FILE -Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, waves to fans after defeating Maryna Zanevska, of Belgium, in the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in New York. Sabalenka was honored as an International Tennis Federation 2023 ITF World Champion on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, after being the only woman to reach at least the semifinals in singles at all four Grand Slam tournaments this season. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)
LONDON (AP) – Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were honored as the International Tennis Federation’s 2023 ITF World Champions on Thursday after being the only singles players to reach at least the semifinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments this season.
Djokovic, who finished at No. 1 in the ATP rankings for a record-extending eighth time, won the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open to raise his major trophy total to a men’s-leading 24 and was the runner-up at Wimbledon. He went 56-7 and led the men’s tour with seven titles.
This is his eighth ITF World Champion award, also a record.
Sabalenka received the honor for the first time after winning the Australian Open for her first Grand Slam title, finishing as the runner-up at the U.S. Open and making it to the semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Sabalenka made her debut at No. 1 in the WTA rankings in September, before finishing the year at No. 2 behind Iga Swiatek, the WTA Player of the Year.
Other ITF World Champions included Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens in women’s doubles, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in men’s doubles, Diede de Groot in the women’s wheelchair category, Alfie Hewett in the men’s wheelchair category, Niels Vink in the quad wheelchair category, and Alina Korneeva and Joao Fonseca in the juniors categories.
ITF World Champion selections place extra emphasis on Grand Slam events and ITF international team competitions.
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