After winning 11 titles in 2013, including two Grand Slams, Serena Williams is named the WTA's Player of the Year for the fifth time. Williams’ 11 championships were the most in a single season since former No. 1 Martina Hingis won 12 in 1997, and her 78 match wins were the most since Kim Clijsters won 90 matches in 2003.
Only two other players have won WTA Player of the Year honors more than Williams: Steffi Graf (eight times) and Martina Navratilova (seven times).
The now 32-year-old Serena achieved her main goal this season by beating Maria Sharapova to win her second Roland Garros title.
"Obviously the French Open was probably the thing that stands out most," she said. "I really wanted to win that for a number of years now, so that was definitely something exciting. And also being undefeated on clay was pretty exciting too. So my results on clay this year definitely stand out. Overall I'll remember the wins, but I also want to learn from my mistakes so I don't repeat them."
Williams lost only four matches in 2013: To Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open, to Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon, and to Victoria Azarenka in Doha and Cincinnati. All four of those losses were three-setters.
Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci were named the Doubles Team of the Year, finishing the season at No. 1, and winning three titles including the Australian Open.