The Final Score's top 10 stories of 2010
10. The Wimbledon match that wouldn’t end
John Isner (pictured) and Nicolas Mahut began the fifth set of their first-round match at Wimbledon on June 22. Two days and 138 games later, they finished it. Isner, a 6-foot-9 American, won the longest match in the history of professional tennis, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68, but not before playing for 11 hours and five minutes over three days, smashing the previous record by more than four hours. Not surprisingly, an exhausted Isner lost his next match in straight sets. Check out more of the best of 2010
9. Jimmie Johnson wins fifth straight NASCAR title
Unloved by most of his sport’s fans, Johnson at least earned more of their respect with yet another championship, this time in come-from-behind fashion. He wasn’t as dominant as in past years, but Johnson still won six races and passed Denny Hamlin in the final Chase race to continue his unprecedented string of NASCAR crowns.
8 Lakers beat Celtics for back-to-back titles
The two most storied and successful franchises in NBA history staged a classic seven-game series that will be long remembered by fans of both teams. With Kobe Bryant misfiring all night, the Lakers fell behind by 13 points in the third quarter. But the Celtics tired and L.A. got a big boost from Ron Artest to take the lead and eventually claim its 16th championship, one fewer than Boston.
7 Landon Donovan’s clutch World Cup goal
American soccer was on the brink of another World Cup failure. Needing a win over Algeria to advance out of group play, the U.S. failed to score for 91 frustrating minutes before Donovan finished a desperate counterattack with a stab into the net in extra time. The team’s fighting spirit captured the country’s imagination before Ghana eliminated the USA in the next match, just like it had four years before.
6 Underdog Giants win World Series
Few experts were picking the Giants to go all the way when the playoffs began, which made sense looking at the ragtag San Francisco lineup. But the team’s deep pitching staff, anchored by Tim Lincecum, proved irresistible against the Braves, powerhouse Phillies and Rangers. And enough unlikely heroes emerged on offense, like castoff outfielder Cody Ross, to give the franchise its first title since moving from New York in 1957.
5 Roy Halladay’s playoff no-hitter
It’s rare for a perfect game not to be the highlight of a pitcher’s season. But that’s how good Halladay was in 2010. His flawless performance against the Marlins in May was topped by his eight-K, one-walk, no-hit effort against the Reds in his first playoff start. No one had thrown a postseason no-hitter since Don Larsen’s gem for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series.
4 LeBron’s “Decision”
The decision itself (“I’m taking my talents to South Beach”) was sure to upset fans in Cleveland. But the way LeBron went about it, with weeks of ego-stroking leading up to “The Decision” — his narcissistic one-hour special on ESPN — struck a nerve around the country. James went from well-liked to roundly loathed overnight and his Q rating has only gotten worse since.
3 Spain’s golden goal in World Cup final
Decades of underachievement and frustration in World Cups finally came to an end for “La Roja” in 2010. The world’s No. 1 team lived up to its billing with a succession of 1-0 victories in the knockout rounds, capped off by Andres Iniesta’s goal (pictured) in extra time against Netherlands in the final.
2 Armando Galarraga’s (almost) perfect game
The Tigers pitcher was robbed of the 21st perfect game in MLB history by umpire Jim Joyce’s (pictured, right) imperfect safe call with two outs in the ninth inning. But Galarraga’s graciousness and Joyce’s remorse in the aftermath turned the unfortunate occurrence into a heart-warming display of sportsmanship and a powerful lesson in forgiveness.
1 Tracy Porter’s Super Bowl-clinching interception
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