| Hot Dates | |
| Aabhas Sharma / New Delhi December 28, 2008, 0:01 IST | |
Watch out for these action packed sporting moments in 2009.
The year 2008 was a fantastic sporting year, with some great individual as well as team performances. If Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Abhinav Bindra made history in Beijing, then Rafael Nadal wrote his name in the tennis history books, in the process of knocking Roger Federer off his lofty perch.
Lewis Hamilton became the youngest champion in Formula 1 and Tiger Woods, although he spent half the season on the sidelines because of injury, still held on to his position of number-one golfer in the world.
As far as teams are concerned, India continued their glorious run of form, and climbed up the ladder in the world ranking of cricket. Spain won the Euro 2008, shedding the tag of “chokers”, while Manchester United stamped their class on the elite of European football.
The events of 2008 have set us up for an even more exciting 2009. Will Federer regain his touch and stop Nadal from adding more Grand Slams to his collection? Will Indian cricket see another year of great performances? Will Hamilton successfully defend his title or will Ferrari force another turnaround? Here are some of the main sporting events to watch out for in 2009.
TENNIS
The competition in men’s tennis has never been so intense in the last few years. Whereas Nadal and Federer remain the men to beat, the likes of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko will be out to prove that they too can win a slam or two. Starting with the Australian Open in January, where Djokovic is the defending champion, expect fast-paced action throughout the year.
The French Open at Roland Garros, which is Nadal’s second home, gets underway in May and this will be the one which Federer wants the most. Expect another intriguing chapter in the intense rivalry between the top two. Federer will want to show the world that last year’s Wimbledon loss was a blip and that he still remains the king of grass. June should be extra hot, with things intensifying at SW19.
CRICKET
With the Indo-Pak series being cancelled due to security (or political?) reasons, the biggest series has to be the Ashes, to be played in the summer of 2009. Australia seem to be in a slump, whereas England have been doing well (barring the loss to India). The painful memories of losing the last Ashes 5-0 would be fresh in the minds of English players as well as fans.
Although the West Indies might be in free fall, they still are a formidable opposition at home. India’s biggest challenge this year will be the tour to the Caribbean in June 2009, along with the tour of New Zealand in March. India will also be looking to defend their title in the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in September 2009 in England. Will Dhoni’s boys work their magic again?
FOOTBALL
The Confederations Cup in July will see heavyweights like Spain, Italy and Brazil, along with hosts South Africa, vying for the top prize. Apart from that, there is the Champions League final to be held in May in Rome.
MOTORSPORTS
With the global financial crunch hitting motorsports, it will be interesting to see how the major teams cope with the sudden funds squeeze. The F1 season begins on March 29 in Australia and ends in November at Abu Dhabi, which is also the latest venue to host a grand prix event. Lewis Hamilton will have to do a lot more than he did in the last season to defend his crown, which he managed to win after a nerve-wracking season finale.
GOLF
Jeev Milkha Singh has had a great 2008, and lists a win on the USPGA tour as a top priority. He should have plenty of opportunities to do that if he keeps up his form, starting with the first Masters event in February 2009. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods will look to bounce back from his injury and assert his authority on the course.
OTHERS
The Indian boxers will be looking to continue their impressive run at the World Amateur Boxing Championship, to be held in August in Milan. The swimmers will participate in the World Aquatic Championships in Rome during July and August. Come August, India’s top athletes will be looking to make a name for themselves at the World Athletics Championships, to be held in Berlin.
All this and much more is promised in 2009. We hope the new year brings lots of pulsating action, drama, excitement and fun along with it!
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