Year of underdog comes to a close

The year 2015 has not witnessed any of the traditional global sporting events although that does not mean it has not been without drama.

Unfortunately, many of the headlines have been dominated by betrayal and outrageous corruption at FIFA combined with drug taking and cover-ups within athletics and their governing body, the IAAF.

In recent weeks GulfWeekly has covered the major upsets and falling of dynasties within various fight categories while also reviewing the meteoric rise of Leicester City combined with numerous other surprise results within the English Premier League.

Yet the past year has seen a number of other unbelievable results.

Serena Williams will look back at the year with pride and yet a sense, perhaps, of what might have been. In June she won Wimbledon to hold all four major titles concurrently, despite battling injury and illness. Remarkably, heading to her home Open in the US she had lost only two matches all year. Yet it was the third, in her 56th match, that will perhaps hurt the most as it prevented her from claiming the ‘calendar slam’. The fact that it came against the unheralded Italian, Roberta Vinci, ranked 16th in the world, was what caused the greatest surprise.

Another great tennis shock came when Great Britain claimed the Davis Cup for the first time in 79 years with the Murray brothers dominating the doubles arena to help the nation overcome the US and then Belgium in the final.

From a team perspective, the one result that still resonates came from the Rugby World Cup where novices, Japan, stunned one of the global heavyweights, South Africa, with a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

The final outcome in the World Cup was less surprising with the dominant All Blacks (New Zealand) demonstrating their exhilarating superiority over a resurgent yet tiring Australia.

The world’s most popular sport football, with an estimated 3.5 billion followers, aside from the scandal at the senior level, did its best to help bring wage equality between genders into the national consciousness in the US as their national women’s team claimed the World Cup in Canada.

Sport continually provides an opportunity for redemption, provided players and managers are given support. A year ago Barcelona was apparently in crisis with their manager, Luis Enrique, being hoisted onto the gallows by a blood-thirsty local media.

One year later and they claimed their fifth trophy of the year, the sometimes contentious World Club Cup, defeating the champions of South America, River Plate, 3-0 with contemptuous ease. In the process they notched their 176th goal of the year – a new club record – with a home game tonight against Real Betis providing them a chance to better their tally. The only trophy to elude them was the Super Cup where they were defeated by Atletico Bilbao.

At country-level, most of the focus has been on the qualification for next year’s European Championship with Wales and Northern Ireland finally reaching a major finals after 58 and 30 years, respectively.

Stateside, the American version of football was not without on-field controversy after the eventual winners of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the New England Patriots, were caught up in ‘deflate-gate’ after being accused of deliberately reducing the pressure of the balls (making them easier to grip) in their AFC Championship rout of the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback, Tom Brady, after originally being banned for four games by the league for being ‘generally aware’ won his appeal in court and was therefore able to take the field and are among the favourites to return to the Super Bowl next year.

One of the most dominant team performances of the year came in Formula 1 where Mercedes re-wrote the record books, performing even better than they did last year where they led the way.

In achieving 16 wins and 18 pole positions they equalled their records set last season, but set all-time records for 1-2 finishes (12), podium finishes (31), most points (703 – without double in the final race) and highest percentage of points in a season (37 per cent).

Despite their team dominance, the battle between the drivers was not as close with Lewis Hamilton improving his qualifying performance to provide a platform to win more races, only ‘lifting off’ after having clinched the title. Nico Rosberg was left to battle for second against a resurgent Sebastien Vettel whose Ferrari team made massive improvements after sacking two team bosses and one president.

Away from the top teams it was the ‘young guns’ at Torro Rosso that were most impressive, particularly the Flying Dutchman, Max Verstappen. Over at their ‘big brother’ team, Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo, who effectively ousted Vettel after out-driving him, had to watch the rear light of Daniil Kvyat whose strong finish to the season saw him claim the garage bragging rights.

In golf the past year will be seen as one where the batton – or possibly ‘broom handle’ - has been passed from one generation to the next. As Tiger Woods struggles to regain the form and fitness of his past it has been the younger generation that has dominated the Majors this season.

Jordan Spieth finished the season as the top-ranked player, accumulating five titles including the first two Majors of the season, while Jason Day claimed the last with a record-breaking 20-under-par at the PGA Championship in Wisconsin.

Rory McIlroy missed most of the season having ruptured ankle ligaments in a friendly game of football although demonstrated what might have been by claiming the Race to Dubai in comfortable fashion.

This year will be the last season in which it was possible to use the broom-handle putters as they will be outlawed with effect from New Year’s Day. Adam Scott was one of the highest-profile players to use the belly-anchored device although he jettisoned his in preparation for the next year and this coincided with a drop in his world ranking from 3rd to 12th.

The year will also be remembered for the ‘Fight of the Century’ when Floyd Mayweather maintained his 100 per cent record by defeating Manny Pacquiao although it failed to live up to its billing. The ‘moneymaker’ heads into retirement having set a record for the highest revenue generated in history.

He will be joined donning the metaphorical pipe and slippers by NBA star, Kobe Bryant, Nascar driver Jeff Gordon and champion jump jockey, AP McCoy.