Top Sports Stories of 2008

2008 was a bittersweet year for New York sports. Early in the year, it saw the Giants make an incredible run in the playoffs, all the way to winning the Super Bowl in one of the NFL's biggest upsets. But 2008 also saw the final days of two stadiums, one more beloved than another, the rebuilding of the Knicks and Nets, playoff misses for both local baseball teams, the welcoming of a NFL great and several other compelling stories.

Federer and Serena Win Open Again Roger Federer didn't have the type of season he wanted. He lost in the Australian Open semifinals in January, then revealed he had been suffering from mononucleosis. At the French Open, the only Grand Slam he has not won, he was humiliated in the final by Rafael Nadal. At Wimbledon, where Federer had won five straight, he lost in the final to Nadal. It was small consolation to him that the match has been labeled the best ever. The No.1 ranking, Federer's since 2004, went to Nadal. But at the U.S. Open, glimpses of the old Federer returned. He wasn't the immovable force he had been in Flushing during tournaements in years past. He needed five sets to defeat Igor Andreev in the fourth round. A Saturday semifinal against Novak Djokovic brought out the best in the Swiss master, however. He won that match in four sets, watched as rain forced Andy Murray to finish his semifinal upset over Rafael Nadal on Sunday. Then he destroyed a tired and nervous Murray in a rare Monday final. Federer had his Grand Slam for 2008 and is now two away from breaking Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14. Serena Williams won the women's title over Jelena Jankovic. - Tom Boorstein (AP/Julie Jacobson)

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