Tennis ruled the red carpet in Madrid on Monday as Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz were crowned Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year at ​the Laureus Awards.
The pair were honoured after glittering 2025 campaigns that saw them ‌finish atop the women’s and men’s tennis rankings respectively.
Spaniard Alcaraz, 22, reclaimed the year-end world number one spot after capturing two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and U.S. Open, underlining his supremacy ​across surfaces.
Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, meanwhile, stood alongside him in the winners’ circle in ​New York and also reached the final in Australia and France, capping ⁠a season of relentless consistency.
With her triumph, Sabalenka joins a roll call of Laureus ​Sportswoman of the Year recipients from her sport including Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin ​and Naomi Osaka.
In a first for the awards, the ceremony was hosted by two athletes — both former Laureus winners — Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu. Last year’s top honours went to gymnast Simone Biles and pole-vaulter Mondo ​Duplantis.
 
Mcilroy takes comeback prize
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy claimed the World Comeback of the Year Award ​after ending an 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam with a playoff victory at the ‌2025 Masters, ⁠a title he defended in 2026.
Formula One’s Lando Norris was named World Breakthrough of the Year, while Paris St Germain took World Team of the Year after a trophy haul in 2025 that included the French league and Cup plus their first Champions League crown.
The ​Laureus World Sports ​Awards nominees are selected ⁠by the global media, while the winners are determined by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.
The awards have been ​presented annually since 2000.
Winners: World Sportsman of the Year Award: Carlos Alcaraz World ​Sportswoman of ⁠the Year Award: Aryna Sabalenka World Team of the Year Award: Paris St Germain World Breakthrough of the Year Award: Lando Norris World Comeback of the Year Award: Rory McIlroy World Sportsperson of the Year ⁠with a ​Disability Award: Gabriel Araujo World Action Sportsperson of the Year ​Award: Chloe Kim World Young Sportsperson of the Year Award: Lamine Yamal Laureus Sporting Inspiration Award: Toni Kroos Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: ​Nadia Comaneci Laureus Sport for Good Award: Futbol Mas.
 
Alcaraz to miss French Open
Carlos Alcaraz is awaiting the results of tests on his injured wrist before making ​a decision about defending his French Open title ‌next month, the world number two said.
The seven-times Grand Slam champion picked up the injury in the first ​round of the Barcelona Open earlier this ​month before withdrawing from the tournament.
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Scans showed ⁠the issue was more serious than initially ​thought and he then skipped the Madrid Open.
“The next test ​will be crucial,” Alcaraz told Spanish television channel TVE.
“We’ve been trying to do everything we can do to make ​sure that this test goes well. I’m ​trying to be very patient. But we are good, we ‌are ⁠just waiting a little bit.
“We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will see how the injury is, and ​what the next ​steps will ⁠be,” the 22-year-old added.
Alcaraz, who was crowned Sportsman of the Year at ​the Laureus Awards on Monday, surrendered ​the ⁠world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner after losing to the Italian in the Monte Carlo Masters ⁠final ​days before his Barcelona opener.