[Cp6uja]

2012 winners:

Player of the Year: Serena Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: S.Errani or A.Kerber
Newcomer of the Year: L.Robson or S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: Yaroslava Shvedova*
Player Service: ???
Sportsmanship Award: S.Stosur or A.Ivanovic
*Serena Williams not counted only because she played final in last 2011 slam, otherwise she is clean winner in 2012 comeback category.



XXI century winners:

Player of the Year
2011 Petra Kvitová
2010 Kim Clijsters
2009 Serena Williams
2008 Serena Williams
2007 Justine Henin
2006 Amélie Mauresmo
2005 Kim Clijsters
2004 Maria Sharapova
2003 Justine Henin
2002 Serena Williams
2001 Jennifer Capriati

Doubles Team of the Year
2011 Květa Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik
2010 Flavia Pennetta/Gisela Dulko
2009 Serena Williams/Venus Williams
2008 Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2007 Cara Black/Liezel Huber
2006 Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur
2005 Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur
2004 Paola Suárez/Virginia Ruano Pascual
2003 Paola Suárez/Virginia Ruano Pascual
2002 Paola Suárez/Virginia Ruano Pascual
2001 Lisa Raymond/Rennae Stubbs

Most Improved Player
2011 Petra Kvitová
2010 Francesca Schiavone
2009 Yanina Wickmayer
2008 Dinara Safina
2007 Ana Ivanović
2006 Jelena Janković
2005 Ana Ivanović
2004 Maria Sharapova
2003 Nadia Petrova
2002 Daniela Hantuchová
2001 Justine Henin

Newcomer of the Year
2011 Irina-Camelia Begu
2010 Petra Kvitová
2009 Melanie Oudin
2008 Caroline Wozniacki
2007 Ágnes Szávay
2006 Agnieszka Radwańska
2005 Sania Mirza
2004 Tatiana Golovin
2003 Maria Sharapova
2002 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2001 Daniela Hantuchová

Comeback Player of the Year
2011 Sabine Lisicki
2010 Justine Henin
2009 Kim Clijsters
2008 Zheng Jie
2007 Lindsay Davenport
2006 Martina Hingis
2005 Kim Clijsters
2004 Serena Williams
2003 Amélie Mauresmo
2002 Corina Morariu
2001 Barbara Schwartz

Player Service
2011 Francesca Schiavone
2010 Kim Clijsters
2009 Liezel Huber
2008 Liezel Huber
2007 Liezel Huber
2006 Kim Clijsters
2005 Liezel Huber
2004 Nicole Pratt
2003 Kim Clijsters
2002 Not held
2001 Nicole Pratt

Sportsmanship Award
2011 Petra Kvitová
2010 Elena Dementieva
2009 Kim Clijsters
2008 Elena Dementieva
2007 Ana Ivanović
2006 Kim Clijsters
2005 Kim Clijsters
2004 Lindsay Davenport
2003 Kim Clijsters
2002 Kim Clijsters
2001 Kim Clijsters

 

[Sgt.Timmykinz]

Player of the Year: S. Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: A. Radwanska
Newcomer of the Year: S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: A.Ivanovic
Player Service: A. Radwanska
Sportsmanship Award: A. Radwanska

 

[Gangstress]

Player of the Year: S. Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: A. Radwanska
Newcomer of the Year: S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: A.Ivanovic
Player Service: A. Radwanska
Sportsmanship Award: A. Radwanska

:spit:

The only awards Aga will win are for vulturing, attention whoring and failing at shading

 

[young_gunner913]

Is Ana getting Sportsmanship Award because she didn't retire after the Vinci double bagel?

 

[dsanders06]

What the hell is Player Service? Because it doesn't sound like anything that Huber would be a good candidate for :spit:

 

[edificio]

Service to the community perhaps.

 

[Gangstress]

Oh and you forgot humanitarian, which the Queen won last year

 

[Cp6uja]

:spit:

The only awards Aga will win are for vulturing, attention whoring and failing at shading

To be fair, I originally have three candidates for most improved, newcomer and sportsmanship awards, but maximum options of TF pools is 10, so I'm forced to reduce on two contenders in all three this categories. So I drop Aga from most improved (she finished 2011 into TOP8 winning last P5 and last PM tournament, unlike Kerber and Errani which is both out of TOP30), I drop Mona Barthel from newcomers (she is 2-3 years older than Laura or Sloane) and I drop Kvitova from sportsmanship contenders because alternate is to drop Ana Ivanovic and also Petra this season is much more under radar than previous.

So Radwanska is legit contender for MOST IMPROVED award, but after good chances to reach even WTA#1 this summer, she will not finish this season into TOP3 and will be just 1-2-3 places better ranked than Kerber or Errani - thats why I give advantage to this German and Italian player, because they come to 2012 YEC right from nowhere (unlike Radwanska which is player to watch since juniors days and also newcomer of the 2006 year).

 

[Cp6uja]

Oh and you forgot humanitarian, which the Queen won last year

I agree, but from some reasons such official WTA award simple not exist.
So it's not my fault :shrug:

Also, I already in OP explained formal reasons why real comeback player of the year Serena Williams not counted at all as contender.

 

[Cp6uja]

Honorable mention (players out of this poll):

Player of the Year: Vika Azarenka reach #1 and won slam this year, have amazing winning strike during start of season, won gold (mixed doubles) and bronze at Olympics and actually during USO/2012 final she is just one single game away out of 2012 player of the year award!

Doubles Team of the Year: In doubles biggest title is not GS but Olympics gold, and Serena and Venus win it again! Also Hradecka and Hlavackova have amazing season despite not won any big title, but this summer reached finals of Wimbledone, Olympics and US Open.

Most Improved Player: except Radwanska, again Vika Azarenka also deserved big credit despite finished previous season into TOP3. She reach #1 and won slam this year.

Newcomer of the Year: Except Mona Barthel which I mentioned before, Timea Babos, Ulla Radwanska and Kiki Bertens also have notable debut on big scene.

Comeback Player of the Year: Unfortunately this season will be remembered for unsuccessful comeback of some veterans like Kim, Venus, Sveta, Jelena, Vera... than for some great comeback story.

Player Service: ???

Sportsmanship Award: Except Stosur, Ivanovic and Kvitova, I think that whole German's FED Cup team should to be mentioned because all this girls are so nice and polite on and off the court (Kerber, Lisicki, Goerges, Petkovic and Barthel)!




There is also some awards which is not awarded every season, but exist.

Here is 2012 contenders:

Diamond Aces: Li Na, Wozniacki or Azarenka

Fan Favorite Singles Player of the Year: Sharapova or Ivanovic

Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year: Kirilenko/Petrova

Favorite Premier Tournament: Indian Wells

Humanitarian of the Year: Maria Sharapova

 

[Brad[le]y.]

Service to the community perhaps.

and what exactly has Huber contributed to the community? :spit:

 

[NashaMasha]

Comeback Player of the Year
2011 Sabine Lisicki
2010 Justine Henin
2009 Kim Clijsters
2008 Zheng Jie
2007 Lindsay Davenport
2006 Martina Hingis
2005 Kim Clijsters
2004 Serena Williams
2003 Amélie Mauresmo
2002 Corina Morariu
2001 Barbara Schwartz

2012 Maria Sharapova


AS for Sportsmanship award, it's given to Sam already
http://www.wtatennis.com/page/OffCourtNews/Read/0,,12781~2912475,00.html

 

[The 2nd Law]

2012 Maria Sharapova


AS for Sportsmanship award, it's given to Sam already
http://www.wtatennis.com/page/OffCourtNews/Read/0,,12781~2912475,00.html

^ That is for the US Open series

 

[Golan]

Player of the Year: S. Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: A. Radwanska
Newcomer of the Year: S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: A.Ivanovic
Player Service: A. Radwanska
Sportsmanship Award: A. Radwanska

I think you're overreacting

PS. I am Aga's fan, but I have brain and think differently.

 

[Sombrerero loco]

most improved should be cornet

 

[Mr.Sharapova]

Player of the Year: S. Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: A. Radwanska
Newcomer of the Year: S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: A.Ivanovic
Player Service: A. Radwanska
Sportsmanship Award: A. Radwanska

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Mr.Sharapova]

Player of the year will definitely be Serena no question bout that.
Doubles team of the year will probably be Vinci/Errani, such a great season for them.
Most improved player of the year: Azarenka
Comeback player of the year Sharapova.

 

[Cp6uja]

Most Improved Player: Maria Sharapova

Comeback player of the year Sharapova.

I can't see logic that player which in past reach WTA#1 and in 2004 already won Player of The Year award, and previous season finished into TOP4 - will be chosen for MOST IMPROVED award. She played this season career best tennis only on clay, but at HC and grass we all remember hers better tennis from past.

For Comeback of The Year award also no enough arguments for Maria. Previous season she finished into TOP4 and played in GS final - so she is comeback from what?

Maria complete this season career slam and will finish year for the 2nd time ever into TOP3. That's enough achievements for Maria this season, but talking about official WTA awards she will reach only Humanitarian of the year if WTA give that award this season.

 

[stromatolite]

What the hell is Player Service? Because it doesn't sound like anything that Huber would be a good candidate for :spit:

Quote from WTA website concerning last year's awards:

"For her off-court achievements Francesca Schiavone won the Player Service Award, which recognizes the player who has done the most to support her fellow players through the WTA Players' Council and other initiatives."

Seems to be effectively limited to members of the players council, which currently includes Serena Williams, Samantha Stosur, Francesca Schiavone, Caroline Wozniacki, Lucie Safarova, Andrea Hlavackova, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Akgul Amanmuradova. Not sure how you'd decide which one deserves the award most, so I'll just randomly pick Akgul.

My votes:

Player of the Year: S. Williams
Doubles Team of the Year: S.Errani/R.Vinci
Most Improved Player: A. Kerber
Newcomer of the Year: S.Stephens
Comeback Player of the Year: M. Sharapova
Player Service: A. Amanmuradova
Sportsmanship Award: S. Stosur

Concerning the choice of Maria for comeback award: at first sight I admit this seems strange, given the fact that she was ranked in the top 5 at the start of the year. But for the first time since her shoulder injury, Maria started winning matches this year by playing well on a consistent basis, rather than just by having a stronger will than most of her opponents. I don't see any reason why it should make any difference for this award whether the comeback took 1 year or 4.

 

[Mr.Sharapova]

I can't see logic that player which in past reach WTA#1 and in 2004 already won Player of The Year award, and previous season finished into TOP4 - will be chosen for MOST IMPROVED award. She played this season career best tennis only on clay, but at HC and grass we all remember hers better tennis from past.

For Comeback of The Year award also no enough arguments for Maria. Previous season she finished into TOP4 and played in GS final - so she is comeback from what?

Maria complete this season career slam and will finish year for the 2nd time ever into TOP3. That's enough achievements for Maria this season, but talking about official WTA awards she will reach only Humanitarian of the year if WTA give that award this season.

That's why it was a comeback :shrug: Maria came back from an injury which hampered one of the main elements of her game the serve and having her finally win a slam after 4 years it is actually something :shrug:. And she won The French out of all the slams.