'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBAAAgIDAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBQAEEhEGFDEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEFEQEAAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhEAAwUTISJB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCb7y7NZdVvypkl2N+EyzgNLyn24VZI5eVAAVf3jJutJt9rPdMm5M7nZl6YMygno+nwHwYxhxcSWkZeyxLXzlrkoQ79oRAjsoor5n//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Tennis fans are not impressed with Iga Swiatek losing out on the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
The 2023 edition of the Laureus awards was held in Paris on May 8, and it honored the best sports performances from the previous year. Lionel Messi won the Sportsman of the Year award, a category in which Rafael Nadal was also nominated. Carlos Alcaraz was honored with the Breakthrough of the Year award, beating Elena Rybakina to it.
Swiatek, who is currently ranked World No. 1 in women's singles, had an exceptional season in 2022. She won eight titles, which included two WTA 500 tournaments, four WTA 1000 events and two Grand Slams (the French Open and the US Open). Swiatek also had a 37-match winning streak which lasted 135 days, the longest since 2000 (surpassing Venus Williams' record of 35 matches).
Jamaica's Fraser-Pryce, meanwhile, became the oldest sprinter (aged 35) to win a World Championship gold medal in the women's 100 meters sprint in Eugene last year.
The winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards are chosen by the members of the Laureus Academy.
Tennis fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the results, especially given the fact that Swiatek had more than double the ranking points than Ons Jabeur, who finished the year in second place.
"I mean, of course, if you get nominated, you did something extraordinary, just don't really get what Iga should have done other than having the longest winning streak on this century, winning 6 trophies in a row, having the biggest gap from the n.2 and the highest tally in years," a fan tweeted.
"Sorry but what Iga achieved last year was extraordinary and it will be hard to top this! All nominated women are super athletes but cmon," a user wrote.
"37 win streak (21st century record beating Venus and Serena Williams), 6 titles in a row (4x WTA 1000, Grand Slam, Stuttgart) 2 grand slams, 2nd best ranking score ever in tennis after Serena Williams. But she is a Pole, Slavic. Had no chance vs Jamaican with 1 WC gold medal," another tweet read.
Here are some more reactions:
Iga Swiatek hopes to face Aryna Sabalenka in a final again
Iga Swiatek lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the 2023 Madrid Open on Sunday, May 7. The two players were also up against each other a couple of weeks ago, when the Pole beat the Belarusian in the final of the Stuttgart Open. Swiatek still leads 5-3 in the head-to-head.
She recently expressed hope to meet Sabalenka in the final of a tournament again, no matter where it happened.
"I'd love to play the final of every tournament," Iga Swiatek said. "I think against Aryna, with her game and both of us being so consistent, it's gonna happen anyway. I don't know what tournament. It doesn't matter to me. I'm treating every match with the same amount of importance and focus."
At the upcoming Italian Open, Swiatek will look to win her third title in Rome. She beat Ons Jabeur in straight sets in the final last year.
