Hunter and Mertens cap 'amazing year' with ITF World Champion Award
Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens have been crowned ITF World Champions in the women’s doubles category for the first time.
Mertens becomes the first Belgian to win the award in women’s doubles, while Hunter is the first Australian player to win the award for doubles since Sam Stosur won in back-to-back years with American Lisa Raymond in 2005-2006.
Hunter and Mertens enjoyed an excellent season together – pairing up to reach the Wimbledon final, collecting titles at WTA 1000 events in Rome and Guadalajara, and finishing the year as the top two doubles players in the world.
“Storm and I had an amazing year on the doubles court together and we are really pleased to be recognised with the ITF World Champion award,” said Mertens. “It was great to reach our first Grand Slam final together at Wimbledon and to finish the year at No. 1 and No. 2 in the world. Very much looking forward to 2024!”
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“What an amazing honour it is to be named ITF doubles world champions for 2023,” added Hunter. “Elise and I had a wonderful year together on the court with some incredible memories such as winning Rome and making the final of Wimbledon. Thank you everyone for your support and looking forward to 2024.”
Hunter and Mertens compiled a 30-11 win-loss record together in 2023, also reaching the semi-finals in Montreal, Cincinnati and at the year-end WTA Finals, having opened the year with three consecutive quarter-finals as a pair at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami.
Hunter ended the year atop the women’s doubles rankings after adding the WTA 125 Reus title alongside countrywoman Ellen Perez and two further finals (alongside Katerina Siniakova in Adelaide and Alycia Parks at Birmingham) to her list of doubles achievements in 2023.
While Hunter follows in the footsteps of a more recent female compatriot in being named an ITF World Champion in 2021 women’s singles winner Ashleigh Barty, Mertens is the first Belgian woman to be named an ITF World Champion since Justine Henin won the singles award for a third time in 2007.