Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal have been honored by the International Tennis Federation as its 2022 ITF World Champions on Thursda
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 15, 2022 20:06 IST
Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal honored as ITF World Champions (Reuters)
By India Today Web Desk: Rafa Nadal was named ITF world champion for the fifth time in his profession, whereas top-ranked Iga Swiatek gained the ladies’s award after a stellar 2022 season, in line with the International Tennis Federation (ITF). World quantity two Nadal got here again from two units right down to defeat Daniil Medvedev within the Australian Open closing in January, capturing his twenty first Grand Slam trophy, earlier than capturing his twenty second main in June with a record-extending 14th French Open title.
The Spaniard joins his good friend and recently-retired rival Roger Federer as a five-times ITF world champion behind Pete Sampras (6) and 2021 winner Novak Djokovic (7). “I’m very happy to be named ITF World Champion for the fifth time,” the 36-year-old Nadal, who additionally bagged the award in 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2019, stated in an announcement.
“When I first won the award… I wouldn’t have expected to still be playing at such a high level 14 years later. It was special to win the Australian Open for a second time, and of course to win Roland Garros. “I’m grateful for the assist of my crew and my followers all over the world and I’m already wanting ahead to the 2023 season.”
Swiatek went on a 37-match winning run and won the French and U.S. Opens as well as titles at Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome and San Diego. She won 67 matches overall and topped the list of finals reached and trophies won. The 21-year-old, who was also named WTA Player of the Year, said major awards in a “large 12 months” showed how far she had come.
“I admire it and I wish to thank the ITF,” Swiatek, who is the first Polish singles player to win the ITF award, said. “It would not have occurred with out my crew, my household, and my followers from Poland and all around the world. Consider it our joint award for wonderful journey on courtroom in 2022.”
In the boys’s doubles class, American Rajeev Ram and Briton Joe Salisbury gained the award for the primary time, whereas Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova took the ladies’s doubles honour for the third time.
Published On:
Dec 15, 2022
