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Maria Sakkari recognised as the best tennis ambassador for 2022

The Greek tennis player, who reached the WTA Finals this year, was also good off the court.

Swiatek, who was the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2020, led the tour with 67 match wins and eight titles. That included a run of six trophies in a row during a 37-match winning streak that lasted from February to July and was the longest undefeated stretch in women’s tennis in a quarter of a century.

“I felt like everything clicked this season,” Swiatek said in a video interview with The Associated Press during her unbeaten streak. “And I wasn’t expecting to be that consistent.”

The WTA Coach of the Year award went to David Witt in recognition of his work with American Jessica Pegula, who rose to a career-best No. 3 in the rankings during 2022 and was a quarter-finalist at three Grand Slam tournaments – losing to Barty or Swiatek each time.

Pegula also won the Guadalajara Open, made it to her first WTA 1000 final at the Madrid Open and qualified for the WTA Finals in singles and doubles (with Coco Gauff).