The nominations for the acclaimed sports recognition, the Laureus World Sports Awards, have recently been announced, with Jannik Sinner, Amanda Anisimova, and others securing spots in their respective categories. The WTA and ATP stars are moving ahead in their 2026 season, with the next stop being the BNP Paribas Open, taking place from March 4 to 15, at Indian Wells, California.
Jannik Sinner, Amanda Anisimova, and Others From Tennis Clinch Their Spot for the Laureus World Recognition
The Laureus World Sports Awards, also known as the Athletes’ Awards, recognises the elite performances and achievements of athletes throughout the year with the Cartier statuette. The awards, known as the Excellence in Athletics, were established in 1999 by Richemont, a Swiss luxury goods company, and Mercedes-Benz Group, which is also the WTA Tour’s premier partner.
The awards are also supported by their global partners, who are IWC Schaffhausen and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. The nominees have been announced, and 1,300 members of the Laureus Global Media Panel selected six athletes across six categories.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic-Led Indian Wells Draw: Players’ Paths Disclosed
Through their X post, the Laureus Sport added, “🗞️ Here are the Nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards 2026. 🏆 Who do you think the Laureus World Sports Academy should select as the Winners? #Laureus26.”
The world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, had clinched eight ATP singles titles in 2025, along with two Grand Slam titles, the French Open and the US Open, by defeating world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in both of them, and has been nominated for the ‘Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award‘, his second nomination, along with Sinner. In 2023, the Spaniard received the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award.
🗞️ Here are the Nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards 2026.
🏆 Who do you think the Laureus World Sports Academy should select as the Winners?
#Laureus26 pic.twitter.com/TNWHM9bbu4
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) March 3, 2026
The Italian ended his notable 2025 season with six titles, including the Wimbledon Championship, the Australian Open, and the Nitto ATP Finals, after defeating Alcaraz in the final. Last year, his Laureus Sportsman of the Year nomination was withdrawn as he was serving a three-month ban after testing positive for banned substances.
Whereas world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been nominated for the ‘Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year‘, her second nomination, along with other athletes. In her 2025 season, the Belarusian star won four titles, defended her US Open title, and reached eight finals.
The American star, Amanda Anisimova, has been selected for the ‘Laureus World Comeback of the Year‘ award after returning to dominate the court following a 2023 break from tennis due to mental health reasons. She played her 2024 season, and in 2025, she clinched two titles, the Qatar Open and the China Open, along with other feats.
Another tennis star selected in the ‘Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year‘ category is 19-year-old Brazilian player João Fonseca. In his last season, he played at all four Grand Slams and won two ATP singles titles.
