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10-31-2009, 05:41 PM
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 Black and Huber Secure Year End Doubles #1
October 31, 2009
BLACK AND HUBER SECURE SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR DOUBLES YEAR-END WORLD NO.1 RANKING Sony Ericsson Championships finalists clinch top ranking for third consecutive year DOHA, QATAR – Cara Black and Liezel Huber will conclude the 2009 season as the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour World No.1 ranked doubles team for the third consecutive year, the Tour announced today. When the new rankings are released on Monday, November 2, 2009, Black and Huber will retain the World No.1 ranking that they have held since November 12, 2007. The duo have advanced to the finals of the Sony Ericsson Championships this week as they compete to become the second team ever to win three or more titles at the season-ending event, joining Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (1981-85, 1986-89, 1991). Black and Huber represent two of the six players in Tour history to hold the No.1 ranking for more than 100 weeks as Black will increase her career total to 148 weeks, second only to Martina Navratilova (377 weeks), while Huber will boost her career total to 112 weeks (totals run through the year, including week of December 28, 2009). Black / Huber are only the fourth doubles pair to jointly hold the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour No 1 Doubles Ranking since its inception in 1984. “It’s really amazing,” stated Huber. “I wasn’t thinking of it today and when we were done with the match I said to Cara, what does that mean - Are we No. 1? This is a great way to end the year, not just clinching the No.1 ranking but playing in the final of the Sony Ericsson Championships.” Cara Black followed, “We’re absolutely thrilled and I’m really proud of our efforts. It’s been a tough year, we had some tough losses and some great wins. The US Open was a great effort, we had some awesome matches there, but to come here and defend it at the Championships means a lot to us. We’re absolutely thrilled and I’m going to go home and enjoy it and hold the trophy high.” “Cara and Liezel have held the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour World No.1 ranking for two years, an incredible achievement,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. “It is difficult enough to end the season at the top of the rankings once, but to repeat that feat three times proves that Cara and Liezel are two of the greatest doubles champions in the history of the Tour.” “We are delighted to congratulate Cara and Liezel on ending the season as the best doubles team in the world once again,” said Aldo Liguori, Corporate Vice President and Head of Global Communications & PR for Sony Ericsson. “They always bring tremendous athleticism and excitement on the court and are wonderful champions and terrific ambassadors for the sport.” Black and Huber have had a stellar 2009 season, winning five titles along the way, four of them Premier Tour events - Open GDF SUEZ (Paris Indoors), Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai), Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open (Madrid) and Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open (Cincinnati), in addition to an International Tour event title at AEGON Classic (Birmingham). Additionally, they finished as runner-up at the US Open and reached six semifinals, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Black and Huber first teamed up on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in 2001, winning their very first tournament at the Princess Cup in Tokyo before playing sporadically until the start of 2005. Shortly after, they won the Rome title, reached the final of Roland Garros and won Wimbledon (their third tournament victory) before Huber suffered a severe ACL injury which later required surgery, bringing their season to a premature end. The two reunited at the start of the 2007 season, winning their fourth tournament together at the Australian Open and haven’t looked back since. They have compiled a 221-57 match record winning 27 doubles titles together including four Grand Slams (2005 Wimbledon, 2007 Australian Open, 2007 Wimbledon, 2008 US Open) and two Sony Ericsson Championships (2007, 2008). Black has held the individual Doubles No. 1 ranking since July 9, 2007, with Huber joining her at No. 1 on November 12, 2007. SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR WORLD NO.1 DOUBLES TEAMS Year World No.1’s 2009 Cara Black (ZIM) & Liezel Huber (USA) 2008 Cara Black (ZIM) & Liezel Huber (USA) 2007 Cara Black (ZIM) & Liezel Huber (USA) 2006 Lisa Raymond (USA) & Samantha Stosur (AUS) 2005 Cara Black (ZIM) 2004 Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) 2003 Paola Suarez (ARG) 2002 Paola Suarez (ARG) 2001 Lisa Raymond (USA) 2000 Julie Halard-Decugis (FRA) 1999 Anna Kournikova (RUS) 1998 Natasha Zvereva (BLR) 1997 Natasha Zvereva (BLR) 1996 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (ESP) 1995 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (ESP) 1994 Natasha Zvereva (BLR) 1993 Gigi Fernandez (USA) 1992 Helena Sukova (TCH) 1991 Jana Novotna (TCH) 1990 Helena Sukova (TCH) 1989 Martina Navratilova (USA) 1988 Martina Navratilova (USA) 1987 Martina Navratilova (USA) 1986 Martina Navratilova (USA) 1985 Pam Shriver (USA) 1984 Martina Navratilova (USA) # # # |
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10-31-2009, 06:52 PM
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1989 Martina Navratilova (USA) |
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10-31-2009, 07:09 PM
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10-31-2009, 11:58 PM
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