The most successful tennis player in history and the trend-setting freestyle skiing champion have been named the sports gala’s official moderators, marking the first time two active athletes will take the reins of the event.
In language, the superlative expresses the highest degree of a quality, and in this case it is an attribute shared by the two new presenters of the prestigious Laureus Awards, set to be staged in Madrid on Monday. Superlatives indeed highlight someone within a group by using ‘the most’ or ‘the best’, and both Eileen Gu and Novak Djokovic can boast of being just that.
The Chinese athlete born in the United States, for being the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history, and the Belgrade native, for being the most successful Grand Slam winner in tennis with 24 titles. Now they’ll be teaming up, in true ‘doubles’ form, but up on the stage to lead the proceedings and liven up the evening.
“To be part of the programme as a host, alongside Novak, someone whose career and achievements I have admired for so long, is a genuine honour”, reflected Gu, who was also named Action Sportsperson of the Year by the Laureus Foundation in 2023. The Laureus World Sports Awards, as she commented, are “incredibly special for athletes, because they celebrate our achievements in a unique way, through the respect and understanding of our peers, while inspiring millions of young sports fans around the world”.
Djokovic, a master of irony who has long cultivated humour and a sense of spectacle in all his professional endeavours, becomes the first male athlete to host the ceremony. The Serb is no stranger to these honours, having been a regular champion, including the World Sportsman of the Year award in 2024.
Widely regarded within the industry as “the greatest show in sport”, the event gathers the most distinguished figures from across disciplines. The setting could scarcely be more majestic: Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles, the emblematic square where Europe’s leading Champions League winner, Real Madrid, traditionally celebrates its football triumphs.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner will transpose their compelling tennis rivalry onto the stage itself, as both are nominated for Sportsman of the Year. They face stiff competition from reigning holder pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis (Sweden), motorcyclist Marc Marquez (Spain), cyclist Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia), and footballer Ousmane Dembele, (France).
In the Sportswoman of the Year category, home darling Aitana Bonmati, the decorated footballer, seeks to retain her crown, though she is challenged by a formidable Olympic cohort: Hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (US), swimmer Katie Ledecky (US), middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon (Kenya), and tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus).
Among the finalists for Team of the Year are football’s Paris Saint-Germain, the McLaren Formula One team, Europe’s Ryder Cup side and the India women’s cricket team. The Comeback of the Year category features, notably, Venezuelan triple jump world record-holder Yulimar Rojas, following her return to competition in 2025.
The red carpet in the heart of the Spanish capital is set to resemble a veritable constellation of sporting icons. Confirmed attendees already include gymnast Simone Biles, now a Laureus ambassador, alongside former athletes Nadia Comaneci (gymnastics), Boris Becker (tennis), Luis Figo, Cafu (football) and Giacomo Agostini (motorcycling).
Also expected are leading figures from the ‘king sport’ such as Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos, Raphael Varane, Andriy Shevchenko, Fabio Capello and Xavi Hernandez, as well as former tennis champion Garbine Muguruza and rising star Amanda Anisimova.