Laureus World Sports Awards
Switzerland's Roger Federer poses with his Sportsman of the Year award during the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony at the Estoril Casino in Estoril, Portugal, on Monday night.
The world's top tennis player beat off, among others, Toue De France champion Lance Armstrong and FI ace Michael Schumacher to the World Sportsman of the Year title.
The year 2004 saw Federer become the dominant force in world tennis. He completed a most spectacular 12 months, becoming the first man since 1988 to win three out of four Grand Slam events in the same calendar year, winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. He also won Wimbledon in 2003, becoming the first Swiss to do so.
Now 24, Federer established himself as the sport's indisputable World No 1, winning 11 ATP titles in 2004, the best performance in almost 20 years.
Photographs: Getty Images
Next