Alcaraz and Sinner have swapped racket battles for award ballots after a run that read like a tennis highlight reel.
The pair were both named on the shortlist for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award 2026 following a season in which they divided the biggest trophies and kept tennis firmly in the headlines worldwide.
Alcaraz And Sinner Lead The Tennis Charge
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The nominations reflect a simple stat line that stunned the tour: the two men combined to win the four Grand Slam titles, an achievement that confirmed their status as the sport’s headline act over the calendar year.
Carlos Alcaraz pushed his case with big wins at Roland Garros and the US Open in 2025, and he wrapped that season by clinching the year-end number one ranking before starting 2026 by lifting the Australian Open crown.
Jannik Sinner matched the pressure with a brilliant 2025 of his own, taking home trophies at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and reaching all four major finals, which put him firmly in the Laureus conversation alongside Alcaraz.
Laureus Shortlist Packed With Global Stars
The Sportsman shortlist reads like a cross section of world sport, with footballer Ousmane Dembele, MotoGP icon Marc Marquez and cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar all joining the nominees alongside the two tennis stars.
Mondo Duplantis, the pole vault sensation, was the 2025 Laureus winner and remains a reminder that the award celebrates excellence across disciplines, not just in racket sports or team games.
Organizers will reveal the winner on April 20 at Madrid’s Cibeles Palace, with the ceremony staged during the Mutua Madrid Open and timed to highlight the sport’s global reach and celebrity moment in the Spanish capital.
Sabalenka Anchors Women’s List And More Tennis Names Feature
On the women’s side Aryna Sabalenka secured a nomination after a dominant 2025 that saw her win the US Open, reach three of the four major finals and finish as the tour’s year-end number one.
Sabalenka joins a shortlist that also includes footballer Aitana Bonmati and swimmer Katie Ledecky, while athletics nominations name Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Faith Kipyegon and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone among those recognized for standout seasons.
For tennis the back-to-back seasons in which Alcaraz and Sinner split the majors have created a unique narrative, with 2024 and 2025 both producing the same four-slam division and leaving fans debating who is truly ahead.
Alcaraz’s completion of a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2026 adds fresh context to the nomination, and Sinner will have a chance to answer on clay if he can convert a deep run at Roland Garros into a title.
Beyond trophies and titles the Laureus nods recognize storylines, comebacks and the public impact of sport, and a win for either Alcaraz or Sinner would cement a season-long argument about which young star defined the modern game.
Expect plenty of debate in the build up to the awards night, because fans and pundits will point to head-to-heads, consistency and the weight of Grand Slam moments when making the case for their preferred nominee.
Whatever the result, the nominations underline an era in men’s tennis where two players regularly trade trophies and push each other to higher peaks, a duel that has done the sport no harm when it comes to global attention.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
