WTA Awards celebrate Ons Jabeur’s sportsmanship and another honour for Aryna Sabalenka

The 2024 WTA Awards have unveiled their latest winners, with Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka among the standouts. Following her remarkable achievements in 2023, Jabeur repeated her success, while Sabalenka earned a new recognition for her contributions to women’s tennis off the court.

The announcement comes a day after Aryna Sabalenka was crowned Player of the Year, Paula Badosa was named Comeback Player of the Year, and Emma Navarro took home the Most Improved Player award. However, the spotlight also turned to the remaining categories, including Coach of the Year and Player Service Award.

Jabeur makes history with back-to-back WTA Award wins

Former world No. 2 Ons Jabeur achieved a rare feat by retaining both the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award and the Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award for a second consecutive year. She is now the first player to win both awards in back-to-back seasons.

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The Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award recognises her kindness, sportsmanship, and respect for her peers and the sport, while the Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award highlights her exceptional support for fellow players and her initiatives benefiting the broader tennis community. Both awards are determined by a vote among her WTA colleagues.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka received the Jerry Diamond ACES Award, presented annually since 1995 in memory of former WTA CEO Jerry Diamond. This honour recognises Sabalenka’s dedication to promoting women’s tennis through her work with fans, media, and local communities, as well as her involvement in charitable activities. Previous recipients include Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina, and Jessica Pegula.

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In another major highlight, Renzo Furlan was named Coach of the Year. The Italian was instrumental in Jasmine Paolini’s rise to world No. 4, guiding her to back-to-back finals at the French Open and Wimbledon, a WTA 1000 title in Dubai, and a gold medal in doubles with Sara Errani at the Olympic Games.