Carlos Alcaraz received his first nomination for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. He was nominated after Jannik Sinner withdrew from the award this year.
There were two men who won all Grand Slam trophies in 2024. Sinner won the first major, Alcaraz won the following two, and the Italian player then secured the last Grand Slam of the season. Additionally, the Spaniard won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Outside of the majors and the Olympics, Sinner dominated the ATP Tour. The Italian won 73 matches, which led to eight titles. He was by far the best player in 2022, losing only six times throughout the year.
As the year-end ATP World No. 1, Sinner was a leading candidate for the 2025 Laureus Sportsman of the Year award, but his name was withdrawn from the list of candidates just days before the official nominations were announced.
The reason for his withdrawal is the positive doping test the Italian player received during the 2024 Indian Wells Open. He is currently serving a three-month suspension.
Nonetheless, despite Sinner’s absence, Alcaraz has been nominated for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.
Alcaraz also had a remarkable year, winning 54 matches and four titles, including two Grand Slam titles.
He will be joined by four other nominees. Swimmer Leon Marchand, who won four Olympic gold medals in 2024, received his first nomination too. Cycling star Tadej Pogacar is a first-time nominee as well.
Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen was nominated for the fourth consecutive time, having won the award in 2022. Armand Duplantis is nominated for the fourth time, although he has yet to win the award.
Alcaraz is among the three first-time nominees and expressed his joy at being one of the tennis players contending for the award, joining the likes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who have both won it five times.
“Laureus has a special place in my heart and I am deeply honoured to be nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award. In 2023, I won the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award and—as if the evening could get any better—I also met Lionel Messi on the red carpet!”
“When I reflect on 2024, my mind goes to that incredible moment at Wimbledon when I picked up my second men’s singles trophy against Novak Djokovic, an athlete who has won this prestigious Award five times.”
“The Laureus Awards celebrate the very best from the world of sport, and to be nominated for the Sportsman of the Year Award by the world’s media is an achievement and an incredible honour.”
