Melbourne, 14 November 2011 | tennis.com.au

Sam Stosur will have to upstage a cyclist an ironman and a horse among others if she’s to win the Sports Performer of the Year award at the fifth Sports Performer Awards. 

Vote for Sam to win the Sports Performer of the Year award

Stosur’s US Open Grand Slam triumph, which made her the first Australian woman to win a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley triumphed at Wimbledon in 1980, is one of eight nominees for the award.

Stosur is up against Ironman Craig Alexander, race horse Black Caviar, reigning Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, swimmer James Magnussen, cyclist Anna Meares, hurdler Sally Pearson and dual MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner.

It’s a formidable field.

This is the first time Stosur has been nominated for the award and comes on the back of the world No.6’s greatest career highlight to date.

Fans can vote for Stosur at the Sports Performer Awards website. Voting closes on 7 December 2011.