ATP Tour Awards

Just announced are the tour awards for 2014
1. Federer takes the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for a 10th time and also gets the fans' favourite award for a 12th straight year.
2. Murray is the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, having taken part in fundraising exhibitions and campaigns over the past two years, and also raised awareness for the work of Unicef, United for Wildlife and Malaria No More.
3. The Bryans take the doubles award for a sixth straight year.
4. 17-year-old Borna Coric wins the ATP Star of Tomorrow Award for being the youngest player ranked in the top 100.
5. Roberto Bautista Agut is the Most Improved Player of the Year.
6. David Goffin is the Comeback Player of the Year.

sirfredperry wrote: Murray is the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, having taken part in fundraising exhibitions and campaigns over the past two years, and also raised awareness for the work of Unicef, United for Wildlife and Malaria No More.

I'm amazed by this.

Nothing against Andy, who I think I is a good egg, but the United for Wildlife campaign enlisted sports stars to wear a logo on the kit and have a picture taken with a hashtag sign.

Djokovic gave away his entire winnings from Rome (EUR 549,000) and did an international media blitz on his own initiative to help the victims of the floods in Serbia and Croatia.

Maybe I'm suffering from Djoko-bias, but I think one of these definitely trumps these other.

HM Murdoch wrote:

sirfredperry wrote: Murray is the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, having taken part in fundraising exhibitions and campaigns over the past two years, and also raised awareness for the work of Unicef, United for Wildlife and Malaria No More.

I'm amazed by this.

Nothing against Andy, who I think I is a good egg, but the United for Wildlife campaign enlisted sports stars to wear a logo on the kit and have a picture taken with a hashtag sign.

Djokovic gave away his entire winnings from Rome (EUR 549,000) and did an international media blitz on his own initiative to help the victims of the floods in Serbia and Croatia.

Maybe I'm suffering from Djoko-bias, but I think one of these definitely trumps these other.

I don't think we should judge a charitable act by the size of the financial donation one makes.

None the less it isn't an award I feel is necessary.

You're not Murdoch. He did deserve it, but
1a. He won it already last year.
1b. I hate Djokovic
1c. Seems people involved in voting also don't like him

kingraf wrote:1b. I hate Djokovic

The cathartic effect of your haiku appears to be wearing off already!

Also, I do agree with LK. I can't see the need for a humanitarian award. It's nothing to do with tennis.

I do feel your annoyance though Murdoch. It makes you wonder who Djokovic must've pi$$ed off in a previous life because I have to say he will go down as the most under-rated and under-appreciated player there has ever been!

Been saying it for years, nobody cares for Djokovic, and they may reward efforts on global scale, so Djokos help seems more local.

Thought the award for Andy, is an even bigger joke.

Plus he is a separatist.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I do feel your annoyance though Murdoch. It makes you wonder who Djokovic must've pi$$ed off in a previous life because I have to say he will go down as the most under-rated and under-appreciated player there has ever been!

This year has felt like a turning point. Getting slam #7 seems to have forced the conclusion "OK, maybe this guy is a great player too".

Contrast that though to Federer and Nadal's 7th slams (AO06 and RG10 respectively), people had long recognised them as great players by that point.

The plaudits definitely seemed slower to arrive for Djokovic.

Jeez if Djokovic received 7 slams, and close to hundred million dollars as punishment for a past life, I'd hate to think what we've done. Musta led a lynch mob killing witches or something.

To be honest, Murray is very lucky the entry date closed, or Federer would have run away with it. He's having one of Those Hit for Africas again. Would have been hard to beat that as
a - These events of his normally raise about $3m for aid.
b - Everybody loves African aid with the little kwashiorkor children, and flies which can't be swatted away.

Anyway, someone tell Murray he's done a crappy job with United Wildlife. We're losing nearly three rhino a day since he signed up (before it was like one or something). What the hell is he doing there?!

Hahahahahah, you are like Stasi man

Djoko not only has to compete with two great players in the form of Fed and Rafa (not to mention Murray) but he has to compete with Fed/Rafa's huge popularity, too.
I think most tennis fans recognise Nole as a great player but for the occasional fan he is overshadowed by the other two and, in the UK, by Murray as well.
With more Slams probably to come for Djoko, the final reckoning will see him regarded as one of the all-time greats.

Sir Fred, sugar coating it for HMM a little?

He can handle it, he is probably the best Fan of a player here

Jahu wrote:He can handle it, he is probably the best Fan of a player here

I'm flattered!

I'm also incredibly moved to see that even you have now adopted a policy of 10% support of Novak. That's a sure sign that sentiment toward our Serbian Screech-a-like is beginning to change!

Jahu, I was going to PM you about this, but, as you're here, can you tell me what Djokovic said when he raised the Wimbledon trophy after talking about Jelena Gencic please? It was a couple of syllables that I presume is a Serbian word.

Thanks.

I dedicate the trophy to my future wife and future baby. I will become a father soon, and I am still preparing for it and it is a big pleasure.

Also, the Title i dedicate to my family, brothers, my team who sacrifises their free time so I can fulfill my dream and to my first trainer Jeleni Genčić, who passed away last year and taught me the basics of how to play tennis.

The bit after that, when he raised the trophy.

3:01 in this clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruo4NJZRmoY

This is for her, Hvala ti Joca, means Thank you (Hvala) and Joca (cute/short name for Jelena (Gencic)).

My god, you such a perfectionist/detailer

Thank you!

I not normally quite so nerdy about these things but I thought it was a nice moment and I wanted to understand it.

I'm very envious of you having command of such different languages.

Yeah, I guess small/unknown details make the difference

Keep it up with Djoko

I guess im a little opposed to these awards being given to only one person. To me it should be an event celebrating all the contributions in the category, otherwise people might well feel hard done by that Novak didnt take the humanitarian award

Heres Novaks recognition issue for me. When Fed and Nadal were coming up, Sampras was retired, Agassi's race was nearly run, all the greats had gone and as such they had a clean slate to start a new wave of fans. Djokovic came up at the peak of Fed and Rafas powers, and has thus been competing with them as fan favourites is whole career. Hence why its taking a lot longer for him to be apprecated

Hats off to Goffin in particular, what an incredible year.

Fans' Favourite was won with 65% of the vote seems very wrong somehow.

Silver wrote:
Fans' Favourite was won with 65% of the vote seems very wrong somehow.

There's a few things I would like to say on that... but anyway I'll let it go, maybe later.

Also btw Silver I cleared something up on the Fed number 1 thread after your comment yesterday; my fault for the misinterpretation as I didn't make it clear with any smiley faces or anything I was joking

Haha, I did notice! My fault, jumping to conclusions. I blame a bad day for my sarcasmdar going awry

I didn't even know the ATP had fans awards. Well done to the winners. I still want to know what United For Wildlife has done for anyone.

kingraf wrote: I still want to know what United For Wildlife has done for anyone.

Like #BringBackOurGirls, it's a way for people to support charity work without having to give any charity or do any work.

What a stupid and self congratulatory set of awards. Completely pointless and self indulgent.

Some seriously unhappy fans here

Cheers Murdoch. Didn't Victoria Beckham convince some middle aged women to stand somewhere and demand their girls back. I vaguely remember seeing a vignette of it at the office. Probably doesn't even know who took them, or why they aren't back.

Anyway, I'm a Saffer, so I'm quite interested in these wildlife things. Locally, the rhinos are being decimated, and up north, mountain gorillas and such have also been driven to the brink. The Lions have been eradicated everywhere except Sub-Saharan Africa. So it does honestly annoy me more than a bit when a person gets an award for wearing a badge on his sleeve for an organisation I've never heard of which must be veering on uselesss given the ceaseless genocide of these animals. Sounds like one of those organisations which is chaired by trust fund kids.

You say you are interested in these wildlife things. What are you doing to help the situation.

kingraf wrote:Sounds like one of those organisations which is chaired by trust fund kids.

Close! It's chaired by Princes William and Harry.

This is how the website describes what is asked of their 'ambassadors':

"We are all United for Wildlife. We have bought together some incredible sporting ambassadors from around the world, who share our passion for ending the illegal wildlife trade. Our ambassadors have pledged to help spread our message to their social media followers, and back our call of 'enough is enough'".

I don't like Rhino's. Only the Spearmint ones!

For one mate, I donate bi monthy to the SAB Boucher Foundation, which seeks to tag rhinos, to create a national database, which makes it easier to track Rhinos. It's a difficult war, as rhino poaching is a dangerous occupation, but opportunities un neighboring countries are so limited, it's obviously worth a go for the disenfranchised. Like an old minister said "They go home in body bag, but they keep coming". Still it's a damn sight better than saving rhino through social media... Whatever that means.

@KR the butchery of Rhinos for their horns is a bloody travesty. There are companies which organize such hunts with the involvement of government officials. Ivory is also the same. Ar$$holes carry machine guns and gatlings to kill animals who have no guns.

Glad to see Boucher Foundation being mentioned.

I do not recall the person who has a rhino farm and humanely (??) removes horns and sells them under license.

Here is some information on United For Wildlife :

http://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/united-for-wildlife-commits-to-tackle-the-illegal-wildlife-trade

http://www.savetherhino.org/latest_news/news/932_what_is_united_for_wildlife

Their aims and concerns seem to be genuine. At least they are trying to do something which it obvious that people care about. Therefore I can't see why the organisation is being derided with such sarcasm. I would have thought anyone trying to assist would be welcomed.

I'm not really into these types of awards and agree that supporting this organisation alone would not merit any award. But the award was not given for that alone. Did Murray deserve it more than anyone other player ? I don't know. I'm sure a lot of players would have strong cases.

Well, it's great that their aims are genuine... Pity their contributions are quite minimal. Moreover Mega Wildlife "foundations" make it a mission for smaller, probably more effective initiatives to take root, since they aren't "Streamlined into the goals of (insert Organisation)" enough for funding.

I welcome anyone who makes a contribution, I don't have a monopoly on Rhino and wildlife initiatives. But again I welcome anyone who makes a contribution. Must be missing their actual contributions somewhere though, as all I'm seeing is their "aims".

You've obviously decided that United for Wildlife (and other mega wildlife foundations) is a waste of space as they are not looking at tackling the issues in the same way as the initiatives you support are. I still think both types of approach have a big part to play. Lets agree to disagree.

Not at all. I'm not a fan of mega organisation's. That's correct. But I don't think they are the devil... I just hadnt heard of United For Wildlife, as I'd stated earlier. Hence I made a remark about it being chaired by trust fund babies. It was said in jest. Didn't know I was so close to the mark.

Even now, I don't know anything about them save the links put up here. All I said about them was that they can't be very good, given the fact that absolutely nothings changed, if anything it's gotten worse.

HM Murdoch wrote:

sirfredperry wrote: Murray is the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, having taken part in fundraising exhibitions and campaigns over the past two years, and also raised awareness for the work of Unicef, United for Wildlife and Malaria No More.

I'm amazed by this.

Nothing against Andy, who I think I is a good egg, but the United for Wildlife campaign enlisted sports stars to wear a logo on the kit and have a picture taken with a hashtag sign.

Djokovic gave away his entire winnings from Rome (EUR 549,000) and did an international media blitz on his own initiative to help the victims of the floods in Serbia and Croatia.

Maybe I'm suffering from Djoko-bias, but I think one of these definitely trumps these other.

How about Murray donating all his Queens and Wimbledon prize money last year to Royal Marsden?

Surely that's only valid for 2013, though? I know the ATP awards are a joke, but you can't surely suggest players should win 2014 awards based on 2013?

Reminds me of something as juvenile and pointless as the Smash Hits Poll Winners nonsense.

If I were a tennis player I'd be far too embarrassed to have my name against any of these "awards" let alone attend it.

Tinpot doesn't do it justice.

This was in the news today :

http://wwf.panda.org/?uNewsID=232413

Looks like Murray is intending to do a little more than just wearing a logo on his shirt. Not saying this is anything wonderful and deserves awards but it is getting publicity for an initiative that WWF are setting up and hopefully through 'money raised on the tour' more funding.