It’s the end of the tennis year for all the players and after a busy 11 months votes have been counted from the international tennis media to grant the last award of the year to the best player.

There was no surprise when the WTA Player of the Year was announced to be Serena Williams. The American has had a sensational season by winning the US Open, Wimbledon and two Olympic golds at the London 2012 Games.

The 31 year-old has had a stuttering start to 2012 after coming back from a career-threatening foot injury. She suffered a first round exit at the French Open and was soon written off by many critics. However, Williams has a made an incredible recovery from a poor run and ended the season by recording 48 wins out of 50 matches she played this season and becoming world number three.

The fifteen-time Grand Slam champion was unstoppable during the Olympics, where she breezed past Maria Sharapova in the final in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 and later that day went on to win Ladies Doubles gold with her sister Venus Williams.

Serena Williams has won the WTA Player of the Year award three times in the past, including 2002, 2008 and 2009.

                                                                                                                                            Umida Ibrahimova, sports correspondent