What an incredible year this was for sports fans and sports stars themselves. We saw Novak Djokovic rally from behind to shock Roger Federer to win the Wimbledon title, the NBA came to India with Sacramento Kings taking on the Indiana Pacers. From England winning the ICC Cricket World Cup, edging New Zealand on boundary count, to Megan Rapinoe making a name for herself as she led USA to their fourth FIFA Women's World Cup title and Lionel Messi bagging his 6th Ballon D'or trophy, there was drama, there were tears, there were cheers and there was disappointment in the year gone by.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
IMAGE: Renault's Daniel Ricciardo crashes at the start of the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia on March 17.
Photograph: James Ross/AAP/via Reuters
IMAGE: Ace Indian shuttler P V Sindhu became the first woman to do a sortie in the indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, at the Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru on February 23.
Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photos
IMAGE: England's Jos Buttler runs out New Zealand's Martin Guptill during the super over in the 2019 ICC World Cup final to win the title at Lord’s in London on July 14.
Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters
IMAGE: Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is struck on the helmet by a delivery from England's Jofra Archer on Day 5 of the 2nd Ashes Test at Lord's on August 18.
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
IMAGE: Belgium's Nafissatou Thiam competes in the Women's Long Jump during the Muller Birmingham Grand Prix & IAAF Diamond League event at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England August 18.
Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
IMAGE: Russia's Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov in action during the Exhibition Gala at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2019 Rostelecom Cup at Megasport Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia on November 17.
Photograph: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters
IMAGE: Belarus's Volha Mazuronak and Portugal's Salome Rocha beat the heat in the women's marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Doha on September 28.
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
IMAGE: USA's Megan Rapinoe celebrates scoring their first goal during the France vs United States game during the Women's World Cup quarter-final at Parc des Princes in Paris on June 28.
Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters
IMAGE: England's Ben Stokes celebrates on playing the winning shot to clinch the third Ashes Test against Australia, at Headingley, Leeds, on August 25.
Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
IMAGE: Liverpool's team bus travels past fans during their victory parade for the Champions League in Liverpool, Britain, on June 2.
Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
IMAGE: Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta argues as referee Stephanie Frappart shows him a yellow card during the UEFA Super Cup match against Liverpool at Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, on August 14.
Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters
IMAGE: England's Charlie Ewels in action with Wales' Aaron Shingler during the Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham Stadium in Twickenham, Britain, on August 11.
Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
IMAGE: India captain Virat Kohli leads his team out during the third ODI against Australia in Ranchi on Friday, March 8. The team sported military-style hats in the match as a tribute to Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama terrorist attack on February 14.
Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
IMAGE: USA's Tiger Woods celebrates on the 18th hole to win the 2019 Augusta Masters in Georgia, USA on April 14.
Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
IMAGE: FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi presents his sixth Ballon d'Or trophy to the supporters as his children Ciro Messi Roccuzzo, Thiago Messi Roccuzzo and Mateo Messi Roccuzzo look on, before their La Liga match against Real Mallorca at Camp Nou in Barcelona on December 7. Photograph:
Photograph: Alex Caparros/Getty Images.
IMAGE: Leicester City's Ben Chilwell heads towards goal as he is challenged by Tottenham Hotspur's Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen during their English Premier League match at Wembley Stadium in London on February 10.
Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
IMAGE: Yuwa-India's Neeta Kumari, Hema Kumari, Konika Kumari, and Radha Kumari pose after winning the Laureus Sport for Good award in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on February 18.
Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters.
IMAGE: Serena Williams and Andy Murray during their Wimbledon second-round mixed doubles match against Fabrice Martin and Raquel Atawo at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 9. They were knocked out in the third round after losing to Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar.
Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters.
IMAGE: USA's Cori Gauff celebrates winning her Wimbledon third round match against Slovenia's Polona Hercog at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 5.
Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters.
IMAGE: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni speaks to the umpires and Rajasthan Royals pacer Ben Stokes during an Indian Premier League match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur on April 11. Dhoni lost his cool on the cricket field for the very first time as he rushed into the field of play to confront Indian umpire Ulhas Gandhe for not signalling a no ball, an act which certainly seemed out of line, during the IPL match.
Photograph: BCCI.
