Tennis Player Novak Djokovic (R) and his girlfriend Jelena Ristic pose for photographs as they arrive for the Laureus World Sports Awards 2012 in central London. Reuters/Paul Hackett
"I dare to dream about becoming the best player. Now I have this special award and I think everything is possible," said Serbian tennis giant Novak Djokovic, who has been named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.
Champions League winners Barcelona were named Team of the year,
while Kenyan long-distance runner Vivian Cheruiyot took home the Sportswoman of the Year prize.
"Serbia is a small and beautiful country, but also very poor," he said emotionally after receiving the award here Monday.
"It has a lot of troubles and wars in the last 20 years." However, the man said he never lost his dream. "I hope each and everyone in the world could dream."
The Serbian, who for a long time was overshadowed by the glory of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, rose up in 2011 to win Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open Grand Slam titles.
He also grabbed the No.1 ranking from the tenacious Nadal. The first player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title, Djokovic, 24, is also the youngest player to edge into the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in the open era. When asked to choose between titles of French Open, the only Grand Slam title he lacked, and the Olympics, Djokovic didn't hide his ambition.
"Why not both," he said. "If I have a choice, then why not both." Steffi Graf secured the so-called 'Golden Slam' in the women's game in 1988 but remains the only person to do so. Djokovic said, "I have to stay optimistic. I have to believe in what I do and believe in my abilities and that I can win on all surfaces."