WTA dedicates No. 1 trophy to honour Chris Evert

chris-evert-wta

The Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup is presented by former World No.1 and two time Australian Open champion, Chris Evert, prior to the women's singles final between Li Na of China and Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014.(Rick Rycroft/AP)

SINGAPORE — The Women’s Tennis Association has dedicated its trophy for the top-ranked player of the year in honour of Chris Evert.

Simona Halep receives the newly named Chris Evert WTA World No.1 Trophy as she is the year-end No. 1 for the second season in a row. Halep isn’t playing at the ongoing WTA Finals due to a back injury.

Evert was the first player to lead the rankings when they were introduced in 1975 and says she is "honoured and privileged" to have the trophy named for her, in comments released by the WTA.

A total of 25 players have led the WTA rankings, with Steffi Graf having been year-end No. 1 a record eight times between 1987 and 1996.

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