World No. 1 honored for second time in three years, with integrity highlighted by Roland Garros moment
Carlos Alcaraz has long been a fan favorite and a great ambassador for the sport. That’s why it’s no major surprise to see him add another “trophy” to his exceptional 2025 season, being named the winner of the prestigious Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. The Spaniard, who finished the year as the ATP Year-End No. 1 with two Grand Slam titles, received the honor for his exemplary conduct and integrity both on and off the court.
The award, which celebrates the player who conducted himself at the highest level of professionalism and spirit of fairness, marks the second time the 22-year-old Alcaraz has won, having first received it in 2023. This places him in an elite club of multiple winners, alongside legends like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and of course Stefan Edberg that received the award 5 times before it got named after him in 1996.
A Defining Moment of Integrity
Alcaraz’s win was influenced by a standout moment of fair play during his fourth-round match against Ben Shelton at Roland Garros this year. After a point was initially awarded to Alcaraz following a volley, he immediately told the umpire that his racquet had left his hand just before making contact with the ball, a violation that meant the point belonged to his opponent.
“I would have felt guilty if I didn’t say anything about it,” Alcaraz said post-match, a statement that has since become a standard for his professionalism.
The act, which occurred during an important stage of the tournament, showed his commitment to sportsmanship, earning praise from both players and fans.
A New Voting System
The 2025 award carried a special significance due to a change in the voting process. While nominees, which included Felix Auger-Aliassime and former winners Grigor Dimitrov and Casper Ruud, were determined by a vote from the International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA), the winner was selected, for the first time, by the exclusive ATP No. 1 Club. This group consists of the 29 current and former players who have reached the World No. 1 ranking.
The award caps a great year in which Alcaraz got a season-high 71-9 match record, securing eight ATP trophies.
This is an award thet Federer used to dominate during his best years. These are the past winners since 1996:
