Carlos Alcaraz crowned winner of 2023 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award with mixed reaction from tennis fans

Carlos Alcaraz as expected was crowned the 2023 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award winner. The award recognises fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court, but in particular fans of Novak Djokovic have been left baffled about the Spaniard receiving the award.

Alcaraz won Newcomer of the Year previously in 2020 and Most Improved in 2022 and the 20-year-old now has a trio of awards and becomes the fourth Spaniard to win this award alongside Jose Higueras, Alex Corretja twice and Rafael Nadal five times.

Relevant Tennis

@RelevantTennis

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Carlos Alcaraz just won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, after being voted by his colleagues. 🇪🇸👏

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"I’m so happy to win the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award," said Alcaraz. "I’m especially happy that it’s an award chosen by my colleagues on the circuit. It means a lot to me, so thank you all very much." 

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The ATP in their piece used some examples such as sending get-well-soon messages to injured opponents, sharing his umbrella with ballkids during a prolonged rain delay and helping Fabio Fognini after an injury in Rio earlier this season. Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz, and Jannik Sinner were also nominated, but Djokovic wasn't even considered.

Djokovic fans in particular left miffed

Djokovic fans noted incidents of him smashing his hand in anger and cutting it, throwing and smashing his racquet, and videoing Djokovic's coaching session just before the Wimbledon final for instance. As well as noting hypocrisy in that Djokovic is not nominated despite doing the same. Some on the original post also had the theory that Sinner rejected the award or the ATP didn't want to give him everything.

There was controversy surrounding the Coach of the Year earlier in the week with Jannik Sinner's duo of Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill winning it. Djokovic reacted saying on his own social media saying tagging Goran Ivanisevic that seemingly writing history and winning 3 Grand Slams isn't enough.

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Djokovic to Ivanisevic: Win 4/4 slams, maybe then you'll be Coach of the Year

Pavvy G

@pavyg

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Morning all to summarise Alcaraz won @atptour 2023 sportsmanship award for; Hitting his hand so hard in anger that he cut it. Throwing his racket in anger. Smashing his racket in anger. Videoing Djokovic tactics/coaching session just before Wimbledon final. Berating his box.

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