Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert pick their choice of player to receive 2022 ATP Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award
Former tennis players Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have chosen their favorites to win the 2022 ATP Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Both picked Canadian No. 1 Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The nominees for the year-ending award were released on Friday. Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Rafael Nadal, Cameron Norrie, Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz, Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, and Maxime Cressy are the other nominees apart from the Canadian.
Martina Navratilova took to Twitter on Saturday to make her pick from the ATP Sportsmanship nominees. She wrote:
"FAA (Felix Auger-Aliassime) would get my vote. But I don’t vote:)"
@ChelseaRulezzz @ElkNat877 @rennaestubbs @Rahfucious @RottenKnee77 @muralir0 @jon_wertheim @ATP @atptour @DKTNNS @PHShriver @ChrissieEvert FAA would get my vote. But I don’t vote:)
There has been a lot of talk lately on social media questioning the legitimacy of the Stefan Edberg award. Navratilova has always raised her voice on relevant issues and this time, she got involved in an online debate on the award matter.
"If you can’t take it seriously, why does it bother you? For sure it’s been lopsided and quite frankly nobody gives a hoot… ," the former Czech player replied to a fan who questioned the need for such an award.
@Martina @rennaestubbs @Rahfucious @RottenKnee77 @muralir0 @jon_wertheim @ATP @atptour @DKTNNS @PHShriver @ChrissieEvert Martina, I’ll be reasonable here, this is why you can’t take the Edberg Sportsmanship award seriously-only Rafa & Federer have won it the past 20 years. Had ANYONE else won it at least once in these 20 years (didn’t need to be Novak) it would have given the award more legitimacy. https://t.co/XzNitPDpEN
@ChelseaRulezzz @ElkNat877 @rennaestubbs @Rahfucious @RottenKnee77 @muralir0 @jon_wertheim @ATP @atptour @DKTNNS @PHShriver @ChrissieEvert If you can’t take it seriously, why does it bother you? For sure it’s been lopsided and quite frankly nobody gives a hoot…
Chris Evert later retweeted Navratilova's post as she picked her favorite for the award as well. She even reflected on the long-lasting debate between Navratilova and the fans.
"@Felixtennis would get my vote also....Boy, @Martina you and @Rennaestubbs had a busy night tonight!!!," Evert wrote in her tweet.
twitter.com/martina/status…@felixtennis would get my vote also…. Boy, @Martina , you and @rennaestubbs had a busy night tonight!!!😉😳😘 twitter.com/martina/status…
Martina Navratilova praises Iga Swiatek for raising her voice against Polish Tennis Association president Miroslaw Skrzypczynski
Former World No. 1 Martina Navratilova has always been at the forefront of reacting to several pertinent social issues. She has also appreciated people who have shown the courage to speak up on relevant matters.
In one of her recent Twitter posts, the 66-year-old applauded World No. 1 Iga Swiatek for raising her voice on the Miroslaw Skrzypczynski issue.
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👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 twitter.com/iga_swiatek/st…
Miroslaw Skrzypczynski, the Polish Tennis Association president, was accused of sexually abusing former tennis player and current MP Katarzyna Kotula. Following the implication, Swiatek lent her support to the victim on social media and insisted she 'couldn't be silent' on the issue as she is the 'leader of women's tennis'.
"I feel that as a current leader of women's tennis I can’t be silent about particular matters," Swiatek stated.
"I’m against violence in sports, in tennis, in every discipline, and in everyday life. That’s why I consider the articles about the president of the Polish Tennis Association as a serious matter. Governing bodies should determine what happened and I hope they will take care of this case after the media wrote about the stories of people who they talked with," she added.