Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka dominated the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Madrid on Monday, claiming the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year titles respectively after seasons of exceptional consistency and grand slam success.
Alcaraz, the 22-year-old Spaniard, reclaimed the year-end world number one ranking after capturing two Grand Slam titles in 2025 — at the French Open and US Open — and added the Australian Open in January 2026, demonstrating his versatility across all surfaces. Sabalenka, the 27-year-old Belarusian, matched his intensity throughout the season, winning her second consecutive US Open, reaching the final in Australia and France, and finishing atop the women's rankings. With her award, Sabalenka joins an illustrious list of tennis recipients that includes Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin and Naomi Osaka.
Beyond tennis, the evening produced several notable honours. Golfer Rory McIlroy received 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. Formula One driver Lando Norris was named World Breakthrough of the Year, while Paris Saint-Germain took the World Team of the Year prize following a 2025 haul that included the French league, the French Cup, and a first-ever UEFA Champions League title. Spanish and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, 18, claimed the Young Sportsperson of the Year award, becoming the youngest athlete to win two Laureus accolades after his Breakthrough award in 2025. German football icon Toni Kroos received the Sporting Inspiration Award, and legendary Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement prize.
The ceremony itself broke new ground, being co-hosted for the first time by two former Laureus winners — Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic and American freestyle skier and Olympic champion Eileen Gu. The Laureus World Sports Awards, presented annually since 2000, see nominees selected by global media while the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy determine the final winners.
The sweep of tennis honours underlines the sport's continued dominance on the global stage. Alcaraz's rise to the summit of men's tennis at such a young age, alongside Sabalenka's relentless consistency across all four Grand Slams, suggests both will remain central figures in world sport for years to come.