Sporting memories of the decade
10 years is a long time in sport and trying to narrow down a list of great moment is not easy. This decade has seen it all, massive scandals like the FIFA saga, Russian getting banned from the Olympics for doping but it’s the good things that we remember best. Everything from impossible comebacks, immortal underdog stories, athletes and teams who dominated the past part of 10 years and lot’s more. Here our favourites:
Comeback of the decade – Tiger Woods
Between ongoing back issues and his 2017 arrest, it was unclear if Woods would ever be able to compete with the best in the world again.
But in 2018 Woods turned things around, starting with a top 5 in the British Open followed by a remarkable a 2nd place finish in the USPGA, 16 months since his arrest for a DUI, Tiger rapidly moved from 656 in the world to 13 in the world inside 1 season.
What happened in 2018/19 is billed as one of the greatest comebacks in sports. Tiger made another ripping start to 2019 season, and another major was the one millions of golf fans around the world wanted him to win. Tiger answered their prayers with a master class in golf at the 2019 Masters and won it. With his latest title Tiger Woods claimed his 15th major title, ending an 11-year drought since his last championship.
Tennis – The Big 3
If you were told 20 years ago that 3 people would dominate mens tennis for the 2 decades you would brush it aside as impossible. Well it’s not impossible as 3 men – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, between them, they have more or less completely dominated mens tennis over the past 20 years.
Some great sporing moments from 2019
Just look at the stats here, the big 3 have won the last 12 majors in a row and they are all 32 +. But the shining statistic is this – Federer (38), Nadal (33) and Djokovic (32) have won an and an incredible 55 of the 66 majors since the 2003.
Since Wimbledon 2003, only 11 of 66 majors have been won by men not named Federer, Nadal or Djokovic. Of those 11, Murray and Wawrinka account for six.
2014 World Cup Final Germany V Brazil
Usually a world cup final is a pretty special occasion where billions of fans across the world tune in to the end of a nail biting journey. Then the 2 survivors and strongest teams in the world battle it out in the World Cup Final. But the 2014 turned into an utter annihilation!
A massive world stage occasion began with an emotional Brazil who were reduced to a nightmare as Germany were 5-0 up inside 29 remarkable minutes. No-one suspected for a moment that a world cup final could end this way. Final score Germany 7, Brazil 1!
Leicester City win the Premier League
Rewind back to the 2015/16 season where Leicester City started the year as 5000/1 favourites. In the previous season they just made it through Premier League relegation and posed no threat whatsoever to the big boys. They had never won the title in their 132 year history but that was all about to unexpectedly change. 64 year old Italian coach Claudio Ranieri somehow transformed his team into champions while spending a fraction of what the big clubs were spending. In what is one of the greatest modern sports underdog stories, Leicester City they won the Premier League title in 96! They were such underdogs, that Gary Lineker vowed to present his show in his underwear if they were to win the Premier League – and he did.
Some other great sports underdog stories
Japan beat South Africa
Ask any rugby fan what their fondest memories are from the last 10 years, and we bet the 2014 Rugby World Cup pool B game between South Africa and Japan will be mentioned. South Africa were overwhelming favourites world champions in both 1995 and 2007. Japan had not won a World Cup game since 1991, so this was expected to be business as usual.
But then Japan stunned two-time champions South Africa to cause arguably the biggest upset in rugby union history. The final score Japan 34 – South Africa 32 would see a new giant emerge in world rugby and earn Japan millions of new fans around the world.
Have some memories from the last decade you’d like to share? Email us or comment below.
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