Who's the greatest of them all? 2006 supplies the answers
(China Daily/Agencies)
Updated: 2005-12-31 07:37

The year will see the relentless march of two of sport's supremely gifted individuals bidding for the title of 'Best Ever.'

Roger Federer already has six Grand Slam titles to his name and is expected to comfortably pass Pete Sampras's record of 14.

His 11 tour titles in 2005 was matched only by Rafael Nadal and the muscular Spaniard is seen as the most likely member of a dwindling band to pose serious problems to the Swiss.

Only the elusive French Open stands in Federer's path to true greatness.

Like Federer, Tiger Woods anticipates another golden year after picking up the Masters and the British Open in 2005. They took his Majors total to 10 and only eight short of Jack Nicklaus' haul of 18.

Woods will have a pivotal role at the K Club in the Irish Republic in September when America tries to take back the Ryder Cup but the world number one has already hinted he prefers playing in the Presidents Cup because there is more sportsmanship.

With Lance Armstrong now retired after monopolising the Tour de France for seven years, it's expected that Jan Ullrich, the 1997 winner, and Ivan Basso, the Italian who has been third and second in the last two years, will challenge for the yellow jersey.

The 2006 Tour takes places from July 1-23 over a gruelling 3,600km.

Doha will welcome the Asian Games in December where millions of dollars of the country's oil and gas income has been lavished on infrastructure including the world's biggest covered sports dome, which measures a staggering 290,000 square-metres.

There is plenty more to whet the appetite in 2006.

Pakistan and India resume their cricket rivalry in February while Hurricane Run attempts racing immortality by trying to become only the second horse since Alleged in 1977/1978 to win successive Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

On the track, Michael Schumacher hopes to take back his Formula One world title from Fernando Alonso while, on two wheels, Valentino Rossi sights an incredible eighth world title.