Top 10 sportspeople of the 2000s: 1. Roger Federer
The number one sportsperson of the last ten years is none other than Swiss champion Roger Federer. It’s taken a lot of research and heated discussion amongst friends, but sportpunter believes that the Fed is well deserved of the number one position. Let me tell you why.
Roger Federer has won a record 15 Grand Slams, breaking the record of 14 held by Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2009. He is only one of six tennis players to achieve a career grand slam which is winning at least one of every major tennis tournament. He achieved this after winning the French Open this year. Federer and Agassi are the only two players to achieve this feat in the open era.
Since 2003 Federer has won at least one grand slam in every single year. He has reached the grand slam final 21 times, more than any other player, and is currently on a roll of reaching the semi-finals or better in his last 22 grand slams. That roll goes back to the Wimbledon in 2004. He has reached the final in 17 of the last 18 grand slams.
Federer is currently ranked number one in the world, and held that status for an all time record of 237 weeks from February 2004 to August 2008. Steffi Graf has the next longest streak with 186 consecutive weeks.
His record on the green top is spectacular. He equalled Bjorn Borg’s record of winning the most consecutive Wimbledon’s in the open era from 2003 to 2007. From 2002 to 2008 Federer did not lose a game in grass. Sixty-five matches in a row.
Along with the success comes the money and awards. He has made the most prize money than any other tennis player, and has been awarded the Laurens Sportsman of the year four times since the year 2000 (other winners were Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher twice, Lance Armstrong and Usain Bolt once).
Every one of his grand slam victories were in the last decade. Federer is, in sportpunter’s opinion, the best sportsperson in the last ten years. Who do you think was the best sportsperson this decade? Make your comments below.
The next article will be the people who missed out on the top then and why.
Check out Sportpunter’s tennis betting model and record here.
Previous Top 10 Sportspeople
2. Tiger Woods
10. Shaquille O’Neal
Great series of articles and a very worthy No.1. Feds record over the last six to seven years is truly astonishing and something most people now just take for granted. To stay injury free and compete in so many consecutive slams is remarkable at the level these guys play at and a real testament to his athleticism. Mentally I dont think he is as tough as Tiger, but then again who is.
As for Usain Bolt I can understand why he didnt make this list as he has really only “come alive” since Beijing. However had of someone said that five years ago that a human would run 9.59 for the 100 you would of been laughed out of the place. Phenomenal performance and maybe the single greatest sporting feat of the decade.
A couple who missed the list that have not had a mention ( just speculation of course) for me would be
Super Heavyweight Olympic Lifter Hossein Rezazadeh
Surfer Kelly Slater
Boxers Floyd Mayweather and The Pacman
UFC fighter Anderson Silva
Strong man Mariusz Pudzianowski ( bit left field that one!! )
All food for thought I guess
Any way thank you for a great series of articles.
Cheers
yep thats one of the reasons why I couldn’t fit Bolt in because I rated Kenenisa Bekele higher. The guy hasn’t lost a 10k run in 10 years and holds the 5k and 10k world record. Kelly slater was ranked #1 6 times in the 90s, but only 3 times in the 2000s.
I’ll have to look into the other ones.
Glad you liked it