Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber have been named as co-hosts for the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards, set to accept place in Madrid on April 22, 2024. The announcement, confirmed by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, marks a continuation of tennis’s strong presence at the ceremony, with Djokovic becoming only the second tennis player in history to host the event after previously winning the Sportsman of the Year award five times.
Djokovic’s five Laureus wins — in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021 — tie him with Roger Federer for the most awards won by any athlete in the history of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Federer, who won his five awards between 2005 and 2008, remains the only other tennis player to achieve that feat. No other athlete has won more than four Laureus awards, making Djokovic and Federer the sole record-holders in the category.
The 2024 ceremony will be held at the WiZink Center in Madrid, Spain, a venue that has hosted major sporting and entertainment events including the 2018 Davis Cup Finals and numerous EuroLeague basketball games. The choice of Madrid reflects Laureus’s growing emphasis on global reach, following recent ceremonies in Berlin (2023), Seville (2022), and Monaco (2019–2021). The event will begin at 8:00 p.m. Local time (CEST), which corresponds to 6:00 p.m. UTC.
Angelique Kerber, the former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, brings her own distinguished career to the hosting role. Kerber won the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award in 2017 after her historic season that included victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, along with a silver medal at the Rio Olympics. Her experience as both a champion and a global ambassador for sport makes her a natural fit for the ceremony’s mission of celebrating athletic excellence and social impact.
“Having Novak and Angelique as our hosts is a powerful statement about the enduring influence of tennis on the global sports landscape,” said Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Awards. “Both have not only dominated their sport but have used their platforms to inspire change — Novak through his foundation’s operate in early childhood education and Angelique through her advocacy for gender equality and youth sports access. Their presence will elevate the evening’s message that sport can be a force for good.”
The Laureus World Sports Awards, established in 2000 by Richemont and Daimler, honor the greatest sporting achievements of the previous year while also recognizing individuals and organizations that use sport to drive social change. The awards are voted on by the Laureus World Sports Academy, a 68-member panel of living sporting legends appointed by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
For the 2024 awards, the voting period covered performances from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Nominees in the Sportsman of the Year category include Lionel Messi (for his World Cup-winning campaign with Argentina), Erling Haaland (for his Premier League and Champions League exploits with Manchester City), and Noah Lyles (for his triple gold medal haul at the 2023 World Athletics Championships). In the Sportswoman of the Year category, contenders include Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona and Spain’s World Cup-winning midfielder), Simone Biles (for her return to elite gymnastics), and Sha’Carri Richardson (for her dominant 2023 track season).
Djokovic’s 2023 season, while impacted by a shoulder injury that limited his tournament schedule, still included a historic 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open — his third of the year after winning the Australian Open and French Open. That achievement made him the first man in tennis history to win three Grand Slam titles in a single season since Rod Laver in 1969. Despite missing Wimbledon due to injury, his 2023 resume remained strong enough to keep him in contention for major individual honors.
Kerber, who retired from professional tennis in 2022 after a career that spanned nearly two decades, has remained active in sports advocacy since her retirement. She serves as an ambassador for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and has worked with organizations in Germany and internationally to promote access to sport for underprivileged youth. Her post-retirement focus on mentorship and community engagement aligns closely with Laureus’s core mission.
The hosting duo represents a symbolic passing of the torch in tennis, with Djokovic continuing to compete at the highest level while Kerber transitions into a leadership role off the court. Both athletes have been vocal about the importance of using athletic platforms for societal benefit — a principle that has guided Laureus since its inception.
In past ceremonies, tennis figures have played prominent roles beyond hosting. Federer presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 to Muhammad Ali’s legacy, while Serena Williams has been a frequent presenter and nominee, winning the Sportswoman of the Year award in 2003, 2010, and 2016. The sport’s consistent presence at Laureus reflects its global popularity and the high regard in which its athletes are held by their peers across disciplines.
The 2024 ceremony will also feature the inaugural Laureus Esports Award, recognizing excellence and positive impact in competitive gaming. This expansion underscores Laureus’s effort to remain relevant in evolving sports landscapes while maintaining its core focus on traditional athletic achievement and social responsibility.
Tickets for the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards are not available to the general public, as the event is an invitation-only gathering for athletes, Academy members, sponsors, and humanitarian partners. However, the ceremony will be broadcast live globally through Laureus’s official media partners, including ESPN, Olympic Channel, and various regional sports networks. A livestream will also be available on the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation’s website and YouTube channel, with commentary in multiple languages.
As the sports world turns its attention to Madrid in April, the pairing of Djokovic and Kerber as hosts offers a moment of reflection on tennis’s enduring legacy at the Laureus Awards. With Federer’s five wins serving as a benchmark, Djokovic’s pursuit of a sixth Laureus trophy — should he win Sportsman of the Year again — would set a latest standard for individual excellence in the awards’ history. For now, the focus remains on celebration: honoring the past year’s greatest sporting moments and the athletes who use their influence to make the world a better place.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the Laureus World Sports Awards is the live ceremony on April 22, 2024, at the WiZink Center in Madrid. Fans wishing to follow the event can tune in via official Laureus broadcast partners or the foundation’s digital platforms starting at 8:00 p.m. CEST / 6:00 p.m. UTC. Archysport will provide post-ceremony coverage, including winner announcements and reactions from the honorees.
What do you think about Djokovic and Kerber hosting the Laureus Awards? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this article with fellow sports fans who appreciate the intersection of athletic excellence and social impact.
