This has been a busy week in the tennis world, alongside the Brisbane International, Auckland and Shenzhen were played, and not to mention that the WTA stars have also been active at the Hopman Cup. Serena Williams won Brisbane, while Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na lifted trophies in Auckland and Shenzhen.

Playing her first ASB Classic in Auckland, Agnieszka Radwanska won her first title on the Australian ground and opened a season with a title for the first time. The top-seeded Pole didn't lose a set all week, against Greta Arn, Simona Halep, Elena Vesnina, Jamie Hampton (although, in that semifinal she did go through two tiebreaks) and finally Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 6-4, the 2010 Auckland winner and 2011 finalist. Read more »

It is my pleasure to announce the winners of our latest giveaway - Magda Sawczuk and Rhonda Costa! Congratulations!

Among 65 people who liked Women's Tennis Blog's new Facebook page, Magda and Rhonda got selected in a random selection process. Since Magda was the first to pass through, she had the advantage of picking the autograph she prefers and she chose Yanina Wickmayer. Therefore, Rhonda will receive Shahar Peer.

Thank you all who participated! There will be more contests in the future, so make sure to stay tuned. And John Bolan, thank you for providing me with the autographs.

In the meantime, do click "Like" on Women's Tennis Blog's Facebook page!

It's been a while since our loyal reader and contributor John Bolan sent me signed photos of Israeli Shahar Peer and Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. I feel that the occasion of Roland Garros is a perfect time to make my readers additionally happy and send them the WTA autographs, so I'm organizing a small contest and two people will be winners.

HOW TO ENTER? VERY SIMPLE!

Over the weekend I played with Facebook a bit and I created Women's Tennis Blog's "Like" page. For a chance to win one of the autographs, just click "Like" on the page and you're in. From all the people who liked the page, I will randomly pick two winners and contact them via Facebook. In case you don't have a Facebook account, you can ask a friend to do it for you.

The contest closes on Saturday, the moment women's singles final at the 2012 French Open is finished.

Good luck!

Twice Sony Ericsson Open champion, Kim Clijsters, this time went out in the third round, to her fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. Before losing 6-4 7-6(5) Clijsters saved six match points late in the second set. In the previous rounds Clijsters also had tough battles, against Jarmila Gajdosova and Julia Goerges.

Miami was Clijsters’ first tournament since the Australian Open in January, and although she gave credit to Wickmayer for her consistency throughout the match, Clijsters found it frustrating that she wasn’t far from having victory in sight even though she was playing with less than 50% of her abilities. Clijsters also regrets not using Wickmayer’s nervousness at the end of the match, and Wickmayer earned her first victory over Clijsters.

Big names besides Clijsters were all through to the fourth round in straight sets on Saturday: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Samantha Stosur, Li Na, and Sabine Lisicki. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)

The 2011 season has just started and we're already thinking about the year-end rankings. Our friend John Bolan used a number of indicators to calculate how the Top 10 will look at the end of 2011. Isn't this a perfect time to get playful and test our projection abilities?

My friends and I play a game each year before the new tennis season begins: "Name the Top 10 players in order at the end of the year". We all have favorites, but I try to use a little logic in the picks.

First, see where the players finished this year. Then think about which good players have been injured for long periods during 2010. Finally, consider how many points players have to lose. Players with many points now must play better than players with fewer points to retain their ranking. Of course we all have personal favorites and think that different players will either rise or sink in the rankings.

My pick for number 1, Victoria Azarenka, has a combination of all the above factors – she has been injured, has fewer points to lose than anyone else in the Top 10, and is definitely a rising young star. Number 2, Justine Henin, and number 3, Maria Sharapova, also fit in the same mold.

One can’t forget to rank the Top 3 players from 2010. Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva are my next 3 picks. Although they have many points to subtract, they are the best 3 players in 2010.

Number 7 is Yanina Wickmayer. She is young and very strong. 2011 will be her breakout year.

Dinara Safina has very few points to lose, has been injured all 2010 and has more to prove than any other player. She will be back in the Top 10. Dinara is also my pick for a comeback player of the year 2011.

Ana Ivanovic is determined. She is working very hard.

In the last spot is Jelena Jankovic who will be steadier in 2011 and hold onto her Top 10 ranking.

There is no expectation on my part that any of you will agree with me on these picks! That is why we play the game! So use the comments and make your picks!

It will be interesting to get back to these projections when the 2011 season finishes. The time will come before we know it! (photos: Karla St John, John Bolan)

Maria Sharapova will play doubles only for the third time since 2005 and her new partner will be Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. The two will team up at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford which starts July 26.

Last two doubles matches Sharapova played were at the 2009 Indian Wells with Elena Vesnina and at the 2005 Birmingham with Maria Kirilenko.

Sharapova has won three doubles titles in her career: the 2004 Birmingham with Maria Kirilenko, and Tokyo and Luxembourgh in 2003 with Tamarine Tanasugarn. Wickmayer still has no Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles. As for their ranking, Sharapova is currently unranked in doubles, while Wickmayer is ranked 131st. (photos: Stephane Martinache, © Neal Trousdale)

The annual Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player Awards were announced in Miami on Wednesday and seven players received the honor for their achievements during 2009.

World No.1 Serena Williams won her third Tour's Player of the Year award and, together with her sister Venus Williams, the Doubles Team of the Year award. In addition, they got the most votes by fans that voted online and have been honored with Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year award. Fan Favorite Singles Player for the Year went to the hands of Elena Dementieva.

Most Improved Player was won by Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, while her compatriot Kim Clijsters picked up Comeback Player of the Year award and her seventh Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, recognizing her conduct, attitude and fair play.

Melanie Oudin is the Newcomer of the Year, while Liezel Huber has been honored by the Player Service Award for the fourth time.

Here you can remind yourselves of the winners for the year 2008.

Additional information: Players voted on their favorite tournaments, and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells came out as the favorite Premier event, while the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL in Acapulco is players' favorite International event. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

I think this complicated case is finally over – Yanina Wickmayer’s ban was suspended by a Belgian court on Monday and now the International Tennis Federation, having consulted the World Anti-Doping Agency, has confirmed that Wickmayer is eligible to start competing.

The world No.16 has a wildcard for ASB Classic in Auckland, and is hoping to get a wildcard to play in the Australian Open. (via Women Who Serve, photo: emmett.hume)