Novak Djokovic Falls Behind MLB Hotshot Shohei Ohtani for a Coveted 2023 Honor

With three Grand Slams and as the number one player, Novak Djokovic concluded yet another season of unparalleled brilliance. In doing so, the Serbian tennis star now holds the record for the most major championships won on the men’s circuit. However, despite experiencing a historic season, the 24-time singles Grand Slam champion has missed out on a major honor.

The Japanese baseball pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivered some stellar performances in the Major League Baseball this season. Notably, the 29-year-old has edged Djokovic for a coveted ‘Male Athlete of the Year’ award in voting by a group of experts in the sports media field.

Novak Djokovic misses out on a renowned ‘Male Athlete of the Year’ award

Shohei Ohtani has had a phenomenal 2023 season, as he put up some brilliant performances for both his club, the Los Angeles Angels, and his country, Japan, in the World Baseball Classic. It is the reason the Japanese baseball pitcher has been selected as the AP Male Athlete of the Year for the second time.

In a voting process involving a group of sports media experts, the hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers received 20 of 87 votes. Novak Djokovic, who was also on the nomination list, got 16 votes, as he was tied with the Argentine soccer great, Lionel Messi, in second place.

Aside from Messi and Djokovic, NBA star Nikola Jokic was also on the list for the award that has been won by the likes of Don Budge, Byron Nelson, Carl Lewis, and Joe Montana in the past. Apart from the AP Male Athlete of the Year award, the Serbian tennis legend has missed out on another coveted accolade this season.

Djokovic also couldn’t get a hold of the fan’s favorite award

Despite a phenomenal season, the 36-year-old has failed to emerge as the popular choice among voters for the ATP Fans’ Favorite Award. For the past few seasons, this prestigious accolade has been given to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, as they have had a profound influence on the tennis circuit.

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With the Swiss maestro’s retirement and his former Spanish colleague being on the sidelines, the ATP Fans’ Favorite Award was given to Jannik Sinner. It came as a huge surprise to many fans who touted Djokovic for winning this fan’s favorite award in the absence of his arch-rivals, Federer and Nadal.

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