Nadal Earns Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: 'I Can't Be Happier'
Rafael Nadal has been selected by fellow players as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the fourth straight year in the 2021 ATP Awards. The 35-year-old has now received this honour five times, first triumphing in 2010.
The award recognises the Spaniard’s fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court.
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“I can’t be happier to receive one more time the Sportsmanship Award from my colleagues on the Tour,” Nadal said. “It means a lot to me, so thanks a lot to every player that thinks that I am the right one to receive this award.
“Honestly, it means a lot to me because I try to be always correct on court. Thanks for believing in me and I wish all the very best for the 2022 season to all my colleagues on the Tour and I hope to see you soon.”
The Spaniard has won an ATP Award in each of the player-voted categories: Newcomer (2003), Most Improved (2005), Comeback (2013) and Sportsmanship (2010, 2018-2021). He was also named Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year in 2011 and crowned ATP No. 1 presented by FedEx five times (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019).
Nadal won titles on clay in Barcelona and Rome this year and reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros, before concluding his season in August due to injury. The 35-year-old finished at No. 6 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, his 17th straight season in the year-end Top 10, breaking the record he previously shared with Jimmy Connors.