Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza named ITF world champions
Friday 8 December 2017 14:12, UK
Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza were named as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) world champions on Friday - the first time in 19 years the awards have gone to players from the same country.
Nadal, who claimed the honour for the third time, made a sensational comeback from an injury-plagued 2016, winning a 10th French Open title and the US Open to take his grand slam haul to 16, three behind Roger Federer who also won two of the year's majors after returning from injury.
The 31-year-old ended the year as world No 1, although he pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals in London due to a knee injury.
Muguruza won the ITF award for the first time after capturing the Wimbledon title and ascending to the world No 1 ranking for the first time.
She ended the year ranked behind Romania's Simona Halep who is still chasing a first Grand Slam title.
The last time two players from the same country scooped the awards was in 1998 when Americans Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport took the honours.
Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil won the men's doubles award while Chan Yun-Jan of Chinese Taipei and the recently-retired Martina Hingis of Switzerland took the women's prize.
We'll be back in 2018 with coverage from the Australian Open on www.skysports.com/tennis with news, previews, live blogs, reports and expert analysis.
On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation. Who will win the Australian Open? Have your say...
