Saturday, October 31, 2015

2015 BSA's: Regional Honors




The "unofficial" phase of the 2015 Backspin Awards began with a Prediction Blowout recap and the annual "MVP List." Up next, positioning a magnifiying glass on the world... region by region.

==NORTH AMERICAN/ATLANTIC REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Serena Williams, USA
PoY (RUNNER-UP): Madison Keys, USA
RISERS: Coco Vandeweghe, USA & Monica Puig/PUR
SURPRISES: Jessica Pegula, USA & Giuliana Olmos, MEX
VETERANS: Venus Williams, USA & Varvara Lepchenko, USA
FRESH FACES: CiCi Bellis, USA & Lauren Davis, USA
COMEBACKS: Sloane Stephens, USA & Vicky Duval, USA
DOWN: Genie Bouchard, CAN & U.S. Fed Cup Team
JUNIORS: Charlotte Robillard-Millette, CAN & Sonya Kenin, USA
DOUBLES: Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA & Raquel Kops-Jones/Abigail Spears, USA/USA
TEAMS: Washington Kastles (WTT) & Vanderbilt Commodores (NCAA)
NCAA PLAYERS: Jamie Loeb, USA (University of North Carolina) & Carol Zhao, CAN (Stanford University)
ITF PLAYERS: Marcela Zacarias, MEX & Katerina Stewart, USA
IMPROVED: Victoria Rodriguez, MEX & Gabriela Dabrowski, CAN
UNDERRATED: Madison Brengle, USA & Alison Riske, USA
FED CUP: U.S. and Canadian Junior Fed Cup Teams
SISTERS TO WATCH: Francoise Abanda, CAN & Malika Auger-Aliassime, CAN
KEY AN EYE ON...: Claire Liu, USA & Kayla Day, USA
TOP PERFORMANCE: Serena Williams threatens to have a Grand Slam season, winning the first three majors of 2015
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: Madison Keys reaches the Australian Open semis, making it three straight years (after Stephens & Bouchard) a 19-year old North American has reached the final four in Melbourne
NATION TO WATCH: Mexico
COMEBACK NATION: United States (in anything but Fed Cup World Group)
WORRIED NATION: Canada (Fed Cup, with or without Bouchard)
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Canada (juniors)
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Anna Tatishvili, USA & Louisa Chirico, USA
SELL: Mary Joe Fernandez, U.S. Fed Cup Captain
HOLD: Genie Bouchard/CAN, Taylor Townsend/USA & Vania King/USA

==SOUTH AMERICAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Teliana Pereira, BRA
PoY (RUNNER-UP): Mariana Duque, COL
RISERS: Paula Cristina Goncalves, BRA & Veronica Cepede Royg, PAR
SURPRISES: Alexa Guarachi, CHI & Charlotte Roemer, ECU
VETERANS: Maria Fernanda-Alves, BRA & Maria Teresa Alvarez Teran, BOL
FRESH FACES: Beatriz Haddad, BRA & Montserrat Gonzalez, PAR
COMEBACK: Bianca Botto, PER
DOWN: Paula Ormaechea, ARG & Argentine Fed Cup Team
JUNIORS: Julieta Estable, ARG & Luisa Stefani, BRA
DOUBLES: Maria Irigoyen, ARG
TEAM: Paula Cristina Goncalves/Beatriz Haddad, BRA/BRA
NCAA PLAYER: Luisa Stefani, BRA (Pepperdine University)
ITF PLAYERS: Daniela Seguel, CHI & Fernanda Brito, CHI
IMPROVED: Andrea Gamiz, VEN
UNDERRATED: Laura Pigossi, BRA
FED CUP: Veronica Cepede Royg/Montserrat Gonzalez, PAR/PAR
SISTER TO WATCH: Maria Paulina Perez Garcia, COL
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Victoria Bosio, ARG
TOP PERFORMANCE: Teliana Pereira wins Bogota to become first Brazilian in 27 years to claim WTA singles title
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: 18-year old Beatriz Haddad reaches Bogota QF and holds three MP vs. Sara Errani, then teams with Paula Cristina Goncalves to win the doubles title (the first of her career, and giving Brazil a sweep of the tournament's titles)
NATION TO WATCH: Brazil
COMEBACK NATION: Paraguay
WORRIED NATION: Colombia
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Chile
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Beatriz Haddad, BRA & Nadia Podoroska, ARG
SELL: Florencia Molinero, ARG
HOLD: Paula Ormaechea, ARG

==ASIA/PACIFIC REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sania Mirza, IND
PoY (RUNNERS-UP): Zhang Saisai, CHN & Chan Hao-Ching/Chan Yung-Jan, TPE/TPE
RISERS: Misaki Doi/JPN, Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS-CRO & Kurumi Nara, JPN
SURPRISES: Naomi Osaka/JPN, Zhu Lin/CHN & Peangtarn Plipuech, THA
VETERANS: Samantha Stosur/AUS & Hsieh Su-Wei/TPE (singles), Casey Dellacqua/Yaroslava Shvedova, AUS/KAZ
FRESH FACES: Daria Gavrilova/AUS-RUS, Nao Hibino/JPN & Yulia Putintiseva/KAZ
COMEBACK: Chang Kai-Chen, TPE
DOWN: Peng Shuai/CHN, Hsieh Su-Wei/TPE (doubles) & Luksika Kumkhum, THA
JUNIORS: Xu Shilin/CHN, Kimberly Birrell/AUS & Pranjala Yadlapalli/IND
DOUBLES: Sania Mirza/IND, Chan Hao-Ching/Chan Yung-Jan/TPE-TPE & Shuko Aoyama/JPN
TEAM: Indian Aces (IPTL)
NCAA PLAYER: Astra Sharma, AUS (Vanderbilt University)
ITF PLAYERS: Lee So-Ra/KOR, Katharina Lehnert/PHI & Lee Ya-Hsuan, TPE
IMPROVED: Daria Gavrilova/AUS-RUS, Duan Yingying/CHN & Zhang Kai-lin/CHN
UNDERRATED: Wang Yafan/CHN, Wang Qiang/CHN & Liang Chen/CHN
FED CUP: Misaki Doi, JPN & Eri Hozumi, JPN
SISTERS TO WATCH: Sara Tomic, AUS & Lu Jia-jing, CHN
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Priscilla Hon/AUS, Prarthana Thombare/IND & Nigina Abduraimova/UZB
TOP PERFORMANCE: Doubles #1 Sania Mirza becomes the first Indian woman to top the WTA rankings
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: the Chan sisters win their biggest title yet in Cincinnati
NATIONS TO WATCH: Japan & Korea
COMEBACK NATION: India & Australia
WORRIED NATION: Indonesia & New Zealand
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: China (is the coming wave finally starting to sprinkle the WTA shore? I know I'm suddenly having to remember a whole lot more Chinese names these days. Actually, I might have to split China off into it's own section for 2016's Regional Honors if this keeps up.)
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Zheng Saisai/Xu Yifan, CHN/CHN, Naomi Osaka/JPN & Karman Thandi/IND
SELL: Zheng Jie, CHN & Ashleigh Barty, AUS
HOLD: Zarina Diyas, KAZ & Peng Shuai, CHN

==AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ons Jabeur, TUN
PoY (RUNNER-UP): Cagla Buyukakcay, TUR
RISERS: Julia Glushko, ISR & Denis Khazaniuk, ISR
SURPRISE: Berfu Cengiz, TUR
VETERANS: Chanelle Scheepers, RSA & Pemra Ozgen, TUR
FRESH FACES: Ipek Soylu, TUR & Basak Eraydin, TUR

COMEBACK: South African Fed Cup Team
DOWN: Cara Black, ZIM
JUNIORS: Innes Ibbou, ALG & Sandra Samir, EGY
DOUBLES: Cara Black, ZIM & Ola Abou Zekry/Sandra Samir, EGY/EGY
TEAM: Turkish Fed Cup Team
NCAA PLAYER: Lynn Kiro, RSA (Texas Tech)
ITF PLAYERS: Deniz Khazaniuk, ISR & Fatma Al-Nabhani, OMA
IMPROVED: Cagla Buyukakcay, TUR
UNDERRATED: Ilze Hattingh, RSA
FED CUP: Cagla Buyukakcay, TUR
SISTER TO WATCH: Lina Glushko, ISR
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Ayla Aksu, TUR & Chiraz Bechri, TUN
TOP PERFORMANCE: Cagla Buyukakcay, in Fed Cup Europe/Asia I zone play, records the two biggest wins (both Top 40) of her career over Elina Svitolina & Heather Watson
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: In Europe/Asia I zone play, Turkey defeats Great Britain in round robin play and nearly advances to the Promotional Playoff.
NATION TO WATCH: Turkey
COMEBACK NATION: Israel
WORRIED NATION: Zimbabwe (are there any Black family cousins???)
MOST INTRIGUING NATION: Egypt
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Turkish Fed Cup Team
SELL: Shahar Peer, ISR
HOLD: Cara Black, ZIM & Chanel Simmonds, RSA

==RUSSIA==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maria Sharapova
PoY (RUNNER-UP): Ekaterina Makarova
RISER: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
SURPRISES: Alexandra Panova & Anastasiya Komardina
VETERANS: Svetlana Kuznetsova & Alla Kudryavtseva
FRESH FACES: Daria Kasatkina, Margarita Gasparyan & Elizaveta Kulichkova
COMEBACK: Evgeniya Rodina
DOWN: Elena Vesnina (singles) & Vera Dushevina
JUNIORS: Sofya Zhuk, Anna Kalinskaya & Anna Blinkova
DOUBLES: Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina (together) & Elena Vesnina (w/ others)
TEAMS: Russian Fed Cup Team & Russian Junior Fed Cup 14s Team
NCAA PLAYER: Leeza Nemchinov (William & Mary College)
ITF PLAYERS: Daria Kasatkina & Yana Sizikova
IMPROVED: Marina Melnikova
UNDERRATED: Vitalia Diatchenko
FED CUP: Captain Anastasia Myskina
SISTERS TO WATCH: [ex-Russians] Anastasia Rodionova & Arina Rodionova (both AUS)
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Vlada Koval, Anastasia Potapova & Olesya Pervushina
TOP PERFORMANCE: Maria Sharapova wins her third title in Rome
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: Margarita Gasparyan sweeps the singles and doubles titles in Baku

=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Daria Kasatkina (big time), Aleksandra Pospelova & Elena Rybakina
SELL: Vera Zvonareva & Maria Kirilenko
HOLD: (on second thought, for now) Maria Kirilenko

==EASTERN EUROPEAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Simona Halep, ROU
PoY (RUNNER-UP): Elina Svitolina, UKR
RISERS: Lesia Tsurenko/UKR & Irina-Camelia Begu/ROU
SURPRISES: Andreea Mitu/ROU, Maria Sakkari/GRE & Kateryna Kozlova/UKR

VETERANS: Monica Niculescu, ROU & Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
FRESH FACES: Anett Kontaveit/EST, Jelena Ostapenko/LAT & Anhelina Kalinina/UKR
COMEBACKS: Victoria Azarenka/BLR, Anastasija Sevastova/LAT & Sesil Karatantcheva/BUL
DOWN: Sorana Cirstea, ROU & Simona Halep, ROU (in pressure situations)
JUNIORS: Iryna Shymanovich, BLR & Vera Lapko, BLR
DOUBLES: Yuliya Beygelzimer/Olga Savchuk, UKR/UKR
TEAMS: Romanian Fed Cup Team & Belarusian Fed Cup Team
NCAA PLAYERS: Joana Eidukonyte, LTU (Clemson University) & Viktoriya Lushkova, UKR (Oklahoma State)
ITF PLAYERS: Anastasija Sevastova/LAT, Valeriya Strakhova/UKR & Isabella Shinikova/BUL
IMPROVED: Aliaksandra Sasnovich, BLR & Patricia Maria Tig, ROU
UNDERRATED: Olga Govortsova, BLR & Maryna Zanevksa, UKR
FED CUP: Alexandra Dulgheru/ROU, Victoria Azarenka/BLR & & Sofia Kvatsabaia/GEO
SISTERS TO WATCH: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Nadiia Kichenok, UKR-UKR & Maryna Kolb/Nadiya Kolb, UKR-UKR
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Valentini Grammatikopoulou, GRE & Akvile Parazinskaite, LTU
TOP PERFORMANCE: Simona Halep wins the season's first two big Premier events in Dubai and Indian Wells, becoming just the fourth woman to ever do so. Attempting to become the first to win the first three such events, she falls in the Miami semifinals.
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: Romania defeats Canada in Montreal in the Fed Cup World Group Playoffs, with Alexandra Dulgheru & Andreea Mitu leading the way. The Swarmettes will host the Czech Republic in the 2016 1st Round.
NATION TO WATCH: Belarus
COMEBACK NATION: Greece
WORRIED NATION: Romania? (is Halep up to leading the Fed Cup title charge?)
MOST INTRIGUING NATIONS: Latvia
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Irina Maria Bara/ROU, Oksana Kalashnikova/GEO & the 2016-17 Romanian Fed Cup Team
SELL: Kaia Kanepi, EST & Sorana Cirstea, ROU
HOLD: Victoria Azarenka/BLR & Tsvetana Pironkova/BUL

==WESTERN EUROPEAN REGION==
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Martina Hingis, SUI
PoY (RUNNERS-UP): Garbine Muguruza, ESP & Angelique Kerber, GER
RISERS: Timea Bacsinszky/SUI, Karolina Pliskova/CZE & Camila Giorgi/ITA
SURPRISES: Johanna Konta/GBR, Paula Kania/POL & Anna-Lena Friedsam/GER
VETERANS: Flavia Pennetta/ITA, Aga Radwanska/POL & Lucie Safarova/CZE
FRESH FACES: Belinda Bencic/SUI, Anna Schmiedlova/SVK & Ana Konjuh/CRO
COMEBACKS: Jelena Jankovic/SRB, Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE & the Serbian Fed Cup Team
DOWN: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci, ITA-ITA & Alize Cornet/FRA
JUNIORS: Dalma Galfi/HUN, Paula Badosa/ESP & Tereza Mihalikova/SVK
DOUBLES: Martina Hingis/SUI, Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic, HUN-FRA & Laura Siegemund/GER
DOUBLES (Fed Cup): Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
TEAMS: Czech Fed Cup Team, Czech Junior Fed Cup 16s Team & Polish Hopman Cup Team
NCAA PLAYERS: Sinead Lohan, IRE (University of Miami) & Natalie Beazart, GBR (Rice University)
ITF PLAYERS: Tamara Zidansek/SLO, Anne Schaefer/GER & Cristina Sanchez Quintanar/ESP
IMPROVED: Timea Bacsinszky/SUI, Carla Suarez-Navarro/ESP & Denisa Allertova/CZE
UNDERRATED: Lara Arruabarrena/ESP, Alison Van Uytvanck/BEL & the Dutch Fed Cup Team
FED CUP: Petra Kvitova/CZE, Aleksandra Krunic/SRB & Andrea Petkovic/GER
SISTERS TO WATCH: Kristyna Pliskova/CZE, Gabriela Pantuckova/CZE & Michaella Krajicek/NED
KEEP AN EYE ON...: Demi Schuurs/NED (doubles), Katerina Siniakova/CZE & Miriam Kolodziejova/Marketa Vondrousova, CZE-CZE
TOP PERFORMANCE(s): Flavia Pennetta & Roberta Vinci meet in the first all-Italian, all-thirtysomething first time slam finalist match to decide the U.S. Open title.

(All-Surface) PERFORMANCE OF NOTE: Angelique Kerber wins four titles on four different surfaces
PERFORMANCE(s) OF NOTE (Doubles): Martina Hingis sweeps the WD and MX titles at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, returns to doubles #1 for the first time since 2000
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE (Team Division): Czechs return to Fed Cup final, seek fourth title in five years
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE (Wheelchair Division): Brit Jordanne Whiley wins her first WC singles slam crown, defeating friend and doubles partner Yui Kamiji in the U.S.Open final
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE (A-Rad Division): One of many... but the shot that helped to turn the WTA Finals on its head.
PERFORMANCE OF NOTE (Coaching Division): French Fed Cup Captain Amelie Mauresmo (and new Hall of Famer, and new mother), who pulled the delicate strings that led to the Pastries upsetting the Italians on red clay, in Italy, after falling behind 2-0 on Day 1.
NATIONS TO WATCH: Spain & Switzerland
COMEBACK NATION: Serbia & Croatia
WORRIED NATIONS: Italy & Austria
MOST INTRIGUING NATIONS: Poland & Hungary
=MARKET WATCH=
BUY: Kristina Mladenovic/FRA (singles), Danka Kovinic/MNE & Oceane Dodin/FRA
BUY (just to spite tennis commentators): Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, FRA
SELL: Ana Ivanovic/SRB (as far as another slam semi run in concerned) & Daniela Hantuchova/SVK
HOLD: Caroline Wozniacki/DEN, Nicole Vaidisova/CZE & Sara Errani/ITA



==NORTH AMERICAN/ATLANTIC REGION==
2008 Serena Williams, USA
2009 Serena Williams, USA
2010 Serena Williams, USA
2011 Serena Williams, USA
2012 Serena Williams, USA
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Serena Williams, USA
2015 Serena Williams, USA

==SOUTH AMERICAN REGION==
2008 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2009 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2010 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2011 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2012 Paula Ormaechea, ARG
2013 Paula Ormaechea, ARG
2014 Paula Ormaechea, ARG
2015 Teliana Pereira, BRA

==ASIA/PACIFIC REGION==
2008 Zheng Jie, CHN
2009 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2010 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2011 Li Na, CHN
2012 Li Na, CHN
2013 Li Na, CHN
2014 Li Na, CHN
2015 Sania Mirza, IND

==AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST REGION==
2008 Cara Black, ZIM
2009 Shahar Peer, ISR
2010 Shahar Peer, ISR
2011 Chanelle Scheepers, RSA
2012 Chanelle Scheepers, RSA
2013 Cara Black, ZIM
2014 Cara Black, ZIM
2015 Ons Jabeur, TUN

==RUSSIA==
2008 Dinara Safina
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2010 Vera Zvonareva
2011 Maria Sharapova
2012 Maria Sharapova
2013 Maria Sharapova
2014 Maria Sharapova
2015 Maria Sharapova

==EUROPE==
[Non-Russian Europe]
2008 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2009 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2010 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
[EASTERN EUROPEAN REGION]
2013 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2014 Simona Halep, ROU
2015 Simona Halep, ROU
[WESTERN EUROPEAN REGION]
2013 Aga Radwanska, POL
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Martina Hingis, SUI


More 2015 Backspin Awards are coming soon!

All for now.









posted by Todd.Spiker @ 11:54 PM 

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