Established in 2000, the Laureus World Sports Award has honored the most prominent athletes in different categories, with some of the most established names fro the world of sport securing their names on the prominent list.
The Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year went to Tiger Woods in the first two editions, followed by Michael Schumacher and Lance Armstrong before Roger Federer took charge from 2005, rattling off four straight awards to write history.
Usain Bolt also secured four honors, together with Novak Djokovic who was the winner in 2019 following a stellar 2018 season that saw his return to the ATP throne. Rafael Nadal earned the Laureus in 2011 after lifting three Major crowns in 2010, having another chance to claim the honor for his 2019 performance, battling against Lewis Hamilton, Eliud Kipchoge, Marc Marquez, Lionel Messi and Tiger Woods.
In the end, Lewis Hamilton and Lionel Messi shared the award for the first time, finishing ahead of Rafa and preventing the third straight crown for tennis after it went to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the previous years.
Sidelined from the court since the US Open 2018 due to a knee injury, Rafa had to postpone the start of the last season a little bit, withdrawing from Brisbane and making a return at the Australian Open where he played on a high level again, reaching the final without losing a set before Novak Djokovic toppled him in straight sets.