Novak Djokovic Wins Laureus World Sportsman Of The Year Award [Video]

Congrats to Nole! Great achievement and good for the publicizing of tennis once again – I think both Rafa and Roger held this award too.

It’d be nice to hear a video without the “voice-over.” I can’t hear a word of what Nole, himself, is saying.

February 6th, 2012 at 7:11 pm

Congrats Novak!

February 6th, 2012 at 7:20 pm

he definitely deserve it. Congrats Nole

February 6th, 2012 at 7:36 pm

Jane, very nice speech, Beckers too, I hope you will have a chane to hear it in English.
Congrats Nole

February 6th, 2012 at 8:04 pm

Jane, btw I think Federer won it 3-4 times !

February 6th, 2012 at 8:08 pm

Yrs definitely looking forward to the all English version!
Congrats to novak and team, tremendous year, tremendous honor.
Novak is really wearing the #1 well on all accounts!

February 6th, 2012 at 8:23 pm

Heartiest congratulations to Novak !! You certainly deserve this coveted Award more than anybody else and what an amazing year you had in 2011 and happy to note that it is still continuing. To win three majors and to beat Nadal in six consecutive finals and that too twice on Clay (straight sets) is a stellar achievement which has no parallel. I do not think Novak will rest on this laurels and he has big ambitions may be even overhaul Roger, who knows. With luck on his side, he can definitely threaten Roger’s feat, but that will depend on the kind of result he is able to reach in the next two years. All in all, Novak has proved that he is a Champion and he rightly deserves every bit of adolation he receives.

February 6th, 2012 at 11:20 pm

This is one of the most deserving recognitions of what Nole has done in the field of sports! The year that Novak had defies belief.
One of the most deserving winners of the Laureus World Sports Award in years!

AJDE NOVAK DJOKOVIC!!!
CONGRATS FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT!
YOU DESERVE THE LAUREUS AWARD CHAMPION! :D

February 7th, 2012 at 2:04 am

Well done Nole. What a spectacular year he’s had! Well deserved recognition :)

February 7th, 2012 at 2:19 am

Here’s the english version of the post-award press conference..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/9065614/Novak-Djokovic-winning-Laureus-sportsman-of-the-year-is-a-spectacular-feeling.html

February 7th, 2012 at 3:26 am

Nice to see Novak getting some world-wide recognition, but this award in essence is a disgrace to other sports (& their elite protagonists). I mean, did Evans (first Australian ever to win the TDF) deserve that trophy? I bet he did. Same with Nowitzki: his long yearned dream of winning the NBA finally came true last year + he got the MVP in play-offs. And the list goes on… But at least Novak had a nice chat with Boris & got the chance to shake his hands with the “pugilist specialist”, LOL :-)

February 7th, 2012 at 5:52 am

Wow amazing! But it should really be called Tennis Sportsperson of the year. One award for all sports? Nah.

February 7th, 2012 at 7:04 am

This is the answer to the “Who’s got the funk” – under number 1 – question.

Proud of you for life!

Your fans.

February 7th, 2012 at 7:24 am

Same with Nowitzki: his long yearned dream of winning the NBA finally came true last year + he got the MVP in play-offs
—
Atleast the Egg Lover dominated a global sport competition. Nowitzki won the US national basketball championship. If he comes to play in Europe, he will have his head handed over to him. Just like the Magic US basketball team.

February 7th, 2012 at 9:41 am

Congratulations to Novak. I think this will motivate him even more. He always dreamed of being the best in his sport. He does not just dream, he works very hard to achieve that dream.

Sportman of the year award favors individual sports like tennis, golf, track and field, etc because the athlete does it on his own. Athletes from team sports, no matter how great they are (like Nowitzki)need the rest of his team to win. So it may be difficult to single them out to win awards like this.

February 7th, 2012 at 10:09 am

yeah congrats nole on his award especially after the year he had last year,however the true test lies now and hopefully he will be able to build on that,the seasons still young but the ao was a brilliant start to the year.

February 7th, 2012 at 12:09 pm

Nice that the Laureus awards appreciate amazing achievements in tennis, unlike a certain U.S. magazine…

February 7th, 2012 at 1:31 pm

Look the caught Rafa Nadal
http://www.marca.com/2012/02/07/tenis/1328622257.html

February 7th, 2012 at 1:44 pm

^Hilarious!

February 7th, 2012 at 1:53 pm

sorry i was not sure which thread to post this on,but i just wanted to say congrats to britains anne keothavong on a fantastic win over cibulkova,6 4,6 1,congrats anne.

February 7th, 2012 at 2:35 pm

There are a lot of articles about the ferocious intensity of the AO final, and some authors are full of suspicions.

I would like to clarify some things.

The level of physicality, in my humble view, didn’t change much in the last… let’s say, 7 to 10 years.

Let’s review some numbers. In the fifth set of the AO final, Channel 7 displayed a statistic showing that it took Rafa 33 seconds to serve in average, and Novak 30 seconds, from the beginning of the match. Roger Federer usually needs from 15 to 18 seconds to serve. There were 369 points, and they had to serve a second serve 134 times. The difference with a match with two faster players, like Federer, is at least 95 minutes just for the serve (it is probably more, since both use to take a lot of time for the second serve, I added 5 seconds there).

How many time did they spend just serving? About 220 minutes. What about the time between the changeovers and between the sets: 52 minutes (and a bit more). Challenging? 5 minutes at least. What have we left then: 1 hour and 15 minutes. That’s how long they played.

It is very much, I agree, but it is far from impossible.

I rewatched most of the Rome 2006 final, yesterday. Federer was able to play and run in the same measure. And I would like to see the complete stats of some matches from the eighties and nineties: maybe we would all be shocked.

All those sudden concerns are mere hypocrisy.

February 7th, 2012 at 4:34 pm

The level of physicality, in my humble view, didn’t change much in the last
—
Dear Sir,

Humble is protected by trademark. Please refrain from use of our esteemed trademark.

Thank You
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February 7th, 2012 at 4:44 pm

Nice post mat4. Maybe their grunting makes it seem more “physical” too? ;) Just kidding, I think?

Thanks for posting that marko, but I am still hoping to see Nole’s acceptance speech without voice-over.

February 7th, 2012 at 5:20 pm

Jane, if you go on Nole’s site you can read his speech in English. Most of it.

Tennis-x : can you find some newer Nole’s picture, PLEASE !

February 7th, 2012 at 5:39 pm

@jane:

They look scary too.

@Humble:

I humbly apologise.

February 7th, 2012 at 5:45 pm

@mat4

Agree that the actual playing time was tremendously skewed by the fact of there taking so much time in between actual play. I am glad I missed the first 2 sets, can’t watch anything that long.

However, I would have to go find this again but there was some stat out the how many miles they both actually ran, something like a marathon or 2 each. That is some knarly stuff. Fact is they both had a hard time standing up after;).

February 7th, 2012 at 5:45 pm

^even more amazing the new “King of Tennis” played a tough 5 setter before this match beating Murray 7-5 in the 5th. He is a freak! ( this is a good word )

February 7th, 2012 at 5:48 pm

@skeezer:

You maybe could have misread such a stat. They played 369 points, and the average rally was 5,3 shots. Let’s say they ran from one part of the court to the other between two shots, it would have been 11 miles. I think it was less.

February 7th, 2012 at 5:53 pm

@mat4

Errr… ok. It was on Live TV at the start of the 5th set, by one of the stat people supporting the commentators….and the commentator brought up the stat. Of course I don’t necessarily believe everything but this is what they said :)

Another poster commented on it and saw it also on the Tele. At the start of the 5th, Novak was at 15 and rafa at 14(miles ran)

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?p=11702774

But…Nah never mind contesting your stats doesn’t matter. I’ll trust yours, and leave it at that, respectfully :) Like I said It doesn’t take a scientist to watch and know they ran there asses off to the point they had a hard time standing up during the trophy ceremony :)

February 7th, 2012 at 7:22 pm

How much do players run in the average 5 set match I wonder? A comparison would be helpful in this case.

Also, certainly slower court speeds are at issue here, as well as the fact that neither Nole nor Rafa can rely on their serves for a lot of free points. Occasionally both can and have but not in that match.

Weirdly one could argue that Nole’s long match with Murray may be why the final went on so long. Though Rafa, of course, had a lot to do with that too. But what I mean to say is that Nole came out somewhat scrappy and didn’t really find his form until the second set. He seemed to always be teetering on tiredness throughout. Even when he could have (should have?) finished it in the fourth, even discounting the triple bps, at 0-40, which Rafa saved, Nole made tired errors in the tiebreak and kind of blew it. He was so tired in the 5th, and looked out of it when he was broken and then Rafa’s backhand maybe brought out his will, and another serge of adrenalin. So the match’s momentum swings, perhaps due in part to fatigue, also pushed it further. As did taking time between points. As did slower court speed. As did the lack of winners on serves. Etc.

A myriad of factors made this match as long as it was, that’s all. Not just one of them.

February 7th, 2012 at 8:02 pm

Wog Boy, yes I saw that, but I still was hoping to see it in video form. No luck. Foxsport has a video but it’s “not available in my area”. Dang.

Also there’s a video at Eurosport in which Becker suggests Nole could win 4 slams, but again, it is “not available” to me (sheesh – you’d think Canada was some back woods in terms of media coverage!). So if anyone has watched that video, I’d be curious to know what Becker says.

February 7th, 2012 at 8:05 pm

@Jane @mat4 @skeezer:

I posted on a wrong thread ( Federer in Davis Cup ….) about findigs how much final took out of Nole’s and Rafas body and mind. It was done by university professors and other related specialist. Don’t lough but I don’t know how to tansfer it on this thread and the kids are asking to much money to do that for me and I am not paying it :-)

February 7th, 2012 at 8:45 pm

According to my trainer (an x footballer) tennis is a sport for male athletes that are not good enough to play football or basketball. Totally disagree and maybe that view is why us tennis is where it is today.

February 7th, 2012 at 9:16 pm

[…] After claiming his first Laureus award, Novak Djokovic is still hungry for more acclaim. The World No. 1 has his sights firmly set on winning more. […]

February 7th, 2012 at 10:04 pm

@jane:

Nole was stiff in the beginning of the match, and he didn’t have the consistency necessary to beat Rafa the way he usually does.

@skeezer:

I don’t know where they find those numbers. I assumed a maximal distance between two shots: 9 m, and when we had stats for a rally on Channel 7, it was in average much less. They certainly added their walking between the points, but 15 miles? looks a bit too much.

But tennis is an extremely physical sport. It always has been that way.

February 8th, 2012 at 4:16 am

@Wog Boy:

I am an university teacher. Science is most of the time overrated.

February 8th, 2012 at 4:18 am

mat4:

Do you have always to be right, OK tell me now what drink to by and to pass to your friend in Melbourne,I don,t have to wait for FO, you will probably be right again ;(

Even better come overhere and we will drink it together, I’ll do “meze”.

Polo, same for you.

February 8th, 2012 at 5:08 am

mat4 please,I like your posts but really I think this time it is to much.What would be if it was Federer ,what would be if that was X and Y….
Who know what would be,do you really know? One thing for sure all people could see there were Nole and Nadal.They play as they did ,You could like it or not,but please do not take joy from us by ,,what would be if,if,if….

February 8th, 2012 at 5:20 am

@bojana:

Sorry, you didn’t grasp my point. It is in the first post. The obvious implication is that they are doping, and I am just trying to show that they may not be.

February 8th, 2012 at 5:57 am

@Wog Boy:

I don’t have to be right. My wife is always right ;-) (are my posts just a way to compensate… what an awful thought…)

But I watched tennis for years, and to be certain, I rewatched some matches played on clay. It is clear that Rafa’s speed is exceptional, but there is not much new in the equation. Why are we talking that much about it now?

Every top player has a hyperbarric chamber. Their nutrition is controlled. Their preparation is a science now. Why should playing 1 hour and 15 be so much?

February 8th, 2012 at 7:06 am

Congrats, Nole!

February 8th, 2012 at 11:28 am

So happy to see Nole getting all the recognition and idolation that he deserves for he continues to dazzle us all with his amazing performances. I see him winning the career slam, I’m convinced of it. No easy task, I know, but he’s got his mind set to it and he has proved that he’s up for any challenge! Golden Era!

February 11th, 2012 at 2:26 am

Nina:

According to the psychic, Nole won’t win RG this year.

Sorry, babe.

February 11th, 2012 at 10:53 am

Congratulations Novak,

WELL DESERVED WIN…………keep up the great work, and go and win more Grand slams.

Ponos Srbije,

February 14th, 2012 at 11:00 am