The Women’s Tennis Association announced that World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka is the recipient of the 2013 Diamond ACES Award for the second consecutive year.
The ACES Award is presented to the player who consistently goes above and beyond in promoting the sport of women’s tennis to fans, media, and local communities by performing off-court promotional and charitable activities. This year marked the seventh season in a row that a point weighted system was used to award each of the off-court activities performed by players at WTA tournaments.
“I want to congratulate Victoria on her outstanding season and the contributions she had made through the WTA’s Diamond ACES program,” said Stacey Allaster, WTA Chairman and CEO. “Vika, and all WTA players, proudly serve as ambassadors of the game and continue to inspire future generations, on and off the court.”
Azarenka’s numerous contributions to promoting women’s tennis this season include helping Billie Jean King, Stacey Allaster and David Haggerty light up the Empire State Building in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the WTA; taking part in a major activation at the Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo), where she hit with dozens of children on centre court; and taking time out during the Sony Open Tennis in Miami to visit the Baptist Children’s Hospital, spending time with the young children and handing out Wilson gift packs.
The Diamond ACES Award was first introduced in 1995, in memory of former WTA CEO Jerry Diamond. Since then, a total of 13 players have won the award: Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Gabriela Sabatini, Amanda Coetzer, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Elena Dementieva, Samantha Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, and Victoria Azarenka.
Topics: 10sballs, Ana Ivanovic, Billie Jean King, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Samantha Stosur, Sony Open, Sports, Stacey Allaster, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta