2012 was a high point for widespread British sporting
success. 2013 is not shaping up too shabbily either. The Lions, Murray, Froome,
the Ashes, Justin Rose. Hamilton got in on the act on Sunday at the
Hungaroring.
Andy Murray has not been doing too badly lately. 2012
Wimbledon runner-up. Olympics singles gold, & mixed doubles silver. US Open
champ. Runner-up Australian Open 2013, & now Wimbledon champ. Famously the
gap since Perry won was 77 years. There aren’t many title droughts in sports to
beat that. Two of the longest are in baseball: the Chicago Cubs haven’t won the
world series since 1908, & it took the Red Sox 86 years to lift the so-called
‘curse of the Bambino’.
It pains me to say it, but with recent results Federer looks finished as force as the top level. He
has lost to players ranked outside the top 50 in three straight events. It’s even
possible, if his current poor from continues, that he may not qualify for the year-end top eight
finals.
Chris Froome dominated the Tour de France. Only on the last
Alpine stage did he concede time to his major rivals. His Sky team slowed up behind
the peloton on the Champs Elysees to cross the line together, losing 40
seconds, otherwise his margin of victory would have exceeded five minutes.
Froome showed his class both in the time trials and the mountains.
After three rounds at the Open an Englishman topped the
leaderboard, but a certain Californian lefty claimed the claret jug. Mickelson
has never been ranked world no. 1, but that’s due to playing in the same era as
Tiger Woods, having been in the year-end 2nd spot four times.
Performance of the Month
Harsh not to give it to Murray for ending that long wait,
but Froome shades it.
Honourable mention:
The Lions for that rare series win.
The Lions for that rare series win.
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