Ashleigh Barty named WTA Player of the Year

Ashleigh Barty of Australia competes during the women's singles semifinal between Ashleigh Barty of Australia and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the 2019 WTA Wuhan Open tennis tournament in Wuhan of central China's Hubei Province, on Sept. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)


The WTA has announced world number 1 Ashleigh Barty as its Player of the Year. The 23-year-old won four titles from six finals in 2019, including the WTA Finals in Shenzhen and her maiden Grand Slam singles trophy at the French Open.

Barty became the first Australian to be named WTA world number 1 since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976, and recorded the most matches won on tour this season, with 57, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ashleigh also advanced to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the round of 16 at both Wimbledon and the US Open, becoming the only player to reach the second week at all four Grand Slams in 2019.