New York, 8/9: Tenacious tiger-tattooed Aryna Sabalenka embodied the spirit of her favourite animal in New York this year as she clawed her way back from injury and disappointment to hoist the US Open trophy at last.
The world number two retained her title at the Australian Open but suffered a back injury in Rome and crashed out with illness in the Roland Garros quarter-final. She missed Wimbledon entirely due to a shoulder injury.