Diede de Groot has been named Laureus World Sportsperson with a Disability for the first time after being honoured alongside Novak Djokovic on Monday night at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid.

The 27-year-old world No. 1 becomes the second Dutch wheelchair tennis player to be named winner of the prestigious award after eight-time Paralympic medallist Esther Vergeer also won the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award in both 2002 and 2008 during her record-breaking career.

De Groot continues to set new records of her own and enjoyed another dominant year in 2023, becoming the first tennis player in any discipline to win three successive calendar Grand Slams.

2023 was also De Groot’s second full season unbeaten in singles competition. She remained undefeated in 53 singles matches during the year, stretching her winning streak to 127 matches.

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Still unbeaten since the start of the Australian Open in February 2021, she has currently stretched that winning streak to 142 matches.

De Groot completed 2023 by winning her sixth successive NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters title and as ITF World Champion for the fifth time, last season’s successes also including victory at the inaugural European Para Championships in Rotterdam.

While De Groot won the Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award for the first time, Djokovic was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the fifth time after winning three of the four majors in 2023.