Two former US Open champions and an all-time legend of the sport have been honored in this year's Laureus World Sports Awards.
Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka were named the 2021 Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, respectively, on Thursday for their sporting achievements last year. In 2020, each player added another Grand Slam title to their career resumes: Nadal won a 13th French Open title, tying Roger Federer's mark of 20 Grand Slams overall, while Osaka won her second US Open title in the last three years.
The pair had their awards presented during a virtual celebration by Laureus.
"I've watched so many of my role models win this award growing up, so it definitely means a lot to now be holding it," Osaka said in a video message accepting her award.
"Looking ahead, my main hopes for the future would be to have helped or impacted as many people as I could. If you have a platform, I think it's very important to use it."
Nadal joins Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic and Kelly Slater as male athletes to win the award four times.
"I had some amazing competitors next to me and I want to congratulate the rest of the sportsmen that deserve the trophy the same as me," Nadal said.
"For me, personally, of course, achieving the 13th Roland Garros and equalling the 20th Grand Slam of Roger Federer has been an unforgettable moment for me. It means a lot to me to equal my great rival, but at the same time, my great friend."
In addition, the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the legendary Billie Jean King in the virtual gala by another all-time great: Martina Navratilova.
King led the trailblazing Original 9 in the establishment of women's professional tennis, and the group celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.
"The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award isn't only given to athletes who are undoubtedly great," Navratilova said. "This award is given to those who have managed to maintain that greatness over an entire career and beyond, and who have maintained that greatness on the track, field, court or pitch and applied it to a life supporting others. Laureus is proud to present [this] award to the one-and-only Billie Jean King."
Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open men's champion, and Iga Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, were nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year, which was given to Patrick Mahomes of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.
