The Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 2013

First topic message reminder :

This award is for "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."

The nominees for 2013 are Del Potro, Federer, Ferrer and Nadal

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/Moet-ATP-Awards/2013-ATP-Awards-Fan-Favourite-Voting.aspx

This annual award is voted for by the players. But who would get your vote?

Aut0Gr4ph. I'm pleased you thought my article was interesting enough to comment on and it's always nice to see a new face.

I'm intrigued that you appear to know so much about what Rafael Nadal thinks. Are you saying that he voted for Andy Murray to receive the Stefan Edburg Sportsmanship Award? Your not Andy Murray are you? Or Rafael Nadal? But you can't be can you? As they would have better things to do than "trawl internet forums"...

laverfan wrote:Nominees by year...

2003 - Roger Federer, Tim Henman, Carlos Moya, Paradorn Srichaphan
2004 - Roger Federer, Carlos Moya, Paradorn Srichaphan, Sargis Sargsian
2005 - ?
2006 - Roger Federer, James Blake, Ivan Ljubicic, Rafael Nadal
2007 - James Blake, Roger Federer, Carlos Moya, Jarkko Nieminen
2008 - ?
2009 - Roger Federer, Ivan Ljubicic, Carlos Moya, Jarkko Nieminen
2010 - Marin Cilic, Taylor Dent, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal
2011 - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi
2012 - Roger Federer, Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Ferrer

I cannot find 05, 06 and 08. Can someone help?

That's great research laverfan  I wish I could help with your missing years but I wouldn't know where to start. I know Federer won a few times but do you know who else has won? There are a few names that keep repeating so they are obviously all players who are thought well of.

hawkeye wrote:

I'm intrigued that you appear to know so much about what Rafael Nadal thinks. Are you saying that he voted for Andy Murray to receive the Stefan Edburg Sportsmanship Award? Your not Andy Murray are you? Or Rafael Nadal? But you can't be can you? As they would have better things to do than "trawl internet forums"...

I very much doubt that Rafa voted for Andy.  I don't think Andy is a bad sport by any means, but his on-court demeanour is too negative to ever be in serious contention for a good sportmanship award.

Of course I don't know what Rafa is really thinking.  Did I suggest that I did?  Just like you, all I have to go on is his public utterances..  From these, I get the impression that there is a healthy respect between the two and I've certainly never detected any hint of animosity.  I can't be bothered to go fishing for them, but I know that I have seen and read interviews where Rafa has been complimentary about Andy both on a tennis and, more crucially to this discussion, a personal level.  If you are choosing to discount these positive comments, I'd be interested to know your reasons why.  Is Rafa being false or insincere and, if so, for what purpose?

As a Rafa super-fan, I'm sure you like to fight his corner and there's nothing wrong with that.  But do you realise that, by pushing your borderline obsessive anti-Murray agenda, you're not flying the flag for Rafa?  In fact, as Rafa strikes me as a pleasant and genuine guy, I reckon he'd hold some of your views in contempt.  Of course, that's just my opinion, but wouldn't it be a bit sad for you if I was right?

By the way, of the four, my vote goes to Del Potro.

@Aut0Gr4ph... The angst in your post directed at HE indicates a baggage that you seem to carry from some 'previous' incarnation, since you have only 3-4 posts so far, or you had a prior ID on v2 and you felt the need for a new identity for reasons known best to you. I would request that such trench warfare on the size of di..$ be left to other SPORTs. (Please do not take this to be the defence of HE for her Murray love.)

@HE.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_World_Tour_Awards#Stefan_Edberg_Sportsmanship_Award

Also, this link - http://tinyurl.com/l59vyna  (Warning : It downloads a Microsoft Word Document to your PC/MAC which points to - www.itwa.org/itwa_info/2007_ATP_Awards.doc‎), provides some insight into the process used for this award.

Caveat: Notice that the document is for 2007, could be a forgery put there by me. It does have Grag Sharko's ATP email address, so may lend the document some credibility.

laverfan wrote:Nominees by year...
2010 - Marin Cilic, Taylor Dent, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal
2012 - Roger Federer, Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Ferrer

I bet the ATP are relieved now that Cilic didn't win....failing to comply with doping rules is not really enhancing the reputation of the sport.

Hi laverfan.  I'm genuinely a new poster on these boards.  When it comes to internet forums, I tend to be more of a reader than a contributor.  Been coming here for long enough to be familiar with hawkeye's special brand of Murray-love and, for once, couldn't resist a quick dig.

Definitely wasn't trying to start a war.  I actually quite enjoy hawkeye's contributions and reckon it would be a duller place without her.....

YvonneT wrote:

laverfan wrote:Nominees by year...
2010 - Marin Cilic, Taylor Dent, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal
2012 - Roger Federer, Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Ferrer

I bet the ATP are relieved now that Cilic didn't win....failing to comply with doping rules is not really enhancing the reputation of the sport.

There was an article about Cilic here - https://www.606v2.com/t48070-cilic-suspended-for-doping and based on ATP investigation, he was suspended, commensurate with his negligence/misdemeanor. Similarly, I would not look at Nadal's career through his Wimbledon coaching violation or Federer's through his outburst at USO 2009 with Jack Garner.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Hi laverfan.  I'm genuinely a new poster on these boards.  When it comes to internet forums, I tend to be more of a reader than a contributor.  Been coming here for long enough to be familiar with hawkeye's special brand of Murray-love and, for once, couldn't resist a quick dig.

Definitely wasn't trying to start a war.  I actually quite enjoy hawkeye's contributions and reckon it would be a duller place without her.....

Welcome to 606v2, if a bit belated. Each new poster enriches the community, in different ways. Some provide entertainment, others provide abuse. Very nice to have one more poster. Hope you continue to post and enjoy the conversation(s) here.

I voted for Delpotro and I am sure he is winning it this year It is going to be a 3-way race between him and Fedal!

Feds won it.

Can't wait for SoCals view on this...

kingraf wrote:Can't wait for SoCals view on this...

Not sure socal's interested in tennis too much anymore now that Fed's on his way out. Fed winning this award may just give him something to rail about

Bloomin' 'eck, as a Fed fan even I have to accept that it's getting a bit silly - Federer is voted sportsman of the year for the zillionth time by fellow pro's, fan's favourite for the umpteenth year in a row by the fans, and humanitarian of the year for the second time by the ATP.
 
I'd think he'd swap the lot for winning in London this week, or perhaps Basel.
 
Also, worthy though I'm sure the great man's charitable works are, I think an annual award in the sport of tennis for the top "humanitarian" is a self-congratulatory backslapping step too far, what if nobody does anything particularly special in any given year? (you know the form, - X got it in Y year, but that was a bad year for humanitarians...)
 
Finally, I'd add a 606 award for best ever opening post from Aut0Gr4ph

barrystar wrote:Finally, I'd add a 606 award for best ever opening post from Aut0Gr4ph

Agreed!

As for the awards, if anecdotes are to be believed then I'm not too surprised that Federer frequently wins the sportsmanship award. Putting together what he does for the sport behind the scenes (a LOT over his career, far more than other top players) with apparent camaraderie with most of the tour, at any rate. We, the fans, can only see the on-court behaviour clearly, and wonder why on earth Delpo doesn't win it! The humanitarian award does seem rather pointless; ultimately the sport is about punting a ball back and forth over a net, not outreach projects, admirable though they may be.

As for the fan favourite award, they may as well ask Federer when he's planning to retire, and just give it him every year until then. Nobody else has even the slightest chance of winning it until he leaves the sport. Eleven years running, unbelievable.

Congrats to Nadal for comeback player of the year and (likely) world #1 too. A few other nice awards in there too, the Bryans picked up a pair.

I find the fans favourite award a bit pointless too. A bit too Smash Hits Poll Winners Party for my tastes!

Del Potro and Federer. Del Potro is always a good sport, and Federer has maintained his cool and been a great ambassador despite losing more than ever. You learn more about a man when he is losing than when he is winning.

Leonard777 wrote:Del Potro and Federer.  Del Potro is always a good sport, and Federer has maintained his cool and been a great ambassador despite losing more than ever.  You learn more about a man when he is losing than when he is winning.

This was my thought as well when I was predicting Fed the favorite to win at the beginning of this thread. It only makes sense with Federer winning it all these years when he was having great seasons that he would win in again handling this terrible by his standards season and losses the way he has. One knock (unfairly IMO) about his past wins was "it's easy to be nice on court and friendly in the lockeroom when you are winning" Now we have seen Federer handle losses that were shocking to him and everyone with pure class. maintain a positive outlook and continue his fine works to improve the game. So he has shown it wasn't the winning that caused him to be a good guy, but just who he is. Despite haters like SoCal who want to claim conspiracy-- the players and insiders of the sport have been pretty clear as to why Fed is held in such a lofty regard. Roddick said it well after Miami last year when he talked about how impressed he was with the way Fed handled himself during their weekend in New York for the MSG event. He basically said that Federer has far more pressure and demands on himself than any other player, but he goes above and beyond in every aspect of his handling of it, and treats everyone wonderfully. The players see this and know it- and that is why he gets their votes.

Fan favourite-- like others have said- might as well just lock him in for that as long as he plays.. No one will come close.

The Nike Sportsmanship award should not go to Nadal he was caught red handed cheating by receiving coaching at Indian wells. I would go for Del Potro myself he is the classiest of all the top players a real gentleman and humble in victory and defeat as opposed to a certain swoosh wearing demigod who is all peaches and cream when he is winning everything and being fellated metaphorically by the global press.

Jahu wrote:Tsonga has been injured for a large part of the year and no one likes Novak, so how can they be nominated?

Nadal should take this one, as Fed has made this award a bit of a private monopoly.

No one likes you either, but if there was a least interesting poster award I would vote for you twice. How are your attempts at prosecuting Djokovic's father for war crimes going, will they let you out of your padded cell to testify about the notorious Pizza Baker of Belgrade.

If there was a poster comedy award my pick would be Socal.

Socal long time no see you!!  

I always knew that socal's interest in tennis was centred mainly on Federer!

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:If there was a poster comedy award my pick would be  Socal.

Socal long time no see you!!  

Nice to see you to JK, of course not literally but virtually speaking. Lost interest for awhile in posting plus I have been busy. I just happened to skim the sight for the first time in quite sometime and then I got a chubby in my shorts when I noticed that the Nike Sportsmanship award was being discussed and I just could not resist.

JuliusHMarx wrote:I always knew that socal's interest in tennis was centred mainly on Federer!

Honestly, I think I will be sadder than his fans when he retires.

socal1976 wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:I always knew that socal's interest in tennis was centred mainly on Federer!

Honestly, I think I will be sadder than his fans when he retires.

I can believe it. Djoko wins a few tournaments and we hear nary a peep out of you. Fed wins an award and back come you (and your chubby!), negativity a-blazing

socal1976 wrote:The Nike Sportsmanship award should not go to Nadal he was caught red handed cheating by receiving coaching at Indian wells. I would go for Del Potro myself he is the classiest of all the top players a real gentleman and humble in victory and defeat as opposed to a certain swoosh wearing demigod who is all peaches and cream when he is winning everything and being fellated metaphorically by the global press.

Federer has been classy and peaches and cream this year while taking brutal losses left and right- so that kind of blows up that stereotype of him that you like to state. Del Po is a great guy, but people need to understand that the players are voting on the "whole picture", not just on court... It's only natural that they pick the guy who does the most off the court, is the most beloved in the lockeroom, and handles himself as well or better than most on the court-- while under the most intense microscope in the sport.

The big fallacy in your theory about Nike- is if they did actually have a hand in who wins this award- it would be going to Nadal. Federer does not need another award to boost him image- that image is lock set in stone around the world. His RF Nike brand outsells the Rafa Bull like by a huge margin. Nike produces 4 or 5 of his hats, multiple shirts, jackets, shoes every tournament cycle and by the end of that cycle they are sold out, already selling on Ebay for more than what Nike and the resellers were selling them for. Lord knows, I've spent enough money on the stuff. Meanwhile Nike produces about half that number of items for the Rafa Bull collection and it doesn't sell nearly as well.. go to tennis express , tennis wharehouse, all the online sellers and look at the bargain discount section- maybe 1 hat from Federer or a XXXL shirt, but a ton of stuff of Nadals on discount.. Point being- if Nike want's to boost sales- it would boost Nadal, not Federer. More awards don't do anthing for Federer, but Nadal needs the publicity. Federer is done in maybe 1 or 2 years, but Nike needs Nadal to carry on as the heir apparent-- surely logically you can understand that it's smarter business for them to push Nadal over Federer..... Yet, Federer wins the award--- and the only reason, is the players vote for him- for whatever reasons they have.

Oh my god Ruffin, Federer had to take losses to lesser mortals and not blow up and trash them in the media like he has in the past, that is evidence of his great sportsmanship. Being a good sport is different than being a humanitarian. A great humanitarian he is, he is also a notorious sore loser. I mean if absorbing losses is a measure of good sport than we should give the award to Ernest Gulbis.

socal1976 wrote:Oh my god Ruffin, Federer had to take losses to lesser mortals and not blow up and trash them in the media like he has in the past, that is evidence of his great sportsmanship. Being a good sport is different than being a humanitarian. A great humanitarian he is, he is also a notorious sore loser. I mean if absorbing losses is a measure of good sport than we should give the award to Ernest Gulbis.

I know your just trying to wind us up, but you really don't get it.. If he's such a horrible loser why do the players vote for him then? Because we know your Nike theory is a pile of crap. The players have minds of their own. You just don't get it that to the athletes who play the sport- sportsmanship is about the whole package-- all aspects of the person within the sport... not just how he acts in the 2 hours on court and 3o minute interview. That's the big mistake you guys make out of ignorance. There is more to sportsmanship than the time on courts.
Every single player on tour has bad moments in interviews, on court- Federer included. That's why the players could give a crap about what you perceive as a snarky comment from Federer because they actually see the big picture.

Federer is the most popular player with the fans and with the players-and there are valid reasons for that- end of story.

Delpo for me isn't the best on court as he takes too long between points and takes forever to challenge.
I would have given it to ferrer on the court probs.

LuvSports! wrote:Delpo for me isn't the best on court as he takes too long between points and takes forever to challenge.
I would have given it to ferrer on the court probs.

I reckon the incident a couple of years ago where he aimed a ball at a baby crying in the stands might still be in people's minds.

Zat is what a said you foool!

I was there yesterday when it got presented. It is noteworthy that he won it while ranked 7. Still, it's really no big deal as an award.