Tennis No. 1 Roger Federer was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the third year in a row at the 2007 awards ceremony in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday.

The 25-year-old Swiss became the first sportsman to receive the award on three successive occasions since it began in 2000.

He continued his domination of men's tennis in 2006 by winning three more Grand Slam titles with his victories at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

Russia's record-breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva won the award for World Sportswoman of the Year.

Isinbayeva, who broke her 20th pole vault world record when she set a new indoor mark of 4.93 meters in February, said she was delighted to be given recognition for her achievements after three nominations for the award.

"I've been so disappointed for the last two years because I was sure I would win, but this time I've done it," said the 24-year-old Olympic champion. "Winning it was always a dream of mine and now this dream has come true."

The Team of the Year award went to Italy for its World Cup soccer triumph.

American Serena Williams took the Comeback of the Year award, with the breakthrough award going to fellow tennis player Amelie Mauresmo after the Frenchwoman won her first two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

A 42-member panel of the Laureus World Sports Academy picked Federer for the top honor over a group of finalists that included world golf No. 1 Tiger Woods and former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher.

Other winners included German skier Martin Braxenthaler for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability and Kelly Slater of the United States for Action Sportsperson of the Year.

Also, Spanish soccer giant Barcelona won the Spirit of Sport award, and German legend Franz Beckenbauer won the Laureus Lifetime Achievement award.

Beckenbauer won the World Cup as a player and a coach, and was the president of Germany's World Cup Organizing Committee.

Briton Luke Dowdney was given the Sport for Good award for founding a boxing project for young people in Rio de Janeiro.

Editor: Donald