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Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena arrived for the Laureus Sports Award ceremony on Monday amid loud cheers from the fans waiting outside the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain.
For one of his most successful seasons in 2023, Djokovic won his fifth Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, equaling Roger Federer's record.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner wore a black tuxedo while his wife Jelena wore a black off-shoulder dress and used a milk-coloured shawl over it. When the World No. 1 stepped out of the car, he signed autographs for fans and took selfies with them before entering the venue.
The award honors the achievements of individuals in sports, and the Serbian legend was crowned champion for his remarkable accomplishments during the 2023 season. He won seven titles, including Grand Slams at the Australian Open, French Open, and the US Open.
The World No.1 was nominated alongside two-time winner Lionel Messi, Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis, Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, American sprinter Noah Lyles, and Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland.
Djokovic's arch-rival Rafael Nadal was also present at the award ceremony and received the Laureus Sport for Good Award on behalf of Fundación Rafa Nadal.
World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was also present and had the honor of presenting the Breakthrough of the Year award to Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham.
A look at Novak Djokovic's previous Laureus Sportsman of the Year awards
Before Monday, Novak Djokovic won the award on four occasions: in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
In 2012, the then 24-year-old star received the award after winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open in 2011 and winning his first 41 matches of the season. He was nominated alongside Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt, Sebastian Vettel, Dirk Nowitzki, and Cadel Evans.
In 2015, he won the award for the second time over stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewis Hamilton, Rory McIlroy, Renaud Lavillenie, and Marc Marquez. Djokovic won the Wimbledon Championships after defeating Roger Federer and reached the final of the French Open before losing to Rafael Nadal.
The following year, the Serb was nominated and faced stiff competition from Usain Bolt, Stephen Curry, Jordan Spieth, Lewis Hamilton, and Lionel Messi. However, he came out on top after reaching all four Grand Slam finals and winning three of them.
The fourth time he won the award was in 2019. The Serbian tennis icon won the Wimbledon Championships and the U.S. Open. The sports stars nominated alongside Djokovic were Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, Eliud Kipchoge, Kylian Mbappe, and Luka Modric.
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