Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner nominated for 2026 Laureus Athlete of the Year | ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz named 2026 Laureus Athlete of the Year
Fonseca shortlisted for Breakthrough Award
March 3, 2026
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have been nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Athlete of the Year Award.
Written by ATP Staff
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards World Athlete of the Year, while #NextGenATP star Joao Fonseca is shortlisted for the World Breakthrough of the Year award.
The nominations continue men’s tennis’ strong recent performance at the Laureus Awards. The most recent male athlete to win the World Athlete of the Year award was Novak Djokovic, who received the honor in 2024. Both Alcaraz and Sinner are hoping to win the award for the first time.
Alcaraz is already a Laureus Medal winner, having won the Breakthrough of the Year Award in 2023 after winning his first Grand Slam title at the US Open and rising to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Since then, the Spaniard has continued to add to his trophy haul at Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000 level. In 2025, the Spaniard won a tour-leading eight titles, including Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and the U.S. Open.
Sinner, who is also seeking his first Laureus Award, won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2025 and claimed a second consecutive Nitto ATP Finals crown in his hometown of Turin. The Italian was also the number one player in the PIF ATP rankings from June 2024 to September 2025, before Alcaraz returned to the top spot after winning the US Open.
Fonseca’s nomination in the breakthrough category recognizes the Brazilian’s meteoric rise on tour. The 19-year-old won two ATP Tour titles in 2025 and climbed to a career-high No. 24. The 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards will be held on April 20 at the Palazzo Cibeles in Madrid.
