The 2002 Sanex WTA Tour was the elite professional tennis circuit organized by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for the 2002 tennis season. The WTA Tour calendar comprised the Grand Slam tournaments (supervised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF)), the WTA Tier I-V Events, the Fed Cup (organized by the ITF) and the year-end championships.
New tournaments created for the 2002 season included the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium; a new green clay event, the Sarasota Clay Court Classic, in Sarasota, U.S.; and the Nordea Nordic Light Open held in Espoo, Finland. Another new tournament was created to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, but was later cancelled. Also, the French Community Championships moved cities from Knokke-Heist to Brussels, and the Kroger St. Jude Championship was moved from Oklahoma City, U.S. to a new location in Memphis.
Season summary Serena Williams was the outright player of the year, ascending to No. 1 for the first time in July and holding it for the rest of that season. She missed the Australian Open due to injury, having won her second, third and fourth Grand Slam singles titles at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, beating her sister Venus in all three finals. This would lead to her non-calendar Grand Slam (dubbed the "Serena Slam") which she would complete at the Australian Open the following year. Her win–loss record for the year was 56–5. Venus also ascended to the No. 1 ranking in February, and finished the season at No. 2. Jennifer Capriati defended her Australian Open title to win her third Grand Slam title, after the two she won in 2001.
Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez were the doubles team of the year, and finished the season as the top 2 on the individual rankings. Their titles at the French Open and the U.S. Open represented their second and third Slam titles together. The Williams sisters won their fifth Grand Slam doubles title together at Wimbledon, and Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova won their second doubles title together at the Australian Open, with it being Hingis' 9th overall.
Former No. 1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario announced her retirement at the end of the season, although she returned in 2004 to play doubles tournaments.
Schedule The table below shows the 2002 WTA Tour schedule.
Key Grand Slam events Year-end championships Tier I events Tier II events Tier III events Tier IV and V events Team events
January WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists31 Dec Hopman Cup Perth, AustraliaHopman Cup Hard (i) – 8 teams (RR)2–1 Brisbane International Gold Coast, Australia Tier III event Hard – $170,000 – 30S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Venus Williams 7–5, 6–2 Justine Henin Nadia Petrova Dája Bedáňová Ai Sugiyama Silvia Farina Elia Tina Pisnik Anca Barna Justine Henin Meghann Shaughnessy6–1, 7–6(8–6) Miriam Oremans Åsa Svensson ASB Bank Classic Auckland, New Zealand Tier IV eventHard – $140,000 – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Anna Smashnova 6–2, 6–2 Tatiana Panova Anna Kournikova Silvija Talaja Anabel Medina Garrigues Emmanuelle Gagliardi Anne Kremer Tatiana Poutchek Nicole Arendt Liezel Huber7–5, 6–4 Květa Hrdličková Henrieta Nagyová7 Jan Sydney International Sydney, Australia Tier II event Hard – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Martina Hingis 6–2, 6–3 Meghann Shaughnessy Serena Williams Kim Clijsters Alexandra Stevenson Amélie Mauresmo Justine Henin Sandrine Testud Lisa Raymond Rennae StubbsWalkover Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova Tasmanian International Hobart, Australia Tier V event Hard – $110,000 – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Martina Suchá 7–6(9–7), 6–1 Anabel Medina Garrigues Amy Frazier Nicole Pratt Rita Grande Janette Husárová Meilen Tu Alina Jidkova Tathiana Garbin Rita Grande6–2, 7–6(7–3) Catherine Barclay Christina Wheeler Canberra Women's Classic Canberra, Australia Tier V event Hard – $110,000 – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Anna Smashnova 7–5, 7–6(7–2) Tamarine Tanasugarn Lilia Osterloh Amanda Grahame Patty Schnyder Nathalie Dechy Émilie Loit Petra Mandula Nannie de Villiers Irina Selyutina6–2, 6–3 Samantha Reeves Adriana Serra Zanetti14 Jan21 Jan Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Grand SlamHard – $3,818,613 – 128S/96Q/64D/32XSingles – Doubles – Mixed doubles Jennifer Capriati 4–6, 7–6(9–7), 6–2 Martina Hingis Kim Clijsters Monica Seles Amélie Mauresmo Justine Henin Adriana Serra Zanetti Venus Williams Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova6–2, 6–7(4–7), 6–1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Daniela Hantuchová Kevin Ullyett Daniela Hantuchová6–3, 6–2 Gastón Etlis Paola Suárez28 Jan Pan Pacific Open Tokyo, Japan Tier I event Carpet (i) – $1,224,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Martina Hingis 7–6(8–6), 4–6, 6–3 Monica Seles Silvia Farina Elia Anna Kournikova Tamarine Tanasugarn Sandrine Testud Alexandra Stevenson Anne Kremer Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs6–1, 6–1 Els Callens Roberta Vinci
February WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists4 Feb Open GDF Suez Paris, France Tier II event Hard (i) – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Venus Williams Walkover Jelena Dokić Amélie Mauresmo Monica Seles Silvia Farina Elia Francesca Schiavone Elena Dementieva Justine Henin Nathalie Dechy Meilen TuWalkover Elena Dementieva Janette Husárová11 Feb Diamond Games Antwerp, Belgium Tier II event Hard (i) – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Venus Williams 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 Justine Henin Amélie Mauresmo Patty Schnyder Silvia Farina Elia Dája Bedáňová Eva Dyrberg Magdalena Maleeva Magdalena Maleeva Patty Schnyder6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–3 Nathalie Dechy Meilen Tu Qatar Open Doha, Qatar Tier III event Hard – $170,000 – 30S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Monica Seles 7–6(8–6), 6–3 Tamarine Tanasugarn Alicia Molik Janette Husárová Nicole Pratt Tathiana Garbin Maja Matevžič Anastasia Myskina Janette Husárová Arantxa Sánchez Vicario6–3, 6–3 Alexandra Fusai Caroline Vis18 Feb Dubai Tennis Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tier II event Hard – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Amélie Mauresmo 6–4, 7–6(7–3) Sandrine Testud Venus Williams Monica Seles Anastasia Myskina Tamarine Tanasugarn Tina Pisnik Ángeles Montolio Barbara Rittner María Vento-Kabchi6–3, 6–2 Sandrine Testud Roberta Vinci U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships Memphis, United States Tier III event Hard (i) – $170,000 – 30S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Lisa Raymond 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(11–9) Alexandra Stevenson Alina Jidkova Ai Sugiyama Jana Nejedly Silvija Talaja Adriana Serra Zanetti Jill Craybas Ai Sugiyama Elena Tatarkova6–4, 2–6, 6–0 Melissa Middleton Brie Rippner Copa Colsanitas Bogotá, Colombia Tier III event Clay – $170,000 – 30S/29Q/16DSingles – Doubles Fabiola Zuluaga 6–1, 6–4 Katarina Srebotnik Cristina Torrens Valero Catalina Castaño Rossana de los Ríos Paola Suárez Céline Beigbeder María Emilia Salerni Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez6–2, 6–1 Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik25 Feb State Farm Women's Tennis Classic Scottsdale, United States Tier II event Hard – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Serena Williams 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 Jennifer Capriati Nathalie Dechy Martina Hingis Barbara Schett Francesca Schiavone Nicole Pratt Dája Bedáňová Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs6–3, 5–7, 7–6(7–4) Cara Black Elena Likhovtseva Mexican Open Acapulco, Mexico Tier III event Clay – $200,000 – 30S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Katarina Srebotnik 6–7(1–7), 6–4, 6–2 Paola Suárez Elena Dementieva Anna Kournikova Émilie Loit Amanda Coetzer Cristina Torrens Valero Janette Husárová Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez7–5, 6–1 Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik
March WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists4 Mar11 Mar Pacific Life Open Indian Wells, United States Tier I event Hard – $2,100,000 – 96S/48Q/32DSingles – Doubles Daniela Hantuchová 6–3, 6–4 Martina Hingis Emmanuelle Gagliardi Monica Seles Anna Smashnova Lisa Raymond Amanda Coetzer Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs7–5, 6–0 Elena Dementieva Janette Husárová18 Mar25 Mar NASDAQ-100 Open Key Biscayne, United States Tier I event Hard – $2,860,000 – 96S/48Q/32DSingles – Doubles Serena Williams 7–5, 7–6(7–4) Jennifer Capriati Monica Seles Venus Williams Tatiana Panova Kim Clijsters Martina Hingis Elena Dementieva Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs7–6(7–4), 6–7(4–7), 6–3 Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez
April
WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists1 Apr Porto Open Porto, Portugal Tier IV event Clay – $140,000 – 32S/28Q/16DSingles – Doubles Ángeles Montolio 6–1, 2–6, 7–5 Magüi Serna Maja Matevžič Zsófia Gubacsi Eleni Daniilidou Jelena Kostanić Ľudmila Cervanová Cara Black Cara Black Irina Selyutina7–6(8–6), 6–4 Kristie Boogert Magüi Serna Sarasota Clay Court Classic Sarasota, United States Tier IV event Clay – $140,000 (green) – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Jelena Dokić 6–2, 6–2 Tatiana Panova Virginie Razzano Meghann Shaughnessy Patty Schnyder Paola Suárez Janette Husárová Anastasia Myskina Jelena Dokić Elena Likhovtseva6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–3 Els Callens Conchita Martínez8 Apr Bausch & Lomb Championships Amelia Island, United States Tier II event Clay – $585,000 (green) – 56S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Venus Williams 2–6, 7–5, 7–6(7–5) Justine Henin Anne Kremer Jelena Dokić Paola Suárez Sandrine Testud Elena Dementieva Silvia Farina Elia Daniela Hantuchová Arantxa Sánchez Vicario6–4, 6–2 María Emilia Salerni Åsa Svensson Estoril Open Oeiras, Portugal Tier IV event Clay – $140,000 – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Magüi Serna 6–4, 6–2 Anca Barna Dinara Safina Elena Bovina Ángeles Montolio Maja Matevžič Tina Pisnik Lourdes Domínguez Lino Elena Bovina Zsófia Gubacsi6–3, 6–1 Barbara Rittner María Vento-Kabchi15 Apr Family Circle Cup Charleston, United States Tier I event Clay – $1,224,000 (green) – 56S/32Q/28DSingles – Doubles Iva Majoli 7–6(7–5), 6–4 Patty Schnyder Jennifer Capriati Sandrine Testud Anastasia Myskina Serena Williams Amanda Coetzer Stéphanie Foretz Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–4) Alexandra Fusai Caroline Vis Budapest Grand Prix Budapest, Hungary Tier V event Clay – $110,000 – 32S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Martina Müller 6–2, 3–6, 6–4 Myriam Casanova Tatiana Poutchek Eleni Daniilidou Martina Suchá Cara Black Rita Kuti-Kis Lubomira Bacheva Catherine Barclay Émilie Loit4–6, 6–3, 6–3 Elena Bovina Zsófia Gubacsi22 Apr Fed Cup: First Round Brussels, Belgium, Clay (i) Milan, Italy, Clay Bratislava, Slovakia, Clay Buenos Aires, Argentina, Clay Charlotte, United States, Clay Bol, Croatia, Clay Almería, Spain, Clay Dresden, Germany, Clay First round winners 3–1 5–0 3–2 3–2 3–2 3–2 4–1 3–2First round losers 29 Apr Betty Barclay Cup Hamburg, Germany Tier II event Clay – $585,000 – 28S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Kim Clijsters 1–6, 6–3, 6–4 Venus Williams Martina Hingis Jelena Dokić Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Daniela Hantuchová Justine Henin Barbara Schett Martina Hingis Barbara Schett6–1, 6–1 Daniela Hantuchová Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Croatian Bol Ladies Open Bol, Croatia Tier III event Clay – $170,000 – 30S/32Q/16DSingles – Doubles Åsa Svensson 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 Iva Majoli Tathiana Garbin Libuše Průšová Elena Dementieva Tina Pisnik Vera Zvonareva Mariana Díaz Oliva Tathiana Garbin Angelique Widjaja7–5, 3–6, 6–4 Elena Bovina Henrieta Nagyová
May