MADRID, Spain -- Wimbledon and French Open champion Rafael Nadal won the prestigious Prince of Asturias sports award Wednesday, adding more glitter to his already incredible season on the tennis tour.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, who followed up his fourth straight French Open title with a win at the All England Club to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win those two majors back-to-back, recently took over the No. 1 ranking from 12-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.
"Rafael Nadal is an exemplary athlete," the Prince of Asturias jury said. "Both in victory and in the very few times in which he tastes defeat, he behaves like a great athlete."
The jury said Nadal always has a kind word for his opponents, and has created a charity foundation to help the poor.
The prize is the last of eight handed out each year by a foundation named for Spain's Crown Prince Felipe. Other categories include arts, science and communications. The sports award goes to a person, persons or organization deemed to have excelled in their field and worked to promote sports in general.
Besides his French Open and Wimbledon titles, Nadal won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. And in taking over the top ranking from Federer, Nadal ended the Swiss star's record 235-straight week stay at the top of the sport.
Nadal is currently playing at the U.S. Open, where he could win his third straight major title and sixth overall.
Other candidates for this year's Prince of Asturias sports award included American swimmer Michael Phelps, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and the Spanish national football team.
Previous winners have included German tennis great Steffi Graf, American cyclist Lance Armstrong and seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher.
