ADVERTISEMENT

Federer, Serena honoured as ITF world champions

December 22, 2009 05:49 pm | Updated December 16, 2016 03:03 pm IST - LONDON

Serena Williams and Roger Federer

Roger Federer and Serena Williams were selected as the International Tennis Federation’s world champions of 2009.

Federer, who receives the ITF award for a fifth time, completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open and captured a record 15th major title by winning Wimbledon. He also regained the No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal.

“It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court,” Federer said. “To win my first Roland Garros title, break the all-time Grand Slam record and regain the No. 1 ranking is amazing. It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Williams, who receives the ITF honour for a second time, won the Australian Open and Wimbledon to bring her career total of Grand Slam titles to 11.

Serena and Venus Williams were selected as women’s doubles world champions for the first time, making Serena the first player since Martina Hingis in 1999 to receive both singles and doubles honours.

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan are the men’s doubles world champions for a record sixth time.

ADVERTISEMENT

Daniel Berta of Sweden and Kristina Mladenovic of France were named ITF junior world champions, while the wheelchair awards went to Shingo Kunieda of Japan for the third consecutive year and Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands for the 10th straight year.

The winners will receive their awards at the annual ITF world champions dinner on June 1 in Paris, during the French Open.

This is a Premium article available exclusively to our subscribers. To read 250+ such premium articles every month
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
The Hindu operates by its editorial values to provide you quality journalism.
This is your last free article.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT