Kim Clijsters was voted the 2010 Player of the Year for the second time in her career on Wednesday, as the WTA revealed the winners of its annual Player Awards.
Clijsters, 27, who also earned the accolade in 2005, won her third U.S. Open title in September and climbed to No. 3 in the world. She won five tournaments, including the year-end WTA Championships, Brisbane, Miami and Cincinnati. In addition, the Belgian’s her off-court achievements earned her the Player Service Award.
“To be honored by your fellow players means so much to me,” said Clijsters.
The No. 1 doubles tandem of Flavia Pennetta/Gisela Dulko was named Doubles Team of the Year. Pennetta/Dulko won seven titles, highlighted by the WTA Championships. Earlier in the season, they compiled a 17-match winning streak – the longest on tour since March 2007 — which garnered three consecutive Premier-level titles in Miami, Rome) and Stuttgart. The duo added three more titles in Montreal, the Bastad and Moscow.
The Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova won the Newcomer of the Year Award after a breakthrough season that culminated with a semifinals birth at Wimbledon, having previously never won a match on grass. After her success at Wimbledon, Kvitova cracked the top 30.
Comeback Player of the Year honors went to Belgium’s Justine Henin who made a successful return in January after a nearly two-year break. At the Brisbane International — her first tournament back — Henin reached the final, falling to Clijsters in the third set tiebreak after holding match points. She also reached the final of the Australian Open, her first major since 2008. Henin’s fourth-round loss to Samantha Stosur at Roland Garros ended a 24-match winning streak in Paris.
Elena Dementieva, who announced her retirement from the sport at the WTA Championships earlier this month, was honored with the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award for the second time in her career.
The Humanitarian of the Year award went to Maria Sharapova for her role as a United Nations’ Goodwill Ambassador. In 2010, the Russian visited the Chernobyl region and spent time with children affected by the disaster while pledging $250,000 to the U.N. Development Program. Additionally, Sharapova won several fan awards, including Favorite Singles Player of the Year and the Most Fashionable Player.
