American tennis star  Sofia Kenin has been named WTA Player of the Year.  She defeated  Ashleigh Barty in the semi-finals and  Garbine Muguruza in the final to claim the title at Melbourne Park.  Kenin also reached the French Open final and finished the season ranked a career-high No. 4.

Sofia defeated Spain's Garbine Muguruza in three sets to win the Australian Open on Feb. 1 in Melbourne. She also beat world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty en route to her first career Grand Slam title. The 22-year-old also advanced to the 2020 French Open final on Oct. 10, but lost in straight sets to champion Iga Swiatek.

Sofia has become the eighth American to win the WTA Player of the Year accolade, joining Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Lindsay Davenport, Tracy Austin, Chris Evert, Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati. Iga Swiatek, who became the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles title  was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player of the Year. Victoria Azarenka was named WTA Comeback Player of the Year after she claimed her first title in over four years at the Western & Southern Open and advanced to her fifth career Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open. 

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