PARIS (AFP) - Tennis champions Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have been named as sportsman and sportswoman of the year by French sports daily L'Equipe.

The Spaniard returned from seven months on the injury sidelines to win the French Open, US Open and five Masters Series titles as he returned to the world No.1 spot.

The American produced one of the finest years of her career at 32, winning her second French Open as well as the US Open to take her haul of Grand Slam titles to 17.

Nadal said that while he was delighted to have won the newspaper's award for the second time in his career, he would personally have voted for Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, who won the drivers' title for the fourth straight year.

On the national scale, L'Equipe chose Wimbledon winner Marion Bartoli as its sportswoman of the year, with the men's award going to basketball star Tony Parker, who led France to the European title.