Tennis News: Novak Djokovic, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Coco Gauff

Novak Djokovic’s drive to win tennis tournaments is legendary. While the top-end of the best players ever all have supreme skills that few humans could ever have, even among the greatest Djokovic separates himself because of the mental strength and motivational power he possesses. But how does he feel about awards other than those he gets at the end of tournaments he wins?

How excited, for instance, will the Serb be if he wins the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year honor? Will Novak Djokovic say he has reached the pinnacle of his career? If I had to guess, I would think that theoretical outcome is unlikely. But there’s a chance.

That is because Djokovic has been nominated for the BBC award. Plus, you can vote on the award until 22:00 GMT on Tuesday, December 12 as long as you have a BBC account. The top-ranked ATP player will compete with gymnast Simone Biles, football/soccer player Aitana Bonmati, football/soccer star Erling Haaland, Rugby Union player Siya Kolisi, and Formula One racing driver Max Verstappen.

Djokovic gets nominated, Haddad Maia gets awarded, and Gauff gets rich

You can do this, tennis fans! Create a BBC account and vote for Novak Djokovic. After winning three more Grand Slams in 2023 plus taking the ATP Finals title for a record seventh time, and finishing the year No. 1 for a record eighth time, he deserves the honor.

In other cool news, current WTA No. 11 Beatriz Haddad Maia has been named GQ Brazil’s “Woman of the Year.” Haddad Maia became the first Brazilian woman in the Open era to make the top ten of the WTA rankings after she reached the semifinals of the French Open. That last bit was also a first for a Brazilian woman.

Haddad Maia finished the year strong by winning the Huafa Technology WTA Elite Trophy in late October. Maybe the 27-year-old is going to make a run at some Grand Slams in 2024.

In our last bit of news for Thursday, if you are looking for someone to buy you dinner, you might ask Coco Gauff. According to Sportico, Gauff finished 2023 as the top-paid female athlete on the planet. Gauff earned $22.7 million this year with $16 million coming through endorsement deals. (Iga Swiatek was the second-highest-paid woman.) Gauff’s money is pretty great for someone only 19 years old (or anyone really).