The International Tennis Federation named Ash Barty the 2021 Women’s World Championship

Ash Bartyn has been crowned the governing body of the sport as the world champion in women’s tennis for 2021, the most recent recognition for an Australian superstar after her dazzling year.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) awarded the 25-year-old Queenslander its annual award on Thursday, announcing that Barty had retained the title he last won in 2019.

No prizes were awarded in the 2020 pandemic, but Barty has maintained her position at the top of the women’s series thanks to a winning global campaign that won five titles, and on top of her second grand slam win at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic was named the ITF Men’s World Champion after winning the first three slam tournaments of the year – the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon – before losing to Daniil Medvedeville in the US Open final.

Australian wheelchair champion Dylan Alcott became the ITF’s four-wheelchair world champion for the third time in a row in his final full season after winning all four grand slam tournaments and paralympic gold.

Barty, who had already been selected as the Player of the Year for the Women’s Tennis Association, joins the list of several winners of the ITF Women’s World Championships, which has continued since 1978.

Steffi Graf has won its record seven times, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams six, Chris Evert, Martina Hingis and Justine Henin three times and Monica Seles twice.

“I will be the ITF World Champion in 2021, which I am very proud of,” Barty said.

“I’m lucky to be able to play a sport I love, especially in a year that was challenging and unpredictable for so many.

“I want to thank my team and family for everything they do, and a huge thank you to tennis fans around the world for supporting them.”

The ITF’s honor isn’t his last gong, but Bartyn is expected to crown his magical year on Friday night with an unprecedented Newcombe Medal of the Year as Australia’s most significant player of the year.

Djokovic ended his sensational year at the end of the year as the number one oldest in the world, and he is now ahead of Pete Sampras by winning the record-breaking seventh ITF World Championship.

Djokovic is now up to date with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 significant wins a year.

“After such a rewarding year, it is a great honor for me, my team, my family and the fans to be named ITF World Champion for the seventh time,” Djokovic said.

Alcott of Melbourne said of the victory in the four-wheelchair: “This year I have had some of the proudest moments of my entire career, which is pretty awesome.

“I’m really excited to be able to finish it with a golden slam and I’m really looking forward to my last tournament in the Australian Open.”

Croatian duo Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic were named ITF men’s doubles world champions after winning nine championships this season, while Czech pair Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova won the women’s doubles award for the second time.

AAP