London: “I dare to dream about becoming the best player. Now I have this special award and I think everything is possible,” said Serbian tennis giant Novak Djokovic, who has been named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.
Lionel Messi and Novak Djokovic were the two favourites for the 2012 Laureus Sportsman of the Year award, but in the end, it was the tennis star who was rewarded even as Barcelona captured the team prize.
The top-ranked Djokovic won sportsman of the year at the ceremony in London, one week after the Serbian triumphed at the Australian Open to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three Grand Slam titles in a row.
Barcelona was recognized as the best team after a stellar 2011 in which Pep Guardiola’s players won the Spanish league and Champions League.
Kenyan distance runner Vivian Cheruiyot, winner of the 5,000- and 10,000-meter titles at the world championships last year, took the sportswoman’s award.
Darren Clarke was honored with the comeback of the year award. The 43-year-old Northern Irishman won his first golf major by capturing the British Open at Royal St. George’s last year.
Compatriot Rory McIlroy won the breakthrough of the year award for the 22-year-old’s eight-shot win at the U.S. Open at Congressional, becoming the second-youngest player to win a major since 1934.
Bobby Charlton was given the lifetime achievement award 54 years to the day after surviving the Munich air disaster that killed eight members of his Manchester United team.
American surfing giant Kelly Slater equalled the record of Roger Federer to win his fourth Laureus Award, as the Action Sportsperson of the year.
In other categories, South Africa’s “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius snatched the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability.
Djokovic said, “Serbia is a small and beautiful country, but also very poor,” he said emotionally after receiving the award here Monday. “It has a lot of troubles and wars in the last 20 years.” However, the man said he never lost his dream. “I hope each and every one in the world could dream.”
The Serbian, who for a long time was overshadowed by the glory of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, rose up in 2011 to win Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open Grand Slam titles. He also grabbed the No.1 ranking from the tenacious Nadal. The first player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title, Djokovic, 24, is also the youngest player to edge into the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in the open era.
Although his dominant performance dropped a little bit at the end of this season, Djokovic still proved his reign with a season 70-6 record.
Legendary tennis player Pete Sampras described his season as “the best I have seen in my lifetime”.
When asked to choose between titles of French Open, the only Grand Slam title he lacked, and the Olympics, Djokovic didn’t hide his ambition.
“Why not both,” he said. “If I have a choice, then why not both.”
“Everything is possible,” he said. “I am learning how to make the right schedule and how to prepare for big events. I will try to set up my form.” (Agencies)