Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been named as the International Tennis Federation’s world champions for 2015,Sportinglife reports.
It was a decision which had been widely expected after both players won three of the four available Grand Slam titles during the year.
Djokovic, winning the honour for a fifth straight season, claimed the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, losing in the final of the other major, the French Open, to Stan Wawrinka.
In total, the Serb won a career-high 11 titles during the course of the year, ending it as world number one having won 82 of his 88 matches.
Djokovic said, “It is an honour to be named ITF world champion for the fifth time. My season was the best of my career with many highlights. It inspires me even more to keep on going, and I hope to continue to play at this level in 2016.”
Williams, now a six-time world champion, was on course for the Grand Slam of all four titles before running into Roberta Vinci in the US Open semi-finals in September and suffering a shock defeat.
During the course of the year, Williams held all four titles for the second time in her career. She finished it as world number one with a 53-3 win-loss record.
She said: “It means a lot to me to be named the ITF world champion for the sixth time. I am proud to have achieved my second Serena Slam, in what has been an amazing year for me. Thank you for this recognition and for the undying support of the tennis community.”
Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau were named men’s doubles world champions, while the equivalent women’s award went to Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, who only teamed up together in March. Hingis becomes a world champion 15 years after last landing the singles honour.
The junior world champions were named as American Taylor Fritz and Hungary’s Dalma Galfi — both ended the year as world number one – while the wheelchair prizes went to Shingo Kunieda, for a seventh time, and Jiske Griffioen.
The ITF chooses its world champions via an objective system which considers all results but gives special weight to the competitions it runs – the Grand Slams and the Davis and Fed Cups.
President David Haggerty said, “I would like to thank all the 2015 ITF world champions for their contribution to another memorable year for our sport.”
The champions will be presented with their awards at the ITF World Champions Dinner which takes place on May 31, during the French Open.
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