World number 2 Carlos Alcaraz has clinched the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Carlos becomes the fourth player to attain this accolade since 2004, joining the ranks of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Casper Ruud.
The original ATP Sportsmanship Award was established back in 1977, and Stefan Edberg himself was a frequent recipient from 1988 to 1995, collecting five honours.
Edberg was honoured by the ATP in his final season on the Tour, leading to the renaming of the award in 1996, henceforth known as the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.
Over the past 28 years, the sole winners, chosen by fellow players, have been Alex Corretja, Patrick Rafter, Paradorn Srichaphan, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud, and now Carlos Alcaraz. Notably, between 2004 and 2021, Federer and Nadal secured this honour exclusively.
Alcaraz joins the ranks as the fourth Spaniard on the list, following in the footsteps of Jose Higuera, Alex Corretja, and Rafael Nadal. Impressively, Carlos now boasts his third ATP award, having previously claimed the Newcomer of the Year title in 2020 and the Most Improved Player award in 2022.
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Alcaraz became the youngest year-end number 1 player in 2022, but couldn't retain the ATP throne by the end of 2023. He lost ground to Novak Djokovic after the US Open. He skipped the Australian Open, beginning his season triumphantly in Buenos Aires in February before losing in the Rio final.
A teenager secured his third Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells, never dropping a set and starting his second ATP reign with 1000 ATP points.
However, Carlos couldn't hold onto the position for long. He couldn't defend the Miami Masters crown, allowing Novak Djokovic to regain the lead before the clay season.
The local favourite defended his titles in Barcelona and Madrid, closing the gap to Djokovic and overtaking him before Roland Garros, despite an early loss in the Rome Masters. Alcaraz concluded his third stint as world number 1 after losing to Djokovic in the Paris semi-final, succumbing to pressure after the second set and suffering from cramps throughout his body.
He bounced back, showcasing his skills on the quickest surface despite his lack of experience. Carlos clinched his first grass-court title at Queen's, adding 500 ATP points to his tally and gaining momentum before Wimbledon.
Alcaraz faced Djokovic at The All-England Club, aiming for his second Major title. The Spaniard defeated the Serb in five sets after an intense battle, securing his sixth and final ATP title. Carlos and Novak had another memorable final in Cincinnati, with the more seasoned player triumphing after almost four hours in a nail-biting match.
That marked Alcaraz's last ATP final, with semi-final defeats at the US Open, Beijing, and the ATP Finals. He wrapped up his season in Turin, reaching the last four after defeating Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev but falling to Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
