今年在美網對裁判惡語相向遭重罰、但靠全年出色發揮奪回世界“網壇一姐”稱號的美國名將塞瑞娜?威廉姆斯被美聯社評選為2009年度最佳女運動員。這項年度最佳評選活動始于1931年，每年評選一次，參加投票的是美聯社的編輯。今年參加投票的共158人，小威得到了其中的66票，以絕對優勢當選；而其他入圍選手得票數均未能超過18票。 顯然，小威在美網女單半決賽中的小小惡行并未對其頭號地位產生影響。小威曾在七年前獲此殊榮，而今年能夠再次當選，她表示很開心，并且慶幸自己還在打網球，感覺自己回到了2002年時的狀態。

Playing her best at the most important events, Serena Williams re-established herself as the top player in women's tennis in 2009 and was a landslide choice as Female Athlete of the Year by members of The Associated Press.

Playing her best at the most important events, Serena Williams re-established herself as the top player in women's tennis in 2009 and was a landslide choice as Female Athlete of the Year by members of The Associated Press.

Williams received 66 of 158 votes cast by editors at U.S. newspapers that are members of the AP. No other candidate got more than 18 votes in the tally, which was announced Tuesday.

Clearly, Williams' most infamous on-court episode — a tirade directed at a line judge after a foot-fault call near the end of her U.S. Open semifinal loss in September — didn't hurt her standing in the eyes of the voters.

"People realize that I'm a great player, and one moment doesn't define a person's career," Williams told the AP. "And I was right, for the most part: It wasn't right the way I reacted — I never said it was — but I was right about the call."

She also noted that the outburst, which resulted in a record fine and two-year probationary period at Grand Slam tournaments, "got a lot more people excited about tennis."

The 28-year-old American tends to do that, thanks to her powerful, athletic play and her outgoing personality.

"We can attribute the strength and the growth of women's tennis a great deal to her," WTA chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster said in a telephone interview. "She is a superstar."

Williams, who is based in Florida, also won the AP award in 2002, a seven-year gap that is the longest between AP Female Athlete of the Year honors since golf's Patty Berg won in 1943 and 1955.

"I'm just happy and blessed to even be playing seven years later. All this is a bonus, really," Williams said. "In 2002, I just was really dominant, and I think in 2009, I just brought that back. I kind of became that player again."

相關閱讀

小威美網辱罵裁判 無緣決賽

《魅力》年度女性揭曉 米歇爾蕾哈娜登榜

(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）