Tennis was the biggest winner at the 16th Laureus World Sport Awards in Berlin after Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams claimed the two top prizes.
Djokovic won the Sportsman of the Year award for the third time in his career. In 2015 he claimed three Grand Slam titles and became the first tennis player in history to earn over $20 million in prize money within one season. This year the Serbian has already won four titles in Doha, Melbourne, Indian Wells and Miami. During his acceptance speech, Djokovic dedicated his award to two fellow sportsmen, three-time Formula One World Champion Niki Lauda and Dutch football legend Johan Cruff, who passed away last month.
This year is the eighth time that a male tennis player has won the top award. Besides Djokovic’s trio of awards, Roger Federer has won the trophy four times (2005-2008) and Rafael Nadal once (2011).
Scooping the Sportswoman of the Year award is Serena Williams. The current French Open and Wimbledon champion has become the first female to receive the top honor at the awards on three separate occasions. Last year she won five titles, including a trio of Grand Slam trophies. This year has been more problematic for the world No.1. Williams has played in four tournaments without winning a title for the first time since 2012.
The Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year is Serena Williams!
#LWSA16 pic.twitter.com/noODZ7vIWc
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) 18 April 2016
Williams is one of only three female tennis players to scoop the award. Jennifer Capriati triumph in 2002 and Justine Henin won in 2008.
The British Davis Cup team missed out on the Team of the Year award. The honor went to the New Zealand Rugby team, commonly known as the All Blacks.
The prestigious awards were set up in 2000 by Laureus, a sports-based charity that aims to improve the lives of children around the world. Since the creation of the charity, they have raised over €100 million. The winners of each award is decided by the Laureus World Sports Academy, a panel of sporting stars from around the world.
