Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner lead tennis recognition in Laureus Awards nominations
Five tennis players have been named among the nominees for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner both nominated in the same category.
The Laureus World Sports Awards are among the most prestigious awards on offer in sport, and tennis is often well-recognised and rewarded at the annual gala.
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams are all multiple-time winners at the event, with the likes of Justine Henin, Naomi Osaka, and Jennifer Capriati also former award winners.
And, tennis is once again well placed to be recognised at the ceremony in Madrid next month, with Alcaraz and Sinner joined by Aryna Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, and Joao Fonseca as nominees.
Alcaraz and Sinner are both nominated for World Sportsman of the Year, after each winning two Grand Slam singles titles in 2025.
World No 1 Alcaraz lifted the French Open and US Open titles in 2025, winning eight ATP titles in total, while Sinner’s six titles last year include Australian Open and Wimbledon triumphs.
The Italian and Spaniard are nominated alongside footballer Ousmane Dembele, athlete Mondo Duplantis, motorcyclist Marc Marquez, and cyclist Tadej Pogacar on the six-man shortlist.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka is nominated for World Sportswoman of the Year after an impressive 2025.
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The Belarusian spent the entire year as the world No 1 and lifted her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the 2025 US Open, winning four WTA Tour titles in total.
Sabalenka is joined by footballer Aitana Bonmati, athletes Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Faith Kipyegon, and swimmer Katie Ledecky on the six-women shortlist.
Elsewhere, WTA world No 6 Anisimova is nominated for the World Comeback of the Year Award, after a landmark 2025 season for the American.
Anisimova reached the US Open and Wimbledon finals in 2025 and also lifted two WTA 1000 titles, breaking into the top 20 for the first time before ultimately progressing to a new career-high ranking of world No 4.
She is nominated alongside cyclists Egan Bernal and Simon Yates, golfer Rory McIlroy, athlete Yulimar Rojas, and footballer Leah Williamson on the six-person shortlist.
Also receiving recognition this year is rising star Joao Fonseca, who is nominated for World Breakthrough of the Year.
The Brazilian is nominated after a season which saw him win his first two ATP Tour titles and rise from outside the world’s top 140 to inside the world’s top 30, winning matches at all four Grand Slam events.
The 19-year-old joins footballer Desire Doue, basketballer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, darts star Luke Littler, Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris, and swimmer Yu Zidi on the six-person shortlist.
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