Dinara Safina

Among the many off-court events held during the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, one of the most important was a cheque presentation made at the end-of-season players' party. With Nadia Petrova and Dinara Safina on hand, it was announced that in the course of 2008 the Tour's players had served enough aces at €10 a pop to raise €105,450 (around $132,000) for the international housing charity, Habitat for Humanity.
 

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.
 

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.
 

Elena Dementieva wrapped up Day 3 action at the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008 in winning form, prevailing in an all-Russian affair with Dinara Safina in straight sets. Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams also recorded victories on Thursday at the season-ending event.
 

Venus Williams defeated Elena Dementieva 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 Wednesday to win her second round-robin match at the WTA’s season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships.
 
Williams had 10 double-faults to five for Dementieva, but converted eight of 10 break points.
 
“It was just really competitive out there,” Williams said.
 

Thursday, November 6, 2008
From 17.00hrs
White Group
1. Jankovic vs. Kuznetsova
Maroon Group
2. S.Williams vs. V.Williams
3. Safina vs. Dementieva
 Results : Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha WTA 2008
 

For the second straight day the top gun of the Maroon Group wrapped up round robin action, and for the second straight day she fell to a Williams. Dinara Safina, the No.2 seed at the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008, fell to 0-2 in round robin play at the season-ending event on Wednesday, dropping a straight set decision to No.3 seed Serena Williams.