© Getty ImagesRoger Federer became the all-time Grand Slam title leader with his Wimbledon win.

The ITF announced today that Roger Federer (SUI) and Serena Williams (USA) are the 2009 ITF World Champions. This is the fifth time Federer has been honoured, while Williams receives the award for the second time.
 
Serena and Venus Williams (USA) are named Women’s Doubles World Champions for the first time, with Serena becoming the first player since Martina Hingis in 1999 to receive singles and doubles honours. Bob and Mike Bryan (USA) are Men’s Doubles World Champions for a record sixth time.
 
Daniel Berta (SWE) and Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) are the 2009 ITF Junior World Champions, while the ITF Wheelchair World Champions are Shingo Kunieda (JPN) and Esther Vergeer (NED). Kunieda wins the award for the third year running, while Vergeer becomes world champion for a remarkable tenth successive year.
 
The ITF World Champions will receive their awards at the annual ITF World Champions Dinner on Tuesday 1 June, in Paris, during Roland Garros.
 
Roger Federer regained the world No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal after a record-breaking year which saw him complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros with victory over Robin Soderling in the final. He went on to surpass Pete Sampras by winning his 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon after a memorable final contest against Andy Roddick. Federer was also runner-up at the Australian Open and US Open, and helped his country retain its World Group status in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.
 
Federer said: "It is an honour for me to be named ITF World Champion for a fifth time. It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court. To win my first Roland Garros title, break the all-time Grand Slam record and regain the No. 1 ranking is amazing. It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top.”
 
Serena Williams becomes Women’s Singles World Champion for the first time since 2002 after producing her best performances at the biggest events. The American captured two Grand Slam titles, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, to improve her collection to 11 majors. She went on to win the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, sealing the No. 1 ranking in the last event of the year.
 
Serena and Venus Williams dominated the Grand Slam doubles events to edge out the year-end No. 1-ranked team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber as Women’s Doubles World Champions. The Williams sisters recorded two victories over Black and Huber in winning three Grand Slam titles, at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, to take their career total to ten Grand Slam triumphs. Serena joins Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis as the only players to become singles and doubles world champions in the same year.
 
Bob and Mike Bryan are Men’s Doubles World Champions for the sixth time in seven years. The brothers clinched the year-end No. 1 men’s doubles ranking in the final match of the season, having missed out in 2008 in the same circumstances. The Bryans won seven titles during the year, including the Australian Open and ATP World Tour Finals, and were runners-up at Wimbledon. They were also unbeaten for USA in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.
 
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "This has been another memorable year for tennis, with some outstanding performances by our World Champions. Roger Federer has truly earned his place in the history books, while the Williams sisters remain the strongest competitors on the women’s tour.”
 
The ITF’s selection of its senior World Champions is based on an objective system that considers not only performances in  the Grand Slam tournaments and respective tours, but also gives weight to performances in the two ITF international team competitions, Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.
 
Daniel Berta becomes the first Swede to be named Boys World Champion since Thomas Enqvist in 1991. The 17-year-old captured his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros to complete a memorable event for his home country following Robin Soderling’s run to the men’s final. Berta also won the Grade 1 singles event in the Philippines and two doubles titles, and was selected for the Swedish Davis Cup squad for its first round tie against Israel.
 
Berta said: "Ending the year as the No. 1 junior in the world is a dream for me and I look back on the most successful year in my career. It was after winning Roland Garros that I started to really believe that I could make it to the No. 1 spot and I have worked very hard every day to reach this goal. I am very happy and proud to be the 2009 Junior World Champion.”
 
Kristina Mladenovic is the first French player to become Girls World Champion since Amelie Mauresmo in 1996. The 16-year-old won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and went on to reach the final at Wimbledon. She also won the Grade A title in Osaka and Grade 1 event in Roehampton. In doubles, Mladenovic captured four titles, including Grade A successes in Osaka and at the Banana Bowl.
 
Mladenovic said: "It's such a great achievement to finish No. 1 and a very nice feeling for me. Winning a Grand Slam was one of my most important goals of the year, so I’m very proud and happy that all my efforts paid off. It’s a great honour to follow Amelie as she is a great champion and has been the best example for French women’s tennis.”
 
Shingo Kunieda remained unbeaten for a second successive year to win his third Men’s Wheelchair World Champion honour. The 25-year-old captured eight singles titles in 2009, including all three Grand Slam singles events, Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open. He also won five doubles titles, and helped Japan to third place in the Invacare World Team Cup in Nottingham.
 
Kunieda said: "I'm very happy and proud to be the World Champion for three years in a row. To be the World Champion is my biggest goal every year and I hope to keep improving my tennis.”
 
Esther Vergeer extended her unbeaten run to 383 singles matches in becoming Women’s Wheelchair World Champion for the tenth successive year. The 28-year-old won seven singles titles in 2009, including all three Grand Slam events, and finished the year with her 12th successive victory at the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters. She also won six doubles events and led Netherlands to a 22nd Invacare World Team Cup title.
 
Vergeer said: "I’m very proud to be world champion for ten years in a row. The competition is getting tougher. I’ve only played eight tournaments this year so knew I had to win them all. That was tough but challenging but there is more motivation to work harder. I’m certainly going to keep going for as long as I can.”
 
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "I would like to pay tribute to all the ITF World Champions for 2009, who have contributed to a successful year for the sport at all levels.”