Former Slam champion named as WTA Coach of the Year
The honour was this year awarded for the fourth time, as a former WTA world number two joined figures like Ash Barty’s coach Craig Tyzzer.
Garbine Muguruza performed impressively in 2021, once again nearing her best form and capturing her first WTA Finals title in November.
She then ended the year at world number three, a position she last held more than three years ago in July 2018.
As a result of such a strong 2021 season, her coach Conchita Martinez has been recognised as the WTA Coach of the Year.
The 1994 Wimbledon champion and five-time Fed Cup champion has been Muguruza’s full-time coach since 2020, but also worked with the 28-year-old during her Wimbledon title run in 2017.
The previous winners of the award have been Sascha Bajin for coaching Naomi Osaka in 2018, Tyzzer with Barty in 2019 and Piotr Sierzputowski with 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek that year.
As such, Martinez is the first woman to win the award.
Player service and sportsmanship awards have been announced ๐
WTA Coach of the Year ๐ @conchitamartinz
Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award ๐ @kristieahn
Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award ๐ @CarlaSuarezNavaโ wta (@WTA) December 12, 2021
In total, Muguruza claimed three titles in 2021, with the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Chicago Fall Tennis Classic coming ahead of her WTA Finals triumph.
The former world number one will now be gearing up for Australia and the first Slam of the year come 17th January.
Her best result there came in 2020 by reaching the final before losing to American Sofia Kenin.
Should Muguruza claim the 2022 Australian Open she would be just a US Open title away from completing the Career Grand Slam.
๐พ Read >> Breaking tennis news
๐พ Follow >> 24/7 LIVE scores
๐พ Free >> Receive our legendary newsletter
๐พย Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club
๐พ Social >>ย Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
๐พ Order >> World’s best tennis magazine
๐พ Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted retail partner