Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo received the International Tennis Writers Association's Player of the Year and Ambassador for Tennis awards on Tuesday.

Federer won both honors for the third consecutive year.

The top-ranked Swiss star won a tour-high 12 titles in 2006, including three Grand Slams: Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and Australian Open.

Mauresmo won her first major titles this season, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

ITWA also praised the players for their efforts to bring new fans to tennis and to promote the sport.

They were right. We probaby underestimate the role those very top players play in the popularity of a game. I am convinced that despite Safin and Hewitt (especialy Safin's ;)) great personalities having 3 or 4 different slam winners per year is not good for the popularity of the game or any sport in that matter. Sports thrive when they have a "champion" because you either like them (typically the fedfans) or hate them (we know who) but they don't leave many indifferent.

Borg (I was a fan) , Tyson (fan), Shumy (rooting against) , Woods (Actually one I don't care much but more against him), Rossi (fan), Federer (really impressed by this guy's game) etc...

Federer is a no brainer really.He will probably win sportsman of the year as well.

And Amelie has done really well this year so I can't fault them for giving her it either.
Its a pity justine wasn't totally fit for that final though. :(