Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas Mock Roger Federer Over Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award

The ATP Tour released the nominations for Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Referring to that award, Rafael Nadal tweeted, “Can I win it this year?” Since his aged-old nemesis, Roger Federer has won that award 13 times, Rafa hilariously questioned is there any chance for him to win the Sportsmanship Award award this year.

Following Rafa’s tweet, the Greek gun, Stefanos Tsitsipas vouched, it will be Federer winning the award again for the ‘nth time’. The Greek mockingly tweeted, “I feel like it’s going to be Roger Federer for the 68th time in a row.”

In 2010 and 2018 Rafael Nadal was the recipient of the award, but from 2004-2009 and 2011-2017, Rafa’s arch-rival, Roger Federer received it.

World Number one, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, and Diego Schwartzman are part of the nomination list. The Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award is meant for professionals with the following qualities.  

“The player who, throughout the year, conducted himself at the highest level of professionalism and integrity, who competed with his fellow players with the utmost spirit of fairness and who promoted the game through his off-court activities.”

From 2004, the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award has been swinging between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, before them in 2003, Paradorn Srichaphan from Thailand held the Sportsmanship Award.

Recently, post his Davis Cup 2019 victory, Rafael Nadal has been named Athlete of the year by the Spanish monthly magazine, Cambio 16 in Madrid, Spain.

Other categories of ATP Awards are as follows:

Comeback Player of the Year – The nominees in this category are Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Stan Wawrinka.

Most Improved Player of the Year – The nominees in this category are Felix Auger-Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Newcomer of the Year – Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Miomir Kecmanovic, Corentin Moutet, Alexei Popyrin, Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner, and Mikael Ymer.