Barty Named WTA Player of the Year, Raducanu Wins Newcomer Award

Ashleigh Barty. (Reuters)
Ashleigh Barty. (Reuters)
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Barty Named WTA Player of the Year, Raducanu Wins Newcomer Award

Ashleigh Barty. (Reuters)
Ashleigh Barty. (Reuters)

World number one Ash Barty was named WTA Player of the Year for the second time and US Open champion Emma Raducanu took the Newcomer of the Year title, the governing body of the women's game said on Tuesday.

Australian Barty, who won the title in 2019, won a tour-leading five titles this year including the second Grand Slam trophy of her career at Wimbledon where she beat Czech Karolina Pliskova in the final.

She also defended her title at Miami and triumphed in Melbourne, Stuttgart and Cincinnati to secure her third year-end number one ranking in a row.

Raducanu, 19, entered the US Open as a qualifier ranked 150th in the world and ended it as Britain's first female Grand Slam champion for 44 years.

Czech Barbora Krejcikova took the WTA prize for the Most Improved Player of the Year following a stellar season in which she won the French Open singles crown.

She also excelled in doubles with playing partner Katerina Siniakova, with the pair earning the Doubles Team of the Year award which they also won in 2018.

Carla Suarez Navarro was named the Comeback Player of the Year award.

The 33-year-old announced in September, 2020 that she was being treated for early stage Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before returning at the French Open in June.



AlUla Hosts Summer Football Tournament to Boost Local Talents

AlUla Hosts Summer Football Tournament to Boost Local Talents
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AlUla Hosts Summer Football Tournament to Boost Local Talents

AlUla Hosts Summer Football Tournament to Boost Local Talents

The AlUla summer football championship, organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, kicked off on Friday evening. The tournament, which runs from August 1 to 15, features 10 local teams and over 230 players, said the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

Held at Skhirat Stadium, the championship includes daily matches from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am. The event aims to foster community participation and nurture a spirit of competition.

The championship is part of the commission's efforts to support local sports, discover young talents, and foster a competitive environment that promotes athletic development and the importance of sports within the community.