Serena Williams doesn't win 2022 Comeback Player of the Year

Serena Williams' efforts before she retired were not enough to win the 2022 WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Williams returned from 12 months out during the grass-court season after sustaining a severe injury when she fell on the slick center court in the first round of last year's Wimbledon Championships.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion competed at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open afterward. That included a match against last year's US Open champion, Emma Raducanu, which the Briton won in straight sets.

After announcing she would retire at the US Open, Williams managed a stunning upset against the No. 1 seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round in one of the best atmospheres ever seen on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The tennis legend bid farewell to tennis after losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. A retirement ceremony filled with tributes followed, leaving Williams and many fans in tears.

Those efforts led to Williams being nominated for the 2022 WTA Comeback Player of the Year alongside Tatjana Maria, Donna Vekic, and Daria Saville. The American's fans might have expected her to be recognized after her retirement from the sport.

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However, the WTA has remained objective and not given Williams the award. Instead, this year's Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria received the honor after her achievements on the WTA Tour this season.

Maria was away on maternity leave from the summer of 2020 until the summer of 2021. She had never been past the second round of a Grand Slam before her incredible run at Wimbledon that shocked fans and analysts.

While Williams' fans might be disappointed, Maria is a worthy winner of the award. Vekic and Saville's impressive comeback seasons should also not be forgotten, and it will be interesting to observe how well they do next season.

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