As if tennis superstar Rafael Nadal didn't have enough victories on the belt, he's just been named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.

Rafael Nadal Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

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Nadal might not be what he once was, but it's impossible to stay in your peak for eternity. At some point or another, the best athletes of any era are going to start slipping. Even with that being the case, relative to the overall sport, he remains one of tennis' best players.

“I want to say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart to the Laureus Academy. I have had some amazing competitors [and] the rest of the sportsmen probably deserve the trophy the same as me. But this was the year for me and I can’t be happier. Winning the French Open and equalling the 20th Grand Slam of Roger Federer has been an unforgettable moment. It means a lot to equal my great rival, but at the same time, my great friend. It’s something very special after all the history we have had together on and off-court.”

Rafael Nadal did have a pretty exceptional 2020, even if it feels like the opposite. With his victory at the 2020 French Open, the new Laureus World Sportsman of the Year winner put his career Grand Slam record at a nice even 20.