Rule Britannia

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 2^nd 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 Wonder of Wiggo

Wimbledon

When Djokovic & Nadal were hoovering up all the major titles, I & many experts, thought Federer might not win another Slam. However, since losing in the US Open his form has been unmatched, winning eight titles. In the semi he overturned a three-match losing streak against Djokovic, & in the final showed touches of genius to thwart Murray. He regained the world no. 1 ranking from the young bucks to boot, at the age of 30.

Serena Williams is of similar vintage to Federer, but was even more dominant, proving to be a class apart on the SW19 grass. Her serve in particular was awesome over the fortnight with 90 aces.

Wiggins

Five years ago, the prospects of a Brit winning Le Tour looked remote. A British one-two GC finish, let alone a Brit winner, is totally staggering. Wiggins went in as the favourite having done the unique treble of the Dauphine, Paris-Nice & the Tour of Romandie. When he took an early lead, I feared the commentators were giving him the kiss of death by anointing him as the champion-elect, but the strength in depth of team Sky was a major factor in allowing him to keep control. On two of the mountain stages it appeared that Chris Froome could have taken some serious time out of his team-mate, but Froome responded to team orders to wait for his team leader. Wiggins, though, was the clearly the best time time triallist by some distance.

July Performance of the Month

I decided on this before the Olympics.

It’s not often that Federer is relegated to second place, but I have to give it Wiggins as he sustained his excellence over three gruelling weeks.

Next month

Tune in for the next enthralling instalment- Olympic review.