Aryna Sabalenka gets "goosebumps" on glamorous night for tennis at Laureus World Sports Awards

Tennis was the winner on Monday night in Madrid—even outside of the confines of the Caja Mágica.

At the annual Laureus World Sports Awards, held in the Spanish capital to celebrate sporting excellence and inspire future greatness in the next generation of athletes, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka took home the top prizes of World Sportsman of the Year and World Sportswoman of the Year, respectively.

The celebration was co-hosted by five-time Sportsman of the Year Novak Djokovic and Olympic skiing sensation Eileen Gu, and the WTA's consensus top player said she had "goosebumps" knowing that her name would be among not just other tennis greats, but legends of sport overall, with her latest honor.

"When I see the list of winners from previous years, it makes me feel a little bit crazy to know that my name is going to be next to those legends, those athletes that I watched, I looked up to, but also, a little bit emotional ... and speechless right now. This is big," she said.

"In all the sports, there are so many great strong, powering, inspiring women who do incredible, inspiring things, and to receive this award means a lot."

Meanwhile, Alcaraz was named the World Sportsman of the Year for the first time, receiving his award from legendary football players Luis Figo and Iker Casillas. He beat out rival Jannik Sinner, also in attendance, for the honor among others.

Alcaraz, who won World Breakthrough of the Year in 2023 after becoming the youngest man to reach world No. 1 at 19 the prior season, thanked his great rival for pushing him to find a higher gear in 2025, allowing him to "follow in the footsteps of giants."

"Three years ago, I received the Laureus Breakthrough Award in Paris and met one of my heroes, Leo Messi, who won the Laureus Sportsman Award," he said. "At the time, I dreamt that maybe one day I would join the great Leo Messi on the Sportsman list, and today, I have. Messi, Federer, Djokovic, Usain Bolt, and of course the great Rafa Nadal. I am following in the footsteps of giants. That makes this moment so special.

"I truly understand why these Awards mean so much to the best athletes in the world. That includes all my fellow Laureus nominees—the greatest sportsmen in the world—but I especially would like to thank Jannik Sinner. If we hadn't been across the net from each other, pushing the other one so hard, I don't think either of us would have found the levels we did."

Alcaraz also gave an update on the wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from Madrid for the second year in a row, on the heels of tournament director Feliciano Lopez speculating to Spanish media what the injury means for Alcaraz's Roland Garros hopes.

“This happens for professional sportsmen,” Alcaraz said. “At the end of the day, you just have to stand up and try to be stronger than ever, and hopefully I'll be able to be on the field very soon."

“I'd rather come back a little later and with a full recovery. I need to take care of myself because I want to have a long career," he added.

Also in attendance for the glitzy evening were World Comeback of the Year nominee Amanda Anisimova, who lost out to Rory McIlroy, Alexandra Eala, Lorenzo Musetti and Jasmine Paolini. Joao Fonseca was also nominated for Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year, but lost out to British Formula One driver Lando Norris.