ESP
14. Andrea Hlavackova/Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE/CZE (FC)
15. Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
16. Chan Hao-Ching, TPE
17. Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
18. Andrea Hlavackova, CZE
19. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, GER
20. Shuko Aoyama, JPN
21. Timea Babos, HUN
22. Anabel Medina-Garrigues/Yaroslava Shvedova, ESP/KAZ
23. Chan Hao-Ching/Chan Yung-Jan, TPE/TPE
24. Karolina Pliskova/Kristyna Pliskova, CZE/CZE
25. Jocelyn Rae/Anna Smith, GBR/GBR
26. Monica Niculescu/Klara Koukalova, ROU/CZE
27. Yuliya Beygelzimer/Olga Savchuk, UKR/UKR
28. Renata Voracova, CZE
29. Andreja Klepac, SLO
30. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Nadiia Kichenok, UKR/UKR
HM- Luksika Kumkhum & Tamarine Tanasugarn, THA/THA
*TEAMS*
1. Czech Fed Cup Team
2. Washington Kastles (WTT)
3. German Fed Cup Team
4. Italian Fed Cup Team
5. Australian Fed Cup Team
6. French Fed Cup Team
7. French Hopman Cup Team
8. Romanian Fed Cup Team
9. U.S. Junior Fed Cup Team
10. Canadian Fed Cup Team
11. Polish Fed Cup Team
12. Swiss Fed Cup Team
13. UCLA Bruins (NCAA Champions)
14. Dutch Fed Cup Team
15. Russian Fed Cup Team
HM- Russian ITF World Junior Chsp. Team
*DOWN*
1. Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2. Sloane Stephens, USA
3. U.S. Fed Cup Team
4. Serbian Fed Cup Team
5. Slovak Fed Cup Team
6. Jamie Hampton, USA
7. Laura Robson, GBR
8. Nadia Petrova, RUS
9. Kristina Mladenovic/Flavia Pennetta, FRA/ITA
10. Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
11. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
12. Liezel Huber, USA
13. Ashleigh Barty, AUS
14. Arantxa Rus, NED
15. Chinese Fed Cup Team
16. Kazakh Fed Cup Team
17. Ashleigh Barty/Casey Dellacqua, AUS/AUS
18. Sorana Cirstea, ROU
19. Ayumi Morita, JPN
20. Julia Glushko, ISR
21. Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
22. Lisa Raymond, USA
23. Roberta Vinci, ITA
24. Urszula Radwanska, POL
25. Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
HM- Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
*FED CUP*
1. Petra Kvitova, CZE
2. Lucie Safarova, CZE
3. Andrea Petkovic, GER
4. Angelique Kerber, GER
5. Caroline Garcia, FRA
6. Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
7. Eugenie Bouchard, CAN
8. Andrea Hlavackova/Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
9. Alize Cornet/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
10. Samantha Stosur, AUS
11. Sorana Cirstea, ROU
12. Kiki Bertens, NED
13. Karin Knapp, ITA
14. Timea Bacsinszky, SUI
15. Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
16. Belinda Bencic, SUI
17. Luksika Kumkhum, THA
18t. CiCi Bellis, USA (Jr.FC) & Tornado Black, USA (Jr.FC)
19. Johanna Larsson, SWE
20. Sofia Shapatava, GEO
HM- Paula Ormaechea, ARG
*ITF CIRCUIT*
1. Denisa Allertova, CZE
2. Andreea Mitu, ROU
3. Laura Pous-Tio, ESP
4. Jocelyn Rae/Anna Smith, GBR/GBR
5. Evgeniya Rodina, RUS
6. Wang Qiang, CHN
7. Patricia Maria Tig, ROU
8. Conny Perrin, SUI
9. Quirine Lemoine, NED
10. Ana-Sofia Sanchez, MEX
11. Nadia Podoroska, ARG
12. Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU
13. Sharon Fichman, CAN
14. An-Sophie Mestach, BEL
15. Oceane Dodin, FRA
16. Madison Brengle, USA
17. Gabriela Pantuckova, CZE
18. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, ESP
19. Misa Eguchi, JPN
20. Elizaveta Ianchuk, UKR
21. Polina Leykina, RUS
22. Maria Sakkari, GRE
23. Valeriya Strakhova, UKR
24. Zhu Lin, CHN
25. Elena-Teodora Cadar, ROU
HM- Pernilla Mendosova, CZE
**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
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Serena Williams, USA
**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
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 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
2013 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
**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
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
*"RISING PLAYER" WINNERS*
2002 Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
2003 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2004 Maria Sharapova, RUS & Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2005 Anna-Lena Groenefeld, GER
2006 Nadia Petrova, RUS
2007 Jelena Jankovic, SRB & Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2008 Dinara Safina, RUS
2009 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2010 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2011 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2012 Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
2013 Simona Halep, ROU
2014 Simona Halep, ROU & Eugenie Bouchard, CAN
*"FRESH FACE" WINNERS*
2002 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2003 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2004 Tatiana Golovin, FRA
2005 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2006 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2007 Agnes Szavay, HUN
2008 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2009 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2010 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
2011 Monica Niculescu, ROU
2012 Laura Robson, GBR
2013 Sloane Stephens, USA & Eugenie Bouchard, CAN
2014 Belinda Bencic, SUI
*"UP & COMING" WINNERS*
2002 Vera Zvonareva, RUS
2003 Vera Dushevina, RUS
2004 Maria Kirilenko, RUS & Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2005 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2006 Olga Puchkova, RUS
2007 Tamira Paszek, AUT
2008 Michelle Larcher de Brito, POR & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
2009 Melanie Oudin, USA
2010 Alisa Kleybanova, RUS
2011 Caroline Garcia, FRA
2012 Taylor Townsend & Eugenie Bouchard, USA/CAN
2013 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2014 CiCi Bellis, USA
*"SURPRISE" WINNERS*
2002 Anna Smashnova, ISR
2003 Anca Barna, GER
2004 Claudine Schaul, LUX
2005 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2006 Severine Bremond, FRA
2007 Sybille Bammer, AUT
2008 Aleksandra Wozniak, CAN
2009 Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
2010 Vania King/Yaroslava Shvedova, USA/KAZ
2011 Galina Voskoboeva, KAZ
2012 Sara Errani, ITA
2013 Karin Knapp, ITA
2014 Tereza Smitkova, CZE
*"VETERAN" WINNERS*
2002 Monica Seles, USA
2003 Ai Sugiyama, JPN
2004 Lindsay Davenport, USA
2005 Lindsay Davenport, USA
2006 Martina Hingis, SUI
2007 Venus Williams, USA
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber, ZIM/USA
2009 Serena Williams, USA
2010 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2011 Li Na, CHN
2012 Serena Williams, USA
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Serena Williams, USA
*"COMEBACK" WINNERS*
2002 Chanda Rubin, USA
2003 Lina Krasnoroutskaya, RUS
2004 Mary Pierce, FRA
2005 Venus Williams, USA
2006 Martina Hingis, SUI
2007 Serena Williams & Venus Williams, USA/USA
2008 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2009 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2010 Justine Henin, BEL
2011 Sabine Lisicki, GER
2012 Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE
2013 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2014 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
*"MOST IMPROVED PLAYER" WINNERS*
2003 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2004 Alicia Molik, AUS
2005 Kveta Peschke, CZE
2006 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2007 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2008 Vera Zvonareva, RUS
2009 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2010 Kaia Kanepi, EST
2011 Agnieszka Radwanska, POL
2012 Varvara Lepchenko, USA
2013 Julia Glushko, ISR & Alison Riske, USA
2014 Alize Cornet, FRA
*"DOWN" WINNERS*
2002 Meghann Shaughnessy, USA
2003 Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
2004 Jelena Dokic, SRB
2005 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2006 Serena Williams & Venus Williams, USA/USA
2007 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2008 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2009 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2010 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2011 Venus Williams, USA
2012 Vera Zvonareva, RUS
2013 Nadia Petrova, RUS
2014 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
*"DOUBLES" WINNERS*
2003 Martina Navratilova, USA
2004 Virginia Ruano Pascual, ESP
2005 Cara Black, ZIM
2006 Lisa Raymond, USA
2007 Cara Black/Liezel Huber, ZIM/USA
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber, ZIM/USA
2009 Nuria Llagostera-Vives/Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, ESP/ESP
2010 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2011 Liezel Huber, USA
2012 Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2013 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2014 Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
*"TEAM OF THE YEAR" WINNERS*
2003 Virginia Ruano Pascual/Paola Suarez, ESP/ARG
2004 Virginia Ruano Pascual/Paola Suarez, ESP/ARG
2005 Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
2006 Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur, USA/AUS
2007 Cara Black/Liezel Huber, ZIM/USA
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber, ZIM/USA
2009 Italian Fed Cup Team
2010 Gisela Dulko/Flavia Pennetta, ARG/ITA
2011 Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik, CZE/SLO
2012 Czech Fed Cup Team
2013 Hsieh Su-Wei/Peng Shuai, TPE/CHN
2014 Czech Fed Cup Team
*"ITF PLAYER OF THE YEAR" WINNERS*
2008 Anna-Lena Groenefeld, GER
2009 Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, CZE
2010 Mathilde Johansson, FRA
2011 Casey Dellacqua, AUS
2012 Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, ESP
2013 Reka-Luca Jani, HUN
2014 Denisa Allertova, CZE
*"FED CUP PLAYER OF THE YEAR" WINNERS*
2005 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2006 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2013 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
All for now.
posted by Todd.Spiker @ 10:18 PM
8 Comments:
Comments:
- agree with most
- Interesting choice for indoor player of the year. I thought you would go with serena since she won the YECs which is like the indoor slam or kvitova. but i can understand picking Pavs. it feels really good lol. For some reason I'vec always liked her. Also serena wasn't good the rest of the indoor season.
- wonder how your Grass court POY will be affected with the "extended" grass season
- curious how you rank the up-and-comers and the surprises...i would have put francoise abanda above tornado (bc of serve)...and maybe xu shilin higher; for the surprises I would have put naomi osaka a lot higher...and i hadn't heard of andrea mitu
I really really hope that vaidisova doesn't get injured on her comeback trail... I want to see her at the heights of the game again.
- I feel like cornet isn't the right choice for most improved player. i almost feel like her results were overstated by her wins over serena...if that makes sense... (like in the early 2000s when I felt like sania mirza's results were overstated by her win over kuznetsova...and at that time they even had bonus points for defeating higher ranked players so Sania's ranking was even higher due to that...)...i think I would have gone with Pliskova...followed by vadeweghe and rogers.
CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR POY POST!
Yeah, it was an odd indoor year (much like the rest of the season -- as I'll point in the "Ms. Backspin" post), with Serena winning the biggest title, but Pavlyuchenkova pulling that rare "regular season" Paris Indoors/Kremlin Cup sweep (only accomplished before by Pierce in '98) at both ends of the schedule. Kvitova not being quite as rock-solid indoors in '14 was key, though she did lead the Czechs to the FC title in an indoor final. If I'd had a 2nd place, it'd probably been her.
Yeah, I guess the Grass Court POY won't AUTOMATICALLY go to the Wimbledon champ, but I wonder if the extra week will just give a player or two who won't go deep at SW19 a chance to pick up a title. I wonder if the very top-ranked players will even play that extra week, and instead just use the time to get an extra week of practice on the courts at the AELTC, as so many use currently two-week tune-up period. If that's the case, the Wimbledon champ will still be the unquestioned top grass player.
Well, the "U&C" is used rather than "Junior Stars," and is sort of a compilation (mess?) of the current juniors, as well as players who've turned pro during the year (like AO girls winner Kulichkova), with some NCAA players thrown in because I'm not sure where else to put them. Choosing which to emphasize for placement has no real rhyme or reason. In the Black/Abanda case, I guess I went with Black for her junior success (so she sort of fit the original category better), though Abanda is much, much higher ranked in the WTA rankings.
It's all sort of a balancing act.
Yeah, Xu actually got to #1 in October (and won Youth Olympics Gold), and had some really great junior results early. I admit I probably short-changed her a bit. While Bellis' junior slam results weren't very good, she and Black won the Jr. FC, and she thrived in pro events (U.S. Open, two ITF titles at 15). I just felt like she had to be #1 there.
Well, the fact that there were "wins" (plural) over Serena sort of tells the thought process there. I think I got onto the Cornet as Most Improved kick early in the season, and while she flagged a bit late I ultimately kept her there, I think, because the 0-17 pre-'14 record vs. Top 4 players was improved upon by four Top 4 wins this season alone (including those three over the world #1). Pliskova, Garcia, Coco or even Riske (who I gave it to last year) were in the running. I sort of felt like Rogers seems too "new" to the tour to really consider, as I tend to consider the "Most Improved" player to be a player who's been known and been around a little while, and who made a leap that wasn't necessarily a "given" or "expected" climb (that's why I can't see Bouchard as a contender, though she may well win the WTA's honor, because I think we all sort of saw her big rise coming, though she maybe pulled it off a season or two earlier than anticipated). Probably that the WTA left Cornet off its Most Improved Player nomination list sealed the deal in her favor. ;)
I mean, what better way to make a point than to make it all the way, right? :)
Andreea Mitu (with the extra "e" for... umm, effort?) had her best results on the ITF circuit (6-1 in finals), but she did qualify for Wimbledon, too.
Well I guess I have never thought of Cornet as an underdog...since she was as high as #11 during her debut year...so like I consider her good form this year more of a comeback than improvement. LIke in my own internal rankings I batched her with ivanovic, petko, wozniacki.
I forgot that APavs won Paris. I dind't even know it was indoor. I always think of the indoor season as the end of the season after the US Open.
I never know how to categorize Monica Puig. You put her as fresh face...but I feel like her and Tomljanovich (and Min) have been around for awhile... but then they don't really fit into any of the other categories either.
I laughed when you corrected me on Andreea...bc when I typed it in the first comment, I was like...Todd doesn't make mistakes like that....but maybe he hit e twice on accident... hahaha. But I was right (about you) and wrong (about andreea).
:)
Thanks Todd.
OH I forgot to say...so like Pliskova and Coco improved to levels they had not been to before. Like Coco's been around for a long time, but she couldn't really keep the balls in teh court...and didn't rise to meet the moment (she still needs to work on that)...but her consistency got her to new heights...so "improved"...
I definitely think that Cornet has stolen Most Dramatic from JJ tho.
Calling Citizen Anna! That top photo is of someone who has just seen You. Know. What.
Lol Diane.
Todd really knows how to pick 'em. :)
Eric-
Yeah, I concede that point on Cornet. She sort of lives on the border of Most Improved/Comeback, but since her first real breakout season was all the way back in 2008, I sort of viewed her permanently in a "second Tier, at best" situation on tour. Until this year. Plus, she's still only 24, so I sort of felt like she "started over" as far as these lists when she jumped back into the Top 30 in '13.
Puig IS a little hard to categorize. In the past, I ended Fresh Face years when a player turned 20, but since players tend to breakout a few years later now than they used to, the move to Rising generally ends now when a player wins a maiden title or has a great slam result (well, unless they're still far from 20, like a Bellis, or even Vekic or Svitolina). Puig got a title this year, so she'll move up a level in '15.
Min and Tomljanovic are 20/21, so they're sort of in the weird area where they're getting too old for FF, but not having done enough yet for Rising. I guess they might eventually just settle in the Surprise category whenever they have a good result (that's where players like that tend to take up residence). ;)
The tougher thing is trying to figure out if someone like a Wozniacki should be included in Rising, since she's been #1, but it was so long ago now that it seems like a "reset" is in order.
The indoor season IS mostly in the 4Q, but there are stand-alone events in Paris, Katowice and Stuttgart indoors earlier in the season. Also, if you wanted to count it, I guess the Hopman Cup in January would count as that, too, even if it is an exhibition. By the way, Cornet was part of the first-ever French champions in Perth this past season. ;)
Diane-
Haha! If you do a Google image search on Schmiedlova, you can see all sorts of other photos of her like that, too! She makes some of the most (unintentionally) funny face contortions as she's striking the ball that I've ever seen. :D
Todd, I love your rankings ...I always compare them to mine and then try and figure out your thinking. I would say 95% of time I end up going...oh duh he's considering this, this, and this...why didn't I also consider that (more often, I'm thinking, why did I forget that...?).
I didn't know Hopman was indoors eithers. I tend to think of everything in Australia outdoors...like the entire country is just outdoors. The wild.
Schmiedlova has funnier faces than Davenport and Clijsters.
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Speaking of oldies...i pulled up the 2013 SOny Open match highlights between Li Na and Muguruza. Man o man...Li Na has so many skills in her arsenal. I had forgotten.
And Muguruza keeps reminding me of Capriati...I dunno why...she not fiery like Capriati...but I can't shake the feeling...(and no, it's not bc they're both brunette...) i can't put my finger on it.
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