Members of the Yuwa Football Girls team, a football-based charity from India hold their trophy after winning of the Laureus Good For Sport Award at the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco. (Image: AP)<doc-sep>Last updated on .From the section Sport Simone Biles was not present at the ceremony as she is hosting a gymnastics event in Houston Gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Novak Djokovic won the top prizes at the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards. American Biles, 21, was named Sportswoman of the Year after winning four gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the 2018 World Championships. Serb Djokovic, 31, won the Sportsman of the Year award after claiming victory at both the US Open and Wimbledon. Golfer Tiger Woods won the Comeback award, while tennis player Naomi Osaka won Breakthrough of the Year. America's 14-time major winner Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship by two shots to record his first win in five years following spinal fusion surgery. Japan's Osaka won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, then won the Australian Open last month. Elsewhere, Slovakian skier Henrieta Farkasova and guide Natalia Subrtova won the Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award after winning four gold medals at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. Football World Cup winners France won Team of the Year, and Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge took the Exceptional Achievement Award after taking 78 seconds off the world marathon record with his victory in Berlin. American snowboarder Chloe Kim was given the Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and American skier Lindsey Vonn won the Spirit of Sport Award.<doc-sep>World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic crowned a winning return to the courts after surgery with the Laureus sportsman of the year award on Monday, while American gymnast Simone Biles won the sportswoman of the year prize. World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic crowned a winning return to the courts after surgery with the Laureus sportsman of the year award on Monday, while American gymnast Simone Biles won the sportswoman of the year prize. Serbian Djokovic, who 12 months ago had elbow surgery, won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2018, before lifting this year's Australian Open crown, to add to his tally of Grand Slam singles titles and reclaim top spot in the rankings. With his record seventh crown at Melbourne Park, Djokovic moved ahead of Pete Sampras into third on the men's all-time list of Grand Slam title winners (15), just two behind Rafa Nadal. Roger Federer is still out in front with 20. Multiple Olympic champion Biles in November became the all-time leading world gymnastics championship gold medal winner with a record 14 golds. With 20 overall medals at the worlds, Biles, who has also won four Olympic golds, tied Russia's Svetlana Khorkina for the most by a female gymnast in world championships competition. Her all-around world title was her fourth, also a record. Yuwa, a Jharkhand-based NGO which works for girl empowerment won the Laureus Sport for Good Award, becoming the third Indian entry to bag the honour. Neeta Kumari, Hema Kumari, Konika Kumari, and Radha Kumari where there to receive the award. The NGO, founded by Americans Franz Gastler and Rose Thomson Gastler in 2009, runs a football program in rural Jharkhand covering 450 girls. India bagged this award fifteen years after the cricket teams of India and Pakistan won it for spreading the message of peace through sport and four years after Red Bus bagged it. “The award came as a surprise. In December we were told about it. That the academy members wanted to recognise the work we were doing is incredible,” said Franz Gastler, founder of Yuwa. The girls played some street football in Monaco and Brazilian World Cup-winning captain Cafu, Wenger and Becker tried matching their skills. Arsene Wenger also praised and girls saying, “At least they were trying to play as a team. In football, 11 selfish people play together. The girls were good technically. The 21st century will be for women only and this is the right way”. The comeback of the year award was handed to U.S. golfer Tiger Woods, who silenced even his harshest critics when he earned what some consider to be one of the greatest victories of his career at last year's Tour Championship season finale. Woods, who collected the last of his 14 majors at the 2008 U.S. Open, has had plenty of health-related setbacks, having to endure several knee and back surgeries, and his career seemed to be nearing its end in 2017. Japan's world number one women's tennis player Naomi Osaka, who lifted her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open last year and went on to claim the 2019 Australian Open, won the breakthrough of the year award. (Inputs from Reuters)<doc-sep>Advertisement Tennis star Naomi Osaka and skier Lindsey Vonn were among the athletes honoured at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, while Novak Djokovic claimed the prestigious Sportsman of the Year Award and Simone Biles was named Sportswoman of the Year. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge picked up the Achievement award at the star-studded bash. Osaka earned the Breakthrough Award, while Vonn picked up the Spirit of Sport Award at the Sporting Monte-Carlo complex. Didier Deschamps alongside France coaches Franck Raviot (left) and Guy Stephanon (right) after winning Team of the Year Laureus World Sportsman of The Year 2019 winner Novak Djokovic and Laureus Academy Member Boris Becker pose Recently retired American skier Lindsey Vonn and US Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin stunned on the red carpet Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger attended the gala and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award World No 1 Djokovic earned the Sportsman of the Year after a stunning return to the top of tennis in 2018 The ceremony celebrated the outstanding sporting achievements of the past year, with categories including Sportsman, Sportswoman, Team, Breakthrough, Comeback, Action and Sporting Moment. There were six superstars nominated for the Sportsman category, including World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, Ballon D'or winner Luka Modric and Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, as well as eventual winner Djokovic. Completing the list were London Marathon winner Eliud Kipchoge and NBA superstar LeBron James. Gymnast Biles, tennis stars Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber, skiiers Esther Ledecka and Mikaela Shiffrin and Ironman triathlete Daniela Ryf were up for the Sportswoman trophy that Biles claimed. The Team award was contested between NBA team Golden State Warriors, the European Ryder Cup team, the World Cup-winning France side, the Mercedes F1 team, Norway's Winter Olympic team and Real Madrid, who lifted a third consecutive Champions League title in May. The French team, coached by Didier Deschamps, won the category. Vonn, who recently retired from skiing, was handed the Spirit of Sport Award in the early stages of the night Former Springbok wing Bryan Habana, accompanied by wife Janine Vijoen, remains his country's all-time top try scorer Laureus ambassador Luis Figo and wife Helen Svedin looked sharp as they walked the red carpet in Monaco Spaniard Cesc Fabregas, with Daniella Semaan, now plays for Monaco in Ligue 1 after leaving Chelsea in January Xia Boyu, a double amputee who climbed Mount Everest, poses with his Laureus Award for Sporting Moment of the Year AWARD WINNERS SPORTSMAN: Novak Djokovic SPORTSWOMAN: Simone Biles BREAKTHROUGH: Naomi Osaka ACHIEVEMENT: Eliud Kipchoge SPIRIT OF SPORT: Lindsey Vonn ACTION: Chloe Kim DISABILITY: Henrieta Farkasova TEAM: France SPORTING MOMENT: Xia Boyu COMEBACK: Tiger Woods LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Arsene Wenger GOOD FOR SPORT: Yuwa Football Girls Advertisement Osaka won the Breakthrough Award, ahead of Ana Carrasco, Sofia Goggia, Jakob Ingebritsen, Geraint Thomas and Bianca Williams. This was handed to an athlete whose performances have hinted at a bright future in their sport. Lindsey Vonn was given the Spirit of Sport having recently announced her retirement from skiing. Woods was the winner in the Comeback category, in which Winter Olympians Yuzuru Hanyu, Mark McMorris, Bibioan Mentel-Spee, Vonn and Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat were also nominated Henrieta Farkasova triumphed ahead of Diede De Groot, Brian McKeever, Oksana Masters, Grigorios Polychronidis and Markus Rehm for the Disability award, presented to the athlete who shows excellent achievement in their Paralympic sport. In the Action category, surfers Maya Gabeira, Gabriel Medina and Stephanie Gilmore went up against snowboarders Shaun White, Anna Gasser and Chloe Kim for the award that recognises an athlete who has pushed the limit of their discipline. Youngster Kim, just 18, went home with the trophy. The Yuwa Football Girls team, a football-based charity from India, were winners of the Laureus Good For Sport Award Djokovic and wife Jelena paused to pose alongside a replica trophy with the tennis star winning the Sportsman category Former Formula One driver Nico Rosberg and wife Vivian Sibold were in attendance at the glamorous ball Alongside sporting stars, there was also royalty present at the awards night in the shape of Prince Albert II of Monaco<doc-sep>
Novak Djokovic made a successful comeback from elbow surgery to win two grand slam titles in 2018. (Source: Reuters) Novak Djokovic made a successful comeback from elbow surgery to win two grand slam titles in 2018. (Source: Reuters) World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic and American gymnast Simone Biles were the top winners at the Laureus Sports Awards in Monaco on Monday night (February 18). Djokovic made a winning return to courts after recovering from a surgery won two majors in 2018 – Wimbledon and US Open – before continuing his form to lift the Australian Open in January. With his record seventh title at Melbourne Park, Djokovic moved ahead of Pete Sampras into third on the men’s all-time list of Grand Slam winners (15), just two behind Spaniard Rafa Nadal. Swiss Roger Federer continues to lead with 20. A night to remember! Congrats to my love and all of the nominees and winners. What a way to celebrate the diversity, joy, and power of sport to break down barriers and change the world for better. Sport for good, always 🙏🥳🎾❤️🌟 @djokernole @LaureusSport #Laureus19 pic.twitter.com/jiVMURPCvE — Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovic) February 18, 2019 “I did think about leaving tennis,” Djokovic said on Monday. “I did not find myself in a good balance. It took me several months to find that purpose and meaning again. This award reflects and symbolises this journey. Reflecting on the journey it seems like a fairytale story.” Multiple Olympic champion Biles became the all-time leading world gymnastics championship gold medal winner with a record 14 golds. With a combined 20 medals at the worlds, Biles, who has also won four Olympic golds, tied Russia’s Svetlana Khorkina for the most by a female gymnast in world championships. Her all-around world title was her fourth, also a record. WHAT A SPECIAL MOMENT! “Thank you all so much, I’m going to miss it.” An emotional @lindseyvonn receives a standing ovation as she deservedly picks up the #Laureus19 Spirit of Sport award. pic.twitter.com/l4UlG939zi — #Laureus19 (@LaureusSport) February 18, 2019 The Comeback of the Year award went to US golfer Tiger Woods who shut even his harshest critics when he earned what some consider to be one of the greatest victories of his career at last year’s Tour Championship season finale. Woods, who collected the last of his 14 majors at the 2008 US Open, has had plenty of health-related setbacks, having to endure several knee and back surgeries, and his career seemed to be headed for a close in 2017. Japan’s world number one female tennis player Naomi Osaka, who lifted her first Grand Slam title at US Open last year, and went on to claim the 2019 Australian Open, won the Breakthrough of the Year award. Linsey Vonn, who retired during the recent Alpine skiing world championships , took home the Spirit of Sport Award, given to an athlete for relentless dedication to his or her career, and France football team was honoured for winning the World Cup in July. Laureus Sports Award winners Sportsman of the Year: Novak Djokovic (Tennis) Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles (Gymnast) Comeback of the Year: Tiger Woods (Golf) Breakthrough of the Year: Naomi Osaka (Tennis) Sportsperson of the Year with disability: Henrieta Farkkasova (Skiing) Action Sportsperson of the Year: Chloe Kim (Snowboarding) Team of the Year: France football team Laureus Sporting Moment of the Year: Xia Boyu Exceptional Achievement Award: Eliud Kipchoge (Athletics) Lifetime Achievement Award: Arsene Wenger (Football) Spirit for Sport Award: Lindsey Vonn (Alpine Skiing) Sport for Good Award: Yuwa (Women’s football in Jharkhand)