Carlos Alcaraz (left) prevailed against Jannik Sinner. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / SARAH STIER

Not Sinner: Alcaraz sweeps up award

Carlos Alcaraz has been sorely missed on the ATP Tour for three months. Now, however, the Spaniard has received a small consolation.

July 16, 2026

From: sn

Alcaraz is scheduled to make his comeback at the Masters in Cincinnati in a month's time to prepare for the US Open. It was also confirmed on Thursday that the man from Murcia is seeded for the tournament in Ohio. However, there are some doubters about his return in August. Now, the 23-year-old can at least look forward to a coveted prize.

After Alcaraz had already prevailed against Jannik Sinner at the Laureus Sports Awards, he repeated this feat at the ESPY Awards. This is an American sports award presented annually by the sports network ESPN. The ceremony took place in New York. A nomination committee of selected experts and journalists nominated three to five candidates in each category, who were then voted on online.

These are the remaining athletes

The Tennis Player of the Year award went to Alcaraz, who beat out Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. Basketball star Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) was chosen as the best male athlete, while A'ja Wilson (also basketball) was named best female athlete, beating out, among others, ski star Mikaela Shiffrin.

Other award winners included Lionel Messi as best football player and Lando Norris as racing driver of the year. Messi beat out PSG star Ousmane Dembélé, and Norris beat Kimi Antonelli. In ice hockey, Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) came out on top.