2025 was undoubtedly the year of Carlos Alcaraz. Victory after victory, he dominated the tour and closed out the year as the world No. 1. And if that wasn’t enough, he added another accolade to his collection on December 9th, beating top players like Felix Auger-Aliassime, Grigor Dimitrov, and Casper Ruud along the way.

Yes, the world No. 1 has been named the 2025 winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Interestingly, he earned the honor for the second time in just three years. This recognition places the El Palmar native among an elite group, including Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, because Carlos Alcaraz is only the eighth player to win the award multiple times.

This award, named after the legendary Swedish player, is given to the athlete who shows the highest levels of professionalism and integrity on the court. First presented in 1977, 2025 marked a milestone: for the first time, the winner was chosen exclusively by former world No. 1s. The 22-year-old, who won it first in 2023, heard of it during the exhibition tournament he’s playing in Miami.

Following a 3-6, 6-3, 7-10 loss to world No. 30 Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the exhibition, ‘A Racquet at The Rock’ in New Jersey, Alcaraz returned the following day to beat Joao Fonseca 7-5, 2-6, 10-8 at the Miami Marlins home.

One of Alcaraz’s standout moments of sportsmanship this year came at Roland Garros, during his fourth-round clash against Ben Shelton. Stretching full out for a volley that seemed like a clean winner, he realized mid-play that he had lost grip of his racquet. Rather than accepting the point, he instantly notified the umpire and gave it to Shelton.

“I would have felt guilty if I didn’t say anything about it,” Carlos Alcaraz said after the match. This kind of integrity is what makes Alcaraz not only a champion but also a role model as he preps for the coming season.

Carlos Alcaraz’s offseason activities

With eight singles titles, two Grand Slams, the French Open and the US Open, and three ATP Masters 1000 singles, Carlos Alcaraz stormed through the tour this year.

With 71 wins to his name, he held off challenges from rivals like Jannik Sinner to finish the season as world No. 1. However, despite such a powerful year, Alcaraz isn’t resting on his laurels, already planning on how to make 2026 even bigger.

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Recently, he’s been taking things easy, playing two exhibition games in the U.S. Even though he was defeated by local favorite Frances Tiafoe in New Jersey, he recovered to defeat young Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in Miami. It was an opportunity to have fun, hang out with the fans, and reconnect with those who hold the greatest value in his life.

But at the same time, he’s focused on the Australian Open, beginning January 12, which brings the opportunity of a Career Grand Slam. Should Alcaraz triumph in Melbourne, he’d also become the youngest Career Grand Slam winner – a prospect that has revealed is one of his main goals for the 2026 season.