Vera Zvonareva

The second half of 2008 saw the competition for the No.1 ranking intensify, while several youngsters won their first titles and more established stars enjoyed golden form. In the end Serbia's Jelena Jankovic surged ahead as the most consistent queen of the courts, and there was also plenty of activity on the sidelines as the Tour prepared its revolutionary 2009 Roadmap calendar. 

 
JULY

For the first time in the history of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, a world No.1 stepped away from the sport she ruled in 2008. But there was no shortage of pretenders to the tennis throne, in a season that saw a handful of teens establish themselves as serious contenders, and mid-career surges by a clutch of more established players. There was plenty of action off court as well, including a marketing push of heroic proportions and happy news from some of the Tour's best-loved retired stars.
 
JANUARY
 

Dear Vera:
 
Although you possess one of the most interesting games in all of women's tennis, sometimes it's so hard to watch you play. I can't tell you how painful it is to watch you crumple to the court in tears after missing a routine shot.
 

The WTA Tour season came to a close Sunday when Venus Williams won the Tour Championships singles title, and $1.3 million U.S., before rather sparse crowds in Doha, Qatar.
 
There is still more tennis to be played; a number of smaller women's events on the ITF Circuit offering between $10,000 and $100,000 in total prize money will take place right through to the end of the year.
 
But the major leagues are taking a break. And with that, we offer up the annual Open Court Awards.
 

Venus Williams cannot predict whether she will be able to carry her end-of-year momentum into the new season in Australia but, having just claimed one of the few big titles to elude her, she will now rest and prepare for a 10th attempt to capture one of the remaining two.
 

Jelena Jankovic topped the year-ending women's tennis rankings issued on Monday by the WTA, with Venus Williams climbing into sixth place courtesy of her title at the 2008 finale in Doha.
 
Jankovic, who was stopped in the Doha semis by Williams, tops the final list with 4,710 points. She was assured of the 2008 top spot ahead of the final week of action.
 
US Open champion Serena Williams is second with 3,866 points, swapping positions with Dinara Safina, who has 3,817 points.
 

Venus Williams defeated Russia's Vera Zvonareva 6-7 6-0 6-2 on Sunday to win the season-ending WTA Championships.

It was the first time the American had won the event after she reached the semi-finals in her previous two appearances. She retired injured on the second occasion, in 2002, and qualified but failed to play because of injury on five other occasions.