"Edberg one of the absolute greats but unfortunately his sportsmanship award has become a running joke" - Novak Djokovic fans criticize Serb's omission from sportsmanship award nominations list

Novak Djokovic's fans have criticized his omission from the list of nominees for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, which was recently released by the ATP.

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Cameron Norrie, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz, Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, and Maxime Cressy are the nominees for this year’s Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

Fans were outraged when the 21-time Grand Slam champion was omitted from the list of nominees and took to Twitter to vent their frustration.

One supporter said that while Stefan Edberg is a legend, his sportsmanship award has regrettably devolved into a joke considering how biased it is.

"I'm honestly glad Djokovic is not nominated as this award has become the laughing stock of tennis over the years!! Edberg one of the absolute greats but unfortunately his sportsmanship award has become a running joke & how ridiculously biased it is & not even ashamed to show it!" the fan wrote.

Another fan claimed that the Serb was the sportsman of the year because he triumphed when everyone was trying to "destroy him."

"Novak Djokovic is the sportsman of the year. In a year when they tried to destroy him and kick him while he was down, he got up, refused to surrender, stood by his principles, kept winning, and forgave those who wronged him. Djokovic embodies everything a role model should be," they wrote.

Mario Boccardi, an Italian journalist, stated that he would have included Djokovic's name as a nominee for the award.

"By the way, I would have given Novak Djokovic a nominee for the ATP Sportsmanship Award. Otherwise ATP shouldn't use his name to promote the game like they do when he is in a tournament etc. I apologize if anyone feels offended, it’s just my opinion," he tweeted.

One fan stated that the Serb was regarded by his fellow athletes as the most professional player on and off the court and was dumbfounded by how the media could have such a different take.

"Djokovic is always very fair on the court to his opponents. Other players including Nadal have stated he is the most Professional player on the court and off. How is it that the Media have an entirely different take on him than the actual players themselves?" the fan wrote.

Here are a few more fan reactions to Novak Djokovic not being nominated for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award:

"He'll be very hungry to not let the young guns on the men's side take the title from him" - Australian Open director on Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic pictured with the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals trophy

Novak Djokovic has been granted a temporary visa, allowing him to play in the 2023 Australian Open.

In a recent interview with The Age, Craig Tiley, the director of the Melbourne Major, stated that Djokovic was the best player in the world based on current form and would be "hungry" to win the Australian Open.

"If you look at [Djokovic's] form – you can argue he's the best player in the world," Tiley said. "He's an unbelievable tennis player and this is the place he's won the most, he'll be very hungry to not let the young guns on the men's side take the title from him."