ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters is the WTA’s player of the year.
Clijsters won five tournaments, including the season-ending WTA Championships and her second consecutive title at Flushing Meadows. She was player of the year in 2005.
The 27-year-old Belgian also was honored Wednesday with the player service award, given to the woman who did the most to support her fellow players through the WTA players’ council or other initiatives.
Other awards went to Belgium’s Justine Henin as comeback player of the year; Maria Sharapova as humanitarian of the year; Italy’s Flavia Pennetta and Argentina’s Gisela Dulko as doubles team of the year; and the Czech Republic’s 20-year-old Petra Kvitova, a Wimbledon semifinalist, as newcomer of the year.