Tennis: Serena Williams is WTA Player of the Year

PARIS (AFP) –

US player Serena Williams plays a forehand shot during her women’s singles final match against Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament in London. Williams has been named WTA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning Wimbledon, the US Open and Olympic gold.

Serena Williams has been named WTA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning Wimbledon, the US Open and Olympic gold in a stunning summer of success.

The American started the year poorly amid concerns over her fitness and motivation and lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

But back-to-back tournament wins in Charleston and Madrid in April and May marked a remarkable change in fortune for the world number three.

Williams went on to win 48 of 50 matches, landing Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open and taking gold in London where she defeated Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the final.

She previously was honoured with the WTA award in in 2002, 2008 and 2009.