Stosur tipped for medal

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World No.6 Sam Stosur is the hot favourite to claim the inaugural Newcombe Medal for Australia's leading tennis player for 2010.

Stosur is one of four finalists for the medal along with Lleyton Hewitt, Anastasia Rodionova and Jarmila Groth, which will be presented at the Australian Tennis Awards in Melbourne on December 3.

"We are delighted to announce such an outstanding and committed group of athletes as our finalists for the inaugural Newcombe Medal," Tennis Australia director of tennis Craig Tiley said.

"They have all enjoyed significant achievements and success with their tennis during 2010.

Tennis great Newcombe himself said he was thrilled to have the award named in his honour.

"It was a great honour when Tennis Australia asked me if I would be willing to be involved ... and to have a medal named after myself," he said.

"Of course I agreed. I feel quite humbled by it really, because you think about actually becoming a part of history."

Stosur made the final of the French Open this year, losing to Francesca Schiavone, and also made the final in Stuttgart.

She won her second career title in Charleston and reached the semi-finals of the season-ending Tour Championships in Doha.

It was another difficult year for Hewitt, who battled injury throughout most of 2010 but he did win the Halle tournament, defeating nemesis Roger Federer in the final.

Rodionova had a strong season, winning two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and making her Fed Cup debut.

Groth also showed good signs this year, making the fourth round at Wimbledon and the French Open as well as winning her first tour title in Guangzhou and reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon and the French Open.

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