The player of the year. The season’s most improved player. One half of the doubles team of the year.
These are just some of the WTA Player Award winners headed to Perth for United Cup 2024, adding further weight to what is already being celebrated as a brilliant field at RAC Arena.
Iga Swiatek, the world No.1 and who leads top-seeded Poland into battle, was on Monday voted the Player of the Year, recognition for another brilliant season.
POLISH POWER: Swiatek and Hurkacz to combine again
She won a tour-high six titles – including Roland Garros and the WTA Finals – to end a second straight year at world No.1.
She is the first player since Serena Williams (2012-16) to win consecutive Player of the Year awards.
China’s Zheng Qinwen was awarded Most Improved Player of the Year, after vaulting to a career-high ranking of world No.15.
RELATED: Chatting with Qinwen ahead of United Cup 2024
Zheng, partnering Zhang Zhizhen in Team China’s United Cup debut, won two WTA titles in 2023 – including the biggest of her career on home soil in Zhengzhou – and reached the US Open quarterfinals.
She has halved her ranking since mid January.
Australian Storm Hunter, the year-end doubles world No.1, was honoured as half of the Doubles Team of the Year, alongside Elise Mertens.
MORE: Three world No.1s headed to Perth
The duo reached the Wimbledon final and won WTA 1000 titles in Rome and Guadalajara.
Hunter was able to nudge ahead of Mertens in the doubles rankings by reaching two more finals with different partners, becoming the first Aussie woman since Sam Stosur in 2006 to end a season as the world’s top doubles player.
She is expected to join forces with fellow Perth native Matt Ebden – a player also inside the top five – for Team Australia’s mixed doubles matches.
TEAM AUSTRALIA: "We're not there to compete - we're there to win"
Joining Swiatek, Zheng and Hunter as a WTA Player Award winner was Jessica Pegula, who received the Jerry Diamond ACES Award.
Named after the late Jerry Diamond, a former WTA CEO, the WTA explained Pegula was recognised for her “important contribution in championing women’s sport” through her “consistent professional conduct and willingness to promote women’s tennis to fans, media and local communities by taking part in off-court promotional and charitable activities.”
Pegula, who completed her second top-five season in singles, will return alongside Taylor Fritz for Team USA as the United Cup’s defending champions.
Get your tickets to ensure you're there for when the United Cup action begins on 29 December at Perth's RAC Arena.
