Having not lifted a tennis racquet in sanctioned play since mid-September, Serena Williams' name remains in every sports observer's mind. For proof, look no further than the latest year-end awards that Sports Illustrated and TIME magazines are soon doling out.
First, in his annual plea for SI to give Serena the nod she deserves—Sportsman of the Year—the publication's executive editor, Jon Wertheim, pens his testament to her 2015 greatness in this piece. It implores the reader to look at her year as a whole, not just at her last match, a rare shortcoming. " One of tennis's many virtues is its absence of a clock," Wertheim writes. "But that can also have the effect of distorting time. She should be judged on the totality of her year, not her most recent match."
If that wasn't enough, Andy Roddick voiced his thoughts on Serena's worthiness for the honor in a piece of his own. "That was probably my favorite Grand Slam that she’s won," Roddick says about Serena's victory at Roland Garros. "I don’t know that she would tell you that because it was probably grueling and terrible at the moment. But looking back, knowing how hard it is to be at your best when you’re under the weather, I think that was the most impressive win for me.
Meanwhile, on a not-strictly-sporting plane, TIME unveils its Person of the Year nominees. The roster includes the likes of Angela Merkel, Drake, Mark Zuckerberg, Paul Ryan, Taylor Swift, and many more notables across the spectrums of politics and culture. Among them, to the surprise of none, is Serena.
If these potential accolades in waiting aren't enough, Serena surely leads the field in the WTA Tour's Player of the Year voting. Agnieszka Radwanska, Garbine Muguruza, and Flavia Pennetta are also up for the award, but with Serena's runaway No. 1 ranking and seizure of three of four major titles this season, her competitors are far in the rear-view mirror.
Your shot: Which award(s) do you think the WTA ace deserves?
Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9. News tips gladly accepted. Serving tips kindly refused.