For the last few weeks, the nation has been transfixed on the happenings of the Love Island villa. With re-couplings and love triangles all over the place, viewers are watching closely as couples compete for the 50k prize. Who will make it to the end and who will grow apart?
For the last few weeks, the nation has been transfixed on the happenings of the Love Island villa. With re-couplings and love triangles all over the place, viewers are watching closely as couples compete for the 50k prize. Who will make it to the end and who will grow apart?
As Iain Stirling famously says, “we’re in for a long hot summer.”
Whilst the country is focused on their favourite couple, here at Rayburn Tours we’re more focused on our favourite sporting duos. So whilst things get steamy in the villa, we thought we’d share our favourite sporting partnerships.
Take a look at our hot double acts below…
Andy Murray and Serena Williams
Sadly for Andy and Serena, their time in Wimbledon was cut short. The star duo were knocked out against top seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar. However, they still managed to spice things up on court, with glimpses of brilliance from both parties. Murray and Williams were a power-couple on court, owning 26 grand slam titles between them. They managed to put on a show but when they reached the round of 16, the love story was unfortunately over.
Interestingly, Serena believed her partnership with Andy was a key factor in helping her reach the women’s singles final against Simona Halep, helping her to develop the weak points in her game:
“I promise you, when I hit a volley I was like, ‘Would I have made that if I didn’t play doubles?’ I don’t think so.”
Will they re-ignite their partnership next year? Only time will tell.
Mike Tyson and Cus D’Amato
Tying down Mike Tyson was no easy task, but Cus D’Amato managed to have that magic touch. Helping him leave his troubled past behind, Cus coached Mike in his younger years before he went on to become the youngest heavyweight champion ever.
It was common knowledge in the boxing world that once D’Amato passed away, Mike’s decline soon followed. After losing his father figure, his loyalty to trainers thereafter just wasn’t the same. Gradually he became complacent, which led to his shock loss against James Douglas in 1990.
A few years later, Tyson fought Razer Ruddock, and his Cus D’Amato-acquired skills had officially left him. He became sloppy and a mental decline soon followed with him spending 4 years in prison, along with many other highly-publicised incidents.
Following his career of highs and lows, he later admitted that his career ended in 1990, despite fighting until 2005.
Torvill and Dean
Competing in the Olympics as well as conquering the entertainment industry with their passion for ice skating, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have been inseparable since the early 1980s. The younger ones amongst us may know them from Dancing on Ice, but the pair were at the top of their professional game for over a decade. They competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics, winning gold with twelve perfect 6.0s and six 5.9s.
The pair also won the World Figure Skating Championships and the European’s on 4 separate occasions, in addition to 7 golds at the British Championships. After a break from the professional scene, they later returned to the Olympics in 1994 where they took bronze. They hung up their skates 4 years later.
Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole
Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were arguably the most lethal strike partnership between the late 90s and early 2000s. Their brilliance played a big part in Manchester United’s standout season in 1998/99 with their telepathic connection making it almost impossible to play against them.
Their relationship on the pitch occurred by pure accident as Dwight Yorke was merely a backup option for Sir Alex Ferguson, before he forced his way into the squad in 1998.
After the incredible success they had during their time at Manchester United, a few clubs tried to re-ignite the flame they once had in the red shirt. They joined forces again at both Birmingham and Sunderland, but things were never the same.
So there you have it – some of our top sporting double acts from recent (and not so recent times). While you’re engrossed in this evening’s gossip and drama from the Love Island villa, spare a thought for these guys who were once the hottest couples in sporting history, despite conquering their respective sports.