Carlos Alcaraz edges Jannik Sinner for Laureus Award, avoids French Open confirmation: 'Next scan will...'

Carlos Alcaraz scored a major win over his closest competitor, Jannik Sinner, on Monday as he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 2026 at a mega event in Madrid, with Novak Djokovic hosting the prestigious award show. Alcaraz left behind Sinner, Tadej Pogacar, Ousmane Dembele, Armand Duplantis and Marc Marquez to win his first Laureus award.

Alcaraz is not the first men's tennis player to win the award. Before Alcaraz, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic have won it on multiple occasions.

Alcaraz: 'I want to thank my family and team'

The Spaniard won the award after winning two Grand Slams last year and finishing as the No 1. “Winning two Grand Slams and finishing the year as the world No 1 is something I dreamt about since I was a little kid,” Alcaraz said while accepting the award.

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“When I look back, I do not only think about the trophies and the results but also the journey, the work, the difficult moments, the people who stayed by my side and everything I learned.

“I want to thank my family and team. I’m lucky to have them here from the bottom of my heart. They are with me through the good moments and especially the tough ones.

“They help me to grow as a player and as a person. This award belongs to them too.”

Alcaraz also began 2026 with a victory at the Australian Open, but he was recently forced to pull out of the Madrid Open after experiencing wrist pain at the Barcelona Open.

Will Alcaraz miss French Open?

There are fears that he may miss the French Open that starts on 18 May, and Alcaraz refused to confirm anything.

“We will see,” Alcaraz said while talking about the possibility of play at Roland Garros.

“The next scan will be decisive, so we are doing everything possible to ensure everything goes well. I am trying to be patient.

“We will see in a few days the state of the injury and the next steps. For now, I am trying to stay positive and keep my spirits up even though the days feel long.”