SUMMARY
- Novak Djokovic has been nominated for the Laureus Award for his spectacular run in 2023.
- He is up against star athletes like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and others.
Novak Djokovic is one of the most prolific athletes in the world. Not only is Djokovic one of the greatest tennis players of all time, his influence transcends the boundaries of the court. The Serb enjoyed a remarkable season in 2023. Given all of his achievements in the past year, Novak is now a nominee for the prestigious Laureus Award.
The Laureus Awards recognize and honor athletes from the world of sports every year. There are seven main categories, and over 1,300 members of Laureus’ global media panel select the nominees. This year, Novak is up against athletes like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Max Verstappen, among others.
Messi won the award in 2023, following his triumph at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He is on the list again this year, given his exploits on the soccer pitch. Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis is also on the shortlist this year. The awards committee also recognized the contributions of Noah Lyles, the track and field star.
🎙️ The Nominees for the 2024 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award are:
🎾 @DjokerNole
🏃♂️ @mondohoss600
⚽️ @ErlingHaaland
👟 @LylesNoah
⚽️ #LeoMessi
🏎 @Max33Verstappen#Laureus24— Laureus (@LaureusSport) February 26, 2024
Novak’s nomination does not come as a surprise. He won three Grand Slams last year, equaling Margaret Court’s record of holding 24 major titles. Moreover, he also won four ATP titles, including the ATP Finals. He also recaptured the world No. 1 spot and has exceeded 400 weeks as the top-ranked player.
Tennis players have won the Laureus Award in the past, including Novak Djokovic. He won it four times: in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019. Djokovic has been nominated on three more occasions as well, even though he did not win. Even though he is up against heavyweights, can Novak win it once more?
Novak Djokovic speaks on his nomination for the Laureus Award
Djokovic enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2023. In addition to seven titles, Djokovic also won 56 matches and lost only seven. He was hungry to win Grand Slams and went past his rival Rafael Nadal, who has 22 major titles.
Following the announcement of the nominees, Novak took to social media to acknowledge them. He congratulated his fellow nominees, stating it was an “honor” to be nominated.
It’s an honor to be nominated for @LaureusSport 2024 World Sportsman of the Year 🙏
A special group to be a part of, congratulations to my fellow nominees @ErlingHaaland @mondohoss600 @LylesNoah @Max33Verstappen #LeoMessi #Laureus24 https://t.co/ctmhiJ4mAG
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) February 26, 2024
Novak Djokovic is currently in the US, hoping to add more silverware to his Masters 1000 collection. He was recently seen at Messi’s game with his son, Stefan. Novak will be competing at Indian Wells next.