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How was Nadal nominated for the ATP Sportsmanship award?
6 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles
The ATP has announced it’s list of nominees for the 2002 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.
Nominated were Rafael Nadal, Felix Auger Aliassime, Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud, Grrigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini, Maxime Cressy, Lorenzo Musetti.
Nadal has won the Award already several times but this year he has exhibited several examples of questionable behaviors and actions which make his nomination suspect.
1) When Novak Djokovic was detained in Melbourne in January, Nadal expressed zero empathy or compassion for his long time rival.
2) Nadal was a key figure on the ATP Player Council which voted to cancel Wimbledon ranking points this year.
3) Called Lorenzo Sonego to the net at a critical moment of a match to lecture him about his grunting. Sonego subsequently lost serve and the match.
4) Nadal regularly violates the shot clock limit.
5) Nadal has a habit of stalling his opponent’s serve on key break points in major tournaments, by holding up his hand and forcing them to wait for him.
6) Nadal did not admonish the unruly AO final crowd vs Medvedev, a sportsmanship award winner would have tried to quiet the crowd or at least ask them to respect the opponent.
7) After every single lossthis year Nadal cited some kind of injury, medical condition or body pain, a subtle tactic which discredits and diminishes the value of the opponent’s win.
If Nadal wins the ATP Sportsmanship Award again this year, it will be an embarrassment – and disappointment regarding the integrity of the award and the ATP.
Why aren’t players like John Isner, Diego Schwartzman, Novak Djokovic, Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto B. Agut, Rajeev Ram on the nomination list?
I would suggest the best way to determine a winner would be to conduct a poll of players, media and a fan poll on twitter. Who actually is making the selection?
ATP · Hubert Hurkacz · John Isner · Rafael Nadal · Stefan Edberg
catherine · November 26, 2022 at 2:27 am
‘2002’ ? Some of these players must have been VERY young in 2002.
All awards like this are meaningless anyway. What they do is fill up space at the dead time of the year with silly arguments.
BTW – Bianca Andreescu has found another coach. Now that’s news – isn’t it ?
catherine · November 26, 2022 at 2:47 am
Emma Raducanu has been spotted hitting her forehand left-handed in practice. Solution to her right wrist problem ?
Emma still coachless. Maybe give Bianca a call.
Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2022 at 7:53 am
Norrie is also on the nomination list.
Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2022 at 7:56 am
Catherine, My guess is Raducanu is hitting lefty forehands to isolate her left arm as a drill to fortify her backhand. Or just to have fun, Or to balance out her tennis athleticism. Will be hard to find a coach as every coach is going to want the long term $ commitment like Tursunov tried to get the 2.5 year deal.
Sam · November 27, 2022 at 6:09 pm
How was he nominated? Because it’s a complete joke. 🤡 Basically, it’s just a nonsense award designed to keep the ATP’s faves in the spotlight. And the fact that Djokovic has never won the award confirms that.
I mean, they could have an “ATP Fullest Head of Hair Award,” or an “ATP Boils Water the Best Award,” and Nadal would still get nominated. 🤪
Scoop Malinowski · November 27, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Sam yes, the award has no value. It’s a marketing play which favors certain stars and sponsors. Nishikori Lopez Isner Nestor Delpo Querrey Dimitrov Kevin Anderson Youzhny Karlovic and many others should have won it.