Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic are in line for nomination for a prestigious Laureus World Sports award, the premier honor in international sport. They are both tipped to be nominated in the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year category. Ana won her first Grand Slam, a success which lifted her to the World No 1 ranking, a position she held for nine consecutive weeks. Novak, like Ana, won his first ever Grand Slam in 2008, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Australian Open. He became the first player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title. He also won the bronze medal in the Olympics in August.

There will be six nominees named in the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year category after a vote by the world's media and there are many strong candidates after a thrilling year of sport. The names of the Nominees, and the venue and date of the 2009 Laureus World Sports Awards, will be announced on 16 April.

There is a two-part voting process to find the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Firstly, a Selection Panel of the world’s leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters from over 120 countries votes to create a shortlist of six nominations in various categories, including Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Laureus World Team of the Year, Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year and Laureus World Comeback of the Year.


The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy then vote by secret ballot to select the Award winners. The Laureus Academy is the "ultimate sports jury", made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, who have made an outstanding contribution to world sport.

The tenth Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the calendar year 2008, are expected to be attended by some of the biggest names in sport, politics and entertainment. The 2008 Awards Ceremony in St.Petersburg, held in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was attended by the likes of Cuba Gooding Jnr., England football coach Fabio Capello and four-time World Sportsman of the Year Roger Federer.

If she is nominated, Ana can expect to face stiff competition from British swimmer Rebecca Adlington, who won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics and broke a world record.

For more information see: www.laureus.com.


(via laureus.com, photo/AP Photo, Getty Images)

Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic in Line For Nomination For Laureus Breakthrough Award