Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic stole the show at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards, where the two athletes shared a warm embrace on the red carpet. The Laureus World Sports Awards, often dubbed the ‘Oscars of Sport’, were held at Palacio De Cibeles in Madrid, Spain on April 22.
The moment of their warm embrace was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, April 22. As Alcaraz was being interviewed on the red carpet, Djokovic approached and hugged him. They can also be seen playfully complimenting each other’s outfits.
Watch the video below:
This year, the 24-time Grand Slam champion won the Sportsperson of the Year award for a record-equalling fifth time (tying with Roger Federer), where his previous wins came in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
The Serb had a remarkable 2023 season, winning seven titles, including three Grand Slam trophies at the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. He also claimed two ATP Masters 1000 titles (Western & Southern Open and Paris Masters), an ATP 250 tournament (Adelaide International 1), and the ATP Finals.
On the other hand, Alcaraz, who won the Breakthrough of the Year award in 2023, had the honor of presenting this year’s award to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham. Alcaraz had a stellar 2023 season, where he successfully defended an ATP Masters 1000 title for the first time in Madrid, bringing his career total to four.
The 20-year-old’s season was capped off with a stunning victory over the Serb at the Wimbledon Championships, marking his second Grand Slam victory after the 2022 US Open.
The 2023 season also saw the duo face off four times, with the Serb winning three encounters (French Open semifinal, Cincinnati final, ATP Finals semifinal). Alcaraz’s lone win came in the Wimbledon Championships final.
Novak Djokovic withdraws from Madrid Open; Carlos Alcaraz prepares for 2R encounter
Novak Djokovic announced his decision to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open.
The 36-year-old won titles in Madrid in 2011, 2016, and 2019. His performance in Madrid has been consistently strong, with a win-loss record of 30-9. In his most recent trip to Madrid in 2022, Djokovic lost 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-7(5) to Alcaraz in the semifinals.
Alcaraz. on the other hand, is the second seed at the Madrid Open and will begin his campaign against either Arthur Rinderknech or Alexander Shevchenko in the second round.
Carlos Alcaraz is just the second man to win the Mutua Madrid Open, back-to-back years after Rafael Nadal, who won in 2013 and 2014.
