BARCELONA, Spain - Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez were recognized in Barcelona last week, receiving a special award from the Association of Tennis Journalists (APT) for their inspired doubles results in 2009, including becoming the first all-Spanish duo ever to capture the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships doubles title.
Francesc Orriols, President of the Catalan Tennis Federation, and Neus Yerro, journalist from SPORT and an APT member, presented Llagostera Vives and Martínez Sánchez with the award at the wonderful wine-making site of Segura Viudas, in the picturesque village of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia.
"The award was very important for us. Even though it was in doubles, I believe we still deserved an award like this," Martínez Sánchez said afterwards. "It was an amazing season for us, and this makes it even better."
"The awards were held at beautiful vineyards. The wine and champagne they make there is very famous in Spain," Llagostera Vives said. "There was a lunch in a really old and really nice house, then they gave us our plaque and bottles of champagne with our names on them. There were a lot of journalists there from all over Spain. It was a wonderful time and we're very honored."
Llagostera Vives and Martínez Sánchez won a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour-leading seven doubles titles in 2009, including the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2009, where they beat the Williams sisters and world No.1s Cara Black and Liezel Huber in back-to-back matches. They finished the year at No.5 and No.6 in doubles; Martínez Sánchez also finished Top 30 in singles.
The APT has been holding an annual awards event since 1998 to recognize tennis players and other tennis personalities, organizing a lunch then giving out the awards. Other awards in the 12th edition of the ceremony went to ATP World Tour player Tommy Robredo and Alberta Costa, a former ATP World Tour player and the current captain of Spain's Davis Cup team.
