Emma Raducanu and Ashleigh Barty among winners in 2021 WTA awards

Emma Raducanu and Ashleigh Barty are two of the WTA stars who have been honoured as part of the association’s annual awards.

The WTA is celebrating its 49th season in 2022, with the 2021 awards recognising those that stood out in its 48th year.

For WTA newcomer of the year, Raducanu was the obvious choice, expectedly winning.

The 19-year-old Brit had played just two WTA tour level matches in the lead-up to the US Open, six if you include her run at Wimbledon.

She then did something that no player, man or woman, had ever done by winning a Slam as a qualifier.

World number one Barty received the WTA Player of the Year award. The Australian led the tour with five finals, secured a third straight year-end number one crown, plus won her second Slam and maiden Wimbledon title.

Roland Garros singles and doubles champion Barbora Krejcikova was honoured twice, as Most Improved Player of the Year and for Doubles Team of the Year along with partner Katerina Siniakova.

The pair further reached the Australian Open final at the start of the season, won Olympic doubles gold in Tokyo and finished 2021 by winning the WTA Finals without losing a match.

Finally, tour veteran Carla Suarez Navarro won Comeback Player of the Year after recovering from Hodgkin Lymphoma to play her farewell season.

The Spaniard was able to play Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open one last time in 2021.

On the grass, she pushed eventual champion Barty to three sets on Centre Court in a memorable display.

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