King of the hill: Ronnie O’Sullivan

2009 World Snooker Rankings is a snapshot of the very best the sport has to offer. The Essex born Ronnie Sullivan finished the 2008/2009 season as the highest ranked pool player on the back of his fantastic start to the year, which sadly tapered off. Having won several snooker championships, including the Northern Ireland Trophy 2008, his bad form later in the year, culminating in a shock loss to Ricky Walden, upset O’Sullivan. With that behind him, the Ronnie O’Sullivan of old looked to be back in in claiming the 2009 Shanghai Masters.

The contender: Stephen Maguire

The 28-year old Stephen Maguire who turned pro at the young age of 17 had a decidedly awful 2009. Having leaped to second place in 2008, he was allowed to retain his second place spot on the 2009 World Snooker Ranking as a result of reaching the quarterfinals in six major snooker championships. But, not reaching a single final all season has weighed heavy on him and could crush his confidence if he doesn’t find form soon.

The rest

Shaun Murphy, John Higgins and Allister Carter round off the top five, with Murphy, Maguire and O’Sullivan making nearly £650,000 in prize tour money from snooker championships the season before.

As for would-be part-time pool hustlers playing for less, to get to this level, one needs to practice constantly. The kind of practice that would require one owned a pool table or snooker table, with the appropriate props and adequate competition. It’s a completely different league of ability at the top of the 2009 World Snooker Rankings.

Massive public investment

Guests can expect a unique blend of African hospitality and western modernity and comfort. The country, and its major host cities Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban have in recent years undertaken the massive task of upgrading facilities, stadiums and transport systems to accommodate the influx of an expected 500 000 foreign visitors over the six week tournament. New stadiums, purpose built for the 2010 Football World Cup have been built – Soccer City in Johannesburg inspired by the bowl-shape of the African calabash will host the final and 94,700 fans on the 11 July.

Cape Town, widely believed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, has a spectacular addition in the Cape Town (Green Point) stadium. This modern and sleek European based ‘canvas-facade’ sealed 70,000 seater would be equally at home in major European city. Guests based in the southern tip of the country will be able to catch the on-field action all the way up to the semi-final draw. Despite being winter, over the interior of the country the weather will be fine and dry, so be sure to bring sunglasses and sunscreen if you’re making your way south for the Cup.

Culture and comfort combined

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) has ensured the public and foreign partners that every measure will be taken to ensure a successful and enjoyable 2010 World Cup tournament. Transport links from airports, and within the city, will ferry players, teams and guests to the matches. Parks for fans will be in place to bring the action to thousands of fans via giant screen TVs.

Host cities throughout the country have also gone through a tremendous process of maintenance, upgrading and preparation of public areas, amenities and facilities. Many South Africans are leasing their properties, apartments and villas to guests, with services and travel arrangements all inclusive in these hospitality packages over the tournament. Prices for these packages range from the affordable to luxurious. Owners asking as much as £22 000 a week for penthouse arrangements in the exclusive suburbs of Camps Bay, Clifton and Sandton.

Exciting soccer action

The World Cup 2010 action promises to be as exciting as ever, with relative minnows taking on the giants off the football world. Favourites include Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany – support your team all the way to the final! The big question is, can the local side Bafana Bafana, led by coach Carlos Parreira, stage a near miraculous effort and go well past the group stages. With the support of the local fans, as passionate as any of the dominant football playing nations of the world surprise results could be on the cards. Surely this African spectacle will prove to be a melting pot of passion, culture and celebration. Viva Africa! Viva 2010!

What to look out for this year

Sport stars are busy this year, travelling all around the world to compete in many events, some of which stand out a bit more than others, like the football World Cup hosted in South Africa. Kicking off on 11 June with a match between the host nation and Mexico (England take on America the following day), the event is set to be one of the highlights of the 2010 schedule especially when it comes to global sports.

Though football has naughty sports stars, it seems the more gentlemanly game of golf has started to acquire its own bad boy in Tiger Woods. All eyes will be on Tiger Woods’ swing – on the golf course of course, not at the parties, because all signs show he’s back on his game. It’s a big year for golf with: The Masters Cup in Augusta in April; The Players Championship in Sawgrass in May; The US Open in Pebble Beach; The British Open in St. Andrews in July; The PGA Championship at Whistle Straights in August; The Fed Ex Cup playoffs in August and of course the much anticipated Ryder’s Cup in October.

This year’s BT Paralympic World Cup in May has introduced a new sport to its predominantly swimming, wheelchair, basketball and athletic disciplines. This year 7-a side football will also be on the cards at the event taking place at Manchester Regional Arena and Manchester Aquatic Centre.

Then on top of that there’s the Cricket World twenty20 among others, Champion’s League football, the Common Wealth games in New Dehli, India, and the WBC super middle weight title fight between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler with plenty more.

The Fifa World Cup – South Africa

One of the most important sporting events of the year, the Fifa World Cup, might turn out to be the highlight of 2010 summer sport with host country South Africa pulling out all the stops to host a sporting spectacle. For the first time ever, the cry of the vuvuzela (noise-making trumpet) will punctuate the action. Brazil, the most successful World Cup team ever, along with Germany, Spain, Italy and a very hungry Egypt are the teams to watch. The Fifa World Cup kicks off on 11 June. While you wait for the action, why not entertain yourself with the PS3’s Fifa World Cup 2010 game?

The Tour de France

The best cyclists in the world will be getting on their bikes for the Grand Deport in Rotterdam at the beginning of July this year. This, the 97^th Tour de France, will cover almost 2,300 miles over 20 stages. The treacherous le Tourmalet will be climbed twice, and some of the highest mountain passes ever will be scaled this year. The man to watch is Lance Armstrong, who is confident that he will win his eighth title. The Tour de France starts on Saturday 3 July.

Wimbledon

What is summer sport without champagne, strawberries and Wimbledon? From Monday 21 June to Sunday 4 July, all eyes will be on Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, key contenders for the title. Nadal, who won his first Wimbledon title last year, went on to become the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open, as well as being the first player since Andre Agassi to secure majors on three surfaces. And the player he defeated last year, Roger Federer, currently ranked number two in the world, will be doing his best to make a comeback.

And if these summer sports highlights aren’t enough for you, don’t miss the UEFA Champions League final on 22 May, the Monaco Grand Prix on 23 May, and the much anticipated one day cricket international between England and Australia at Lords on 3 July.

Cheering for victory

England Captain Johnny Wilkinson has a lot to prove after his gut wrenching defeat at Muarrayfield two years ago. England fans, however, are supportive, and will be cheering for the team to lead in victory against their opponents at the finals.

For every fan

To make sure that English rugby fans remain happy, upbeat and positive, there are a few essentials for every English rugby fan.

Finding a place to relax and get together with people who are as fanatic about the game as you are is important. Whether it is at a house, a pub, or if you have been lucky enough to have scored tickets to a match, being with like minded people makes all the difference in the world.

Rugby fans travelling abroad may need to brush up on their foreign language skills, as well as their knowledge of cultures and customs of the countries they will be visiting. And if you are one of the lucky ones watching the game abroad, be sure to get hold of some rugby gear to let your team know you’re rooting for them.

On the web

For die-hard rugby fans who are following more than the Six Nations Tournament, but don’t have to time to catch all the games, websites like SCRUM .com keep score of all the matches, so rugby fans can have their finger on the pulse, no matter which team is playing on either side of the globe.

Six Nations Rugby tickets are selling fast, so be sure to get yours for the final game as soon as possible.

8 April – 11 April

Tee-off is scheduled for 8 April, with the final hole being played on 11 April. The 2010 US Masters is the first major in the 2010 PGA tour and, as such, often carries the weight and excitement of months of speculation in the lead up to the tournament.

The Tiger Woods factor

Though many would like to draw attention away from it, it is rumoured that the 2010 US Masters will be the first major tournament the returning Tiger Woods will play in since his highly publicised personal scandal. The player, who had taken an indefinite leave of absence from golf, seems to have put his worries behind him and, if he does compete, will surely be the bookie’s favourite to win the tournament. Outside of just Tiger, major sponsor Nike will see first-hand if their decision to keep Tiger Woods, while other sponsors like Gillette dropped him, pays off.

A place for records

The 2010 US Masters will have a tough time following the record-breaking act last year’s Masters resulted in. The final hole, contested between Argentine Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry saw Perry all but throw away a sure lead with a double bogey and Cabrera needed the assistance of a tree to stay in contention.

In victory, Cabrera became the lowest ranking player to ever win a major, only the second Argentine to win any major, and the very first Argentinean player to win one of the biggest accolades in all of Golf – the US Open.

The 2010 US Masters, the official ‘major’ curtain raiser to the 2010 PGA Tour, starts 8 April 2010.?

Rooney grabbed headlines after coming on as a forty second minute substitute for Michael Owen, who was benched due to a hamstring injury that has bothered him throughout his career.

Next up: UEFA

Now that the Carling Cup is over, Football fans will have to find ways to pass the time before the next big championship match, the UEFA Championship Football League, starts later on this year. Luckily there are plenty of ways to keep eager football fans occupied until kick-off.

In the meantime…

For starters, fans can keep their heads in the game and their minds active by turning on that game console that has probably been sitting in the corner, collecting dust while the Carling Cup has been on. Popping in one of the many football games that are out there may just be the fix that football fans need.

Getting a bunch of friends together for a friendly football match, or joining a football club, is a great way to stay in touch with the game. Kicking a ball around with mates after work is an easy and fun way to relax, de-stress and get some exercise.

After all that exercise, why not pop down to your nearest local and have a pint or two with some friends. If you’re really fiending for more football then take part in a football quiz night, or visit the National Football Museum.

By the time the next Championship Football League starts again fans will surely have their fingers on the football pulse.

Motorsport maestro revealed

Jenson Button’s inaugural Formula One title came as a surprise to the racing world. Button, seen as an outsider for the title spot at the start of the season, seized the podium an astonishing six times in the first seven championship races. The technical prowess of his Brawn team certainly aided the British driver and it was this advantage that proved to be decisive throughout the season.

Consistence was essential, and throughout the season the steely competitor captured key points as the title race developed. The Constructers Championship Title was added to his individual triumph but, could not stop Button’s move to McLaren at the end of the year. As his performances proved, this young man is willing to experiment in his quest for further F1 glory.

Sports moments of 2009 – highlighting some of the best action

UEFA Cup glory

The football field delivered up its fair share of ups and downs, but the prestigious UEFA Champions League once again topped its rivals in bringing together the best clubs, footballers and match ups in world soccer to produce classic sports moments.

The 2009 Final was no exception, with a build-up as memorable as any other, Manchester United and Barcelona having battled their way to the deciding round. Barcelona beat Chelsea, firm favourites, in their semi-final tie. Barcelona in the end just had too much star power for United in Rome, Lionel Messi being instrumental in their 2-0 victory.

Marathon match on grass

Wimbledon was stage for one of the most closely fought tennis matches of the last decade. Once again Roger Federer was present, his opponent hard-working Andy Roddick. 2009 proved to be the year Federer reasserted his dominance at the top of the WTA after briefly losing his number one spot to Rafael Nadal the previous season. A marathon battle ensued, with Roddick pushing Federer to the end. The match ended in the fifth set, with Federer edging ahead 16-14. A record fifteenth Grand Slam for Federer added to his French Open title earlier in the season.

100m star smashes world record

Our top spot goes to an unlikely disciple – athletics and the sprinting magic of Jamaican born Usain Bolt. Now a household name after the Beijing Olympics, Bolt went one step further at the twelfth World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The young man secured his place in both the 100m and 200m finals and produced a perfect performance to beat the best line up in sprinting with ease. Sheer sprinting elegance put him metres ahead of rival Tyson Gay and under the world record mark by 0.11 seconds, running a phenomenal 9.58 seconds in the 100m.

2010 promises to be just as exciting for sports fans as 2009 was, with loads of exciting sports moments. Events to look forward to this summer include Wimbledon, the Commonwealth Games in India, The Formula One Grand Prix and, of course, the Fifa world cup in South Africa.

Grand National Tip 1: Research

Number one in this list of Grand National 2010 race tips is to make sure you research your horses thoroughly and only bet what you can. Thorough research always reveals trends that indicate which horses to put your money on, and not spending more than you can means you get to enjoy a great race regardless of the outcome.

Grand National Tip 2: Age

One of the most obvious, yet often overlooked, Grand National 2010 tips is to look at the age of the horse. The average Grand National Winner is between 8-12 years old, with the highest concentration in the last 20 years being between 9 and 11 years of age. To emphasis just how important this criterion is, the last time a 7 or 13-year old horse won the Grand National was in 1940.

Grand National Tip 3: The horses

The last of the Grand National 2010 race tips is to bet on capable horses. Based on recent form, both in the Grand National and in other high profile races, a small subset of horses have emerged as favourites to make it happen. Black Apachali had been looking a sure thing for years, had it not been for accidently unseating its rider in 2009 and falling in 2008. 2008 winner and 2009 runner-up Comply Or Die has shown enough consistency that ruling him out would be foolish. And finally, defending champion Mon Mome who made a great account of himself at odds of 100-1 last year looks to prove that victory was no fluke.

Fun for all

The Grand National is as big of a deal for equestrian manufacturers as it is for bookies and racegoers and, as is usually the case at these events, major brands will use the Grand National as a platform to promote their saddlery and riding equipment.

Adding the three horses selected based on tip three to the two or three horses selected based on tip one will put you in good stead to prove the naysayers wrong by showing Grand National can be predicted, and big winnings can be had, too.

The sixteen time Grand Slam tennis champion is known for his breakthrough and dominance, and says he is happy to have started the year on such a positive note. His win seems to have paved the way for the next set of challenges he will be facing in 2010.

Number one

Ranking as the tennis world’s number one player certainly has its perks, and as far as endorsement deals go, Federer seems to have struck the right chord with big names such as Gillette, Lindt, Rolex, Nike and Wilson to name a few.

So what makes a world number one tennis pro? For a start, the right shoes can make all the difference. Federer has a lucrative ten -ear endorsement deal with Nike, and wears the Vapor V Tennis shoe when he’s on the court. As for tennis rackets, the Grand Slam tennis champion uses a Wilson K Factor KSix One Tour Tennis Racket when he beats and dominates his opponents.

Down time

Down time is an important factor for the tennis pro, and when he isn’t training or participating in championship tennis tournaments he takes time out to relax with his wife and two daughters. And believe it or not, he enjoys playing sports other than tennis, including golf and football.

Hard work and intense training factor into Federer’s success in the world of championship tennis, but he has been known to carry a good luck charm with him in the form of a tweety bird dressed as a ladybug. Hey, if it works for one of the greatest tennis players of all time, it could work for your everyday tennis player, dreaming of making it in the big leagues one day.