By Jorge Hernandez
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz was honored this Monday in Madrid with the Laureus Award for best athlete of the yeara recognition that consolidates his status as a dominant figure in the world tennisdespite having recently lost the number one in the world at the hands of the Italian Jannik Sinner.
Far from being an unexpected emergence, the award confirms the consolidation of Carlos Alcaraz as one of the great references in world sport. The 22-year-old from Murcia had already been recognized as revelation athlete in 2023and now adds the predominant award after years of performance at the highest level.
In the last edition, the recognition went to Armand Duplantis, who was once again among the nominees, but this time the sustained impact of Alcaraz in it ATP circuit It was decisive in tipping the balance to his opt.
A 2025 season that supported him as the best
He Laureus Award 2026 It comes as a direct consequence of a dominant 2025 campaign. Carlos Alcaraz signed numbers that placed him at the top of the international tennis:
– Eight ATP titles: Tokyo, United States, Cincinnati, Queen’s, Roland GarrosRome, Monte Carlo and Rotterdam.
– A balance of 71 wins and 9 losses.
– The season ended as number one in the world.
These achievements were key to beating other elite candidates in the vote.
Jannik Sinner takes away the number one in the world
Despite personal recognition, the present of the ATP ranking shows a new dynamic at the top. Just a few days ago, Jannik Sinner moved to Carlos Alcaraz of the number one in the worldmarking a new chapter in the rivalry between the two.
The Italian had already defeated the Spaniard in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, a result that anticipated the change in the classification and evidenced the strong competition for the leadership of the world tennis.
Elite competition for the Laureus Prize
In addition to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinnerthe list of nominees best athlete of the year It included notable figures such as Marc Márquez, Ousmane Dembélé, Tadej Pogacar and Armand Duplantis.
The level of the candidates reflected the demands of the award, considered the most prestigious in international sport.
Injury and absence in Madrid
In parallel, Carlos Alcaraz will not dispute the Madrid Open due to an injury to his right wrist, suffered in the Barcelona tournament. This loss represents a setback in their calendar, at a key moment in the season.
A 2026 with new challenges
So far in 2026, Carlos Alcaraz He has already won titles in Australia and Doha, remaining the protagonist of the circuit. However, the pressure of Jannik Sinner at the top of the ATP ranking anticipates an intense fight for leadership during the rest of the year.
Keep reading:
· Jannik Sinner defeats Carlos Alcaraz and takes the world number 1 from him
· Jannik Sinner goes for number 1 in the world after winning the Miami Open and the “Sunshine Double”
· Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jannik Sinner in the US Open final and returns to number one
· Jannik Sinner beats Novak Djokovic and will play a new final against Carlos Alcaraz
