Category: General

Tennis was an amazing sport during the 1970’s. It was then when it became a mainstream sport as opposed to a sport for the privileged, especially in the United States. With players like Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and others, there were certainly loads of personalities that fuelled rivalries taking place off and on the court.

Since then, plenty of sensational players have come and gone, making it difficult to compare players from various eras as the fitness standards were different and the technology involved in tennis continues to get more advanced. Despite these challenges, we decided to compile a list of the greatest male tennis players in the history of the sport.

1. Roger Federer

It’s difficult not the choose Roger Federer as the greatest tennis player of all time. He has a total of 20 Grand Slam titles, and at the age of 37, he continues to win at the highest level. He spends 310 weeks as the number 1 player in the world which included 273 successive weeks between 2004 and 2008. He managed to win the Australian Open in 2018 and, in 2017, he won the Australian Open as well along with Wimbledon, making him the greatest of all time without a doubt.

2. Rafael Nadal

If it was not for wrist injuries and recurring problems with his knees, Rafael Nadal might have more Grand Slam titles to his name. At the age of 32, Nadal has a total of 17 Grand Slam titles and has the ability to catch Federer before he retires. Known as the King of Clay, Nadal managed to claim his 11th French Open title, proving himself as one of the greatest male tennis players in the world.

3. Novak Djokovic

Placing Djokovic on our list was an easy decision. However, deciding where to place him wasn’t as easy. He is only 31 years old which means he still has loads of tennis left in his career and the opportunity to claim more Grand Slam titles before he decides to retire. Although 2017 was not the best year in his career, Djokovic did manage to claim the French Open in 2016 and managed to win Wimbledon in 2018 after beating Nadal in the semi-finals.

4. Rod Laver

Rod Laver turned pro in 1962 and retired in 1979. He has a total of 200 career titles and 11 Grand Slam titles, including 4 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 2 French Open, and 3 Australian Open. He was also included in the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981. He is also the only player to win the Grand Slam twice, once as an amateur during 1962 and again in 1969 when he turned pro.

5. Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras turned pro in 1988 and retired in 2002. He has a total of 64 career titles along with 14 Grand Slam single titles, including 5 US Open, 7 Wimbledon, and 2 Australian Open. He was also included on the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.

Conor McGregor made his return to the octagon at UFC 229, but nothing went according to plan as he was submitted in an explosive encounter with Khabib Nurmagomedov in Las Vegas recently. McGregor returned after being away for almost two years but was completely outclassed by ‘The Eagle’, whose rear-naked choke on McGregor forced a submission during the fourth round of the fight.

The end result caused havoc at UFC 229 as Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage and caused a riot within the arena, while McGregor was attacked in the octagon as Nurmagomedov’s team members jumped over the octagon during the riot. The aftermath will certainly see fallouts on both sides where Nurmagomedov might be stripped of the lightweight title. Despite the devastating loss, McGregor continues to be a star attraction and has multiple options ahead of him. So what will McGregor do next?

Khabib Nurmagomedov

The riot that was caused by Nurmagomedov after the fight might preclude a rematch should the Nevada State Athletic Commission decide to come down hard on Khabib. McGregor is certainly keen on the idea after his tweet on Sunday stating that he is eager for a rematch.

Any rematch between these two fighters will undoubtedly be a very lucrative affair for all parties involved, but after the riot that took place this weekend, the UFC might be halted in their tracks. The fact that Nurmagomedov is still unbeaten also needs to be considered. So does McGregor actually deserve a rematch against the current champion?

Should McGregor want to continue fighting when it comes to the UFC, Tony Ferguson is the most logical choice to make. They both have a mutual dislike towards each other, but nothing close to the enmity between Nurmagomedov and McGregor. Ferguson has been eager to fight McGregor for a long time and is currently ranked second in the lightweight division. In addition, McGregor will earn himself the right to face Nurmagomedov again should he be able to defeat Ferguson.

Anderson Silva

McGregor was asked about any future opponents he would like to face prior to his fight against Nurmagomedov. Surprisingly, McGregor mentioned Silva who is considered the greatest fighter in the UFC of all time. Silva dominated the middleweight division between 2006 and 2013 and boasted with a 16 fight winning streak at one stage. However, Silva’s best days are behind him, and the discrepancy with weight between the two fighters will undoubtedly create a bout between them.

Retirement

This is probably even more unlikely than McGregor facing off against Anderson Silva. However, it should be an option for McGregor who is set for life financially after another extraordinary payday where he took home nine figures after being defeated by Nurmagomedov.

Why on earth should McGregor risk his health over the long term in a brutal sport that can cause instant irreversible damage? Well, there’s no denying that he loves the sport and that will surely keep him in the fighting game for many years to come.

Sports are enjoyed across the globe, whether it’s a career, hobby, or merely a fitness regime. Several sporting games have managed to grow exponentially in popularity along with a massive following around the world. Most of the sports listed below are included in the prestigious Olympic Games, allowing countries from across the globe to compete against each other. Each sport also generates billions in revenue, especially when it comes to developed countries. Below you will find the most popular sports from around the world.

1. Association Soccer (Football) – 4 Billion Fans

Association soccer, of football, is undoubtedly the most popular sports across the globe. It’s estimated that over half of the population in the world see themselves as association soccer fans. Association soccer has a following of more than 4 billion people which is remarkable on a global scale. Ancient soccer can be traced back to China during the 2nd century, while the Japanese, Greeks, and Romans can also be considered as the first countries to play the sport. Contemporary soccer started in England where it spread to other corners of the earth at a rapid pace.

2. Cricket – 2.5 Billion Fans

Cricket has an estimated global following of more than 2.5 billion fans and is primarily influenced by Commonwealth countries and the United Kingdom. The origins of cricket can be tracked back to the 16th century in England where it was eventually turned into a national sport during the 18th century. Cricket consists of two teams where each team has 11 players, and the main objective is to score more runs than the other team. Cricket is tremendously popular in British colonies, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

3. Field Hockey – 2 Billion Fans

Field hockey boasts with a global following of around 2 billion people and is extremely popular in Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Contemporary field hockey was initially played in England during the 1800’s and is very similar to soccer. However, players use hockey sticks to control the ball as oppose to their feet.

4. Tennis – 1 Billion Fans

With an estimated following of just over 1 billion fans, Tennis is believed to originate from the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. However, modern-day tennis was first played in France. Thereafter, it spread across Europe and then eventually across the globe. In tennis, two players will hit a ball over a net while using tennis rackets. You earn points when your opponent is unable to return the ball.

5. VolleyBall – 900 Million Fans

Volleyball is overwhelmingly popular in North America and Western Europe with an estimated following of around 900 million people. Volleyball was initially invented in the United States by William G. Morgan in the late 1800’s. Morgan was an instructor for the Young Men’s Christian Association and was influenced by baseball, handball, tennis, and basketball when he initially formed volleyball. Volleyball has evolved over the years and is now played with six players on either end of the net.