Suárez Navarro had a farewell tour on her own terms in 2021 after an inspiring return to competition following a diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Having planned to end her career in 2020, the Spaniard's plans to retire last year were halted even before she announced her diagnosis in September. Cancer-free by April, the former world No. 6 played the French Open, Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and the US Open before closing out her career with an emotional send-off at the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals in Prague in November.
US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been named the 2021 WTA Newcomer of the Year in a vote of the world's tennis media, one of five season-ending award winners announced by the women's tour on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old made history in New York this summer when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title at age 18, going a perfect 10-0 in matches and 20-0 in sets at the US Open. She made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at Wimbledon, where, in just her second tour-level tournament, reached the fourth round to become the youngest British woman to reach this stage at the All-England Club.
Raducanu started the year ranked world No. 343 and finished the season at a career-high world No. 19. Ranked No. 150 coming into the US Open, the British teenager rose more than 100 places as a result of her historic achievement.
The WTA player awards are broken down into five categories: Player of the Year, Doubles Team of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. Joining Raducanu's in the WTA's season-ending honors are Ashleigh Barty (Player of the Year), Barbora Krejcikova (Most Improved Player of the Year) and Carla Suárez Navarro (Comeback Player of the Year), while Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova were named the Doubles Team of the Year.
Barty, who was the season-ending No. 1 player for a third consecutive year, wins the tour's top player honor for the second time. The Aussie captured a tour-leading five titiles in 2021, including her second Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon, and posted a sparkling 42-8 win-loss record on the year.
Krejcikova doubles up thanks to a season where she shined in both singles and doubles. Announcing herself on the singles court with her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, the Czech surged from outside the Top 50 to a career-high world No. 3 this year, won three titles in all, and made her singles debut at the season-ending Akron WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In doubles, Krejcikova and Siniakova won their third major as a pair in Paris—making Krejcikova the first player to sweep women's titles at Roland Garros in 21 years—as well as the gold medal in Tokyo and the year-end championship.
