Andy Murray won Wimbledon, retained Olympic gold at Rio and ended the year as world No. 1 -- but the Scot was not the only reason why 2016 was such a remarkable year for British tennis.Heres a look at some of the highlights...Konta cracks top 10For the first time in 32 years, Britain has a player in the top 10 of the womens world rankings.Jo Kontas rise has been nothing less than extraordinary -- consider how, as recently as June 2015, she was outside the top 150.At this years Australian Open she became the first British woman to appear in the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament since Jo Durie in 1983. Durie was also the last British female to be in the top 10, way back in 1984.Murray the elder leads the wayJamie Murrays new partnership with Brazils Bruno Soares has brought him the most successful year of his career.After winning a first mens doubles Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, he snaffled a second at the US Open.In between, he became the first Briton -- getting there before his younger brother -- to hold the No. 1 ranking for singles or doubles.With Andy following suit later in the year, the Murray brothers have now achieved something that eluded even the great John and Patrick McEnroe. Never before have two brothers been simultaneously at the top of the singles and doubles team rankings.Willbomb shocks WimbledonIn which other year has a British qualifier ranked No. 661 sent the most perfect lob over Roger Federers head on Centre Court?This years Wimbledon Championships will long be remembered for the improbable tale of Marcus Willis.The 26-year-old from Slough became the lowest-ranked qualifier to reach the second round at a Grand Slam since the 1988 US Open.What a turnaround for a man who once refuelled during changeovers with chocolate bars and cans of cola.?Evans goes toe-to-toe with Federer & WawrinkaDan Evans, once known as the rascal of British tennis, had the greatest season of his career with his ranking peaking at No. 53.It took Roger Federer to stop him at Wimbledon, in the third round, after Evans knocked out 30th seed Alexandr Dolgopolov along the way.At the US Open, and again in the third round, Evans had a point to beat Stan Wawrinka, who would not only salvage that but go all the way to winning the title.Edmund rises to the challengeAny 21-year-old who breaks into the top 40 -- as Kyle Edmund did this season -- is doing something right.As well as prospering on the circuit -- with a highlight being a run to the fourth round of the US Open, beating Richard Gasquet and John Isner along the way -- Edmund also played some fine tennis in Britains Davis Cup quarterfinal against Serbia in Belgrade.The tie was played just days after Andy Murray won Wimbledon and both he and Novak Djokovic sat it out, leaving Edmund to take centre stage by winning two singles rubbers.That took Britain, the defending Davis Cup champions, into a semifinal against Argentina in Glasgow. But unfortunately that was where the run ended, with Murrays epic against Juan Martin Del Potro a stirring way to lose grip of the trophy.Watson adds to the mixHeather Watsons victory in Wimbledons mixed doubles tournament -- in partnership with Finlands Henri Kontinen -- made her the first British woman to score a title on those lawns since Durie won the same trophy with compatriot Jeremy Bates in 1987.However, Watson did not perform as well as she would have liked in the singles, crashing out in the first round at three of the four Grand Slams in 2016.?... And then there was Andy, of courseAndy Murray achieved the unthinkable on Centre Court this year -- he ripped most of the stress and drama out of a Wimbledon final.If Murrays 2013 triumph was historic -- ending as it did a 77-year wait for a British male to win the nations most treasured tennis event -- it was also a match of great angst and tension capped by an epic final game where Murray had to save breakpoints against Novak Djokovic.Had he lost any one of those, Murrays afternoon -- and possibly career -- would have been flipped on its head.Its true that both the 2013 and 2016 finals were straight-sets victories for Murray. But it is there the similarities end.This years title-match, against Milos Raonic, was a one-sided affair -- It never looked as though Murray would lose. There was hardly even the smallest of kink in the narrative. Such was Murrays class as he won his third Grand Slam, and his first for three years.?Then it was on to Rio. While some tennis players are ambivalent about the Olympics, Andy Murray most definitely isnt.With his gold medal in Brazil -- captured after a brutal, four-hour victory over Juan Martin del Potro -- he became the first player in history to retain an Olympic singles title.How dearly Federer would like a singles gold medal, and Djokovic, too. Murray now has a couple of them. But here is the surest sign of Murrays resilience and determination -- that seven years passed between first becoming the world No. 2 and when ascending to the No. 1 ranking. Thats a record.At 29, Murray was also the oldest first-time No. 1 since 1974 (so the oldest of his lifetime).After all those years of trailing Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, Murray finally had true alpha status.Since the official rankings were introduced in 1973, only a very select group of men have held that status, with Murray only the 26th. And then his victory over Djokovic in London in November brought him membership of an even more elite club.For the first time in the history of the ATP World Tour Finals, the title-match determined who would end the year as the World No. 1.So, with his victory, Murray not only won the season finale for the first time but also became only the 17th different man to finish a season at the top of the standings. Cheapest Air Max.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Nike Basketball Shoes Store. Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. http://www.cheapestairmaxstore.com/fake-air-max-tn-cheap.html. "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Fake Yeezy 700 Store. -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Nike Cortez Store. Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Danny Duffy has gone from starting the season in the Kansas City Royals bullpen to leading the American League with a 2.82 ERA.Duffy pitched his first complete game to win his eighth straight decision, Cheslor Cuthbert had two hits and drove in a run and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Thursday night.Duffy (9-1) limited the White Sox to seven singles, struck out six and walked none. The left-hander has not lost since June 6 and has a 1.73 ERA in his past five starts. Duffy threw 98 pitches, 71 for strikes.Im stoked, Duffy said on getting his first complete game. Ive gotten pretty close a couple of times this year. When I went eight (innings) the first time (teammate Kris) Medlen told me, `You should expect that every night.This is a cool milestone. Im just worried about getting outs and keeping my team in the game.Duffy moved into the rotation on May 15 and has thrown eight or more innings in four starts.For him to get through nine innings under 100 pitches is just a phenomenal effort, Royals manager Ned Yost said.White Sox slugger Todd Frazier, who went 0 for 4 and struck out twice, said deception is what makes Duffy good.Deception on his off-speed pitches, Frazier said. It looks like fastballs and then, the last second, you see it and its already by you. He had me all day, just one of those games where he had me, not necessarily guessing but hes throwing one pitch somewhere I wasnt looking for, get the strike and the way it goes.Cuthbert, whose triple scored Jarrod Dyson in the sixth, is second among AL rookies with 93 hits, 24 multihit games and a .303 batting average. Dyson was initially called out trying to steal second, but the Royals appealed and the call was overturned.Cuthbert scored the go-ahead run on Eric Hosmers single off Carson Fulmer (0-2). Fulmer has an 8.47 ERA in eight relief appearances.Chicagos Jason Coats, recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Charlotte, singled home Tim Anderson with two outs in the second for his first major league RBI.White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez leftt after 21 pitches with a right groin strain.dddddddddddd After Salvador Perez fouled off a full-count pitch leading off the second, White Sox manager Robin Ventura and trainer Herm Schneider came to the mound and led Gonzalez off.Gonzalez may have to go on the disabled list.I had it last year, same thing, Gonazlez said. They put me on the DL for 15 days. I came back, I was fine. I was pitching good. Nothing different. It felt about the same as it did last year. So, Im not worried about it.MORALES DROPS APPEALRoyals DH Kendrys Morales served his one-game suspension after dropping his appeal. Morales was punished by Major League Baseball for returning to the field Aug. 2 in Tampa Bay in the ninth inning after being ejected.TO BE DETERMINEDThe Royals have not decided who will start Saturday against the Twins. RHP Dillon Gee was scheduled for that start but threw 32 pitches in two innings Wednesday in a 14-inning victory over the White Sox. While Yost said Gee is still in the mix to start, that it is more murky after having to use him for more than an inning Wednesday.VOTE OF CONFIDENCEVentura said he is sticking with David Robertson as his closer, although he blew saves in the first two games of this series and six this season. At some point its going to turn for me and hopefully Ill get on a roll, Robertson said. Right now Ive definitely been doing a poor job out there and I need to pick it up.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Wade Davis (flexor strain) threw 75 feet off a flat surface. Hes getting close, probably in the next day or so, Yost said of throwing off the mound.UP NEXTWhite Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon (2-8, 4.49) seeks his first road victory since April 13 at Miami. The Marlins will counter with RHP Andrew Cashner (4-8, 4.96).Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (7-9, 4.64), who beat Toronto on Sunday for his first win since June 17, will start Friday at Minnesota. The Twins will start RHP Kyle Gibson (4-6, 4.86). Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
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