LONDON — Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza were named as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) world champions on Friday — the first time in 19 years the awards have gone to players from the same country.
Nadal, who claimed the honor for the third time, made a sensational comeback from an injury-plagued 2016, winning a 10th French Open title and the US Open to take his grand slam haul to 16, three behind Roger Federer who also won two of the year's majors after returning from injury.
The 31-year-old Mallorcan ended the year as world No. 1, although he pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals in London due to a knee injury.
Muguruza won the ITF award for the first time after capturing the Wimbledon title and ascending to the world number one ranking for the first time. She ended the year ranked No. 2 behind Romania's Simona Halep who is still chasing a first grand slam title.
The last time two players from the same country scooped the awards was in 1998 when Americans Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport took the honors.
Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil won the men's doubles award while Chan Yun-Jan of Chinese Taipei and the recently-retired Martina Hingis of Switzerland took the women's prize.
Kuznetsova out of
Australian Open
Russia's world No. 12 Svetlana Kuznetsova will miss next month's Australian Open as she recovers from wrist surgery, organizers confirmed on Friday.
The 32-year-old former French and US Open champion was already rated doubtful and was missing from the official entry list when it was published on Friday along with China's world No. 94 Zheng Saisai, who has a right knee problem.
Reigning champion Serena Williams was included in the field for the first grand slam of the year but remains a doubt for the event after giving birth to a daughter in September.
Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka, all of whom ended last season early due to injuries, are expected to return to Australia next month.
"We have been in regular contact with Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka, who are all set for the Aussie summer," tournament director Craig Tiley said in a statement.
"They will all have lower rankings meaning there’s a real chance we’ll finally see a breakthrough from one of the rising stars like Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem or David Goffin."
The Australian Open follows the world rankings for seedings so world No. 1s Rafa Nadal and Simona Halep will top the men's and women's singles draws for the Jan. 15 to 28 event at Melbourne Park.
Tiley said ( about Serena) this week it was "highly likely" she will make her comeback at the opening Grand Slam of the season, and he repeated those sentiments Friday.
"Last year's tournament broke all of the records and we look forward to welcoming back new mum Serena as she attempts to equal Margaret Court's 24 Grand Slams," he said in a statement. We are definitely a family-friendly event and many players including reigning champion Roger Federer travel with their children to Melbourne so we remain optimistic that she will return."
Williams gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia in September and married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian last month. — Reuters
