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Sabalenka, Ivashka named Belarus’ tennis players of 2022

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MINSK, 12 December (BelTA) – World number 5 Aryna Sabalenka has been named Belarus’ best female tennis player of 2022, BelTA has learned.

Aryna Sabalenka has played at the highest level this year, climbing to the second position in the world rankings during the season. In the WTA Finals she defeated world number one Iga Swiatek and reached the final match for the first time in her career. Besides, Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinal of the US Open, one of the Grand Slam tournaments for the second time in a row. At present the 24-year-old from Minsk is gearing up for the new season, the first tournament of which will be the Australian Open in early January.

Ilya Ivashka was named Belarus’ best male tennis player of 2022. This year he has performed well at prestigious tournaments, battling on equal terms with the world’s best tennis players. In June 2022 he reached his ATP career best of No.40.

Aleksandr Zgirovsky and Aleksandr Leonenko were named the best doubles players. Vadzim Strelski, the wheelchair tennis champion of Belarus, was awarded a special prize in the Character of the Year category. Yulia Perepekhina and Stanislav Bulbenkov were named the best junior tennis players of Belarus in 2022. Anastasia Shleptsova became the best coach of Belarus.

Presenting the awards, Chairman of the Belarusian Tennis Federation Sergei Rutenko noted that it was his first full year as the head of the federation: “It has been a very challenging year. I am grateful to our tennis players, who in the current difficult situation, including visa problems, suspension from some tournaments, post-COVID and other restrictions, managed to perform very well. As they say, hard times make strong people.”

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