A 44-year wait for a British women's Grand Slam singles champion ended with Emma Raducanu's remarkable run to win the US Open.

She was the first qualifier in the Open era to win a Grand Slam title, sealing victory with a straight-sets win over Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

Raducanu, then 18, did not drop a set in the tournament as she became the youngest women's Slam champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004.

In the summer, while awaiting her A-level results, the teenager had emerged as a star at Wimbledon, defying her ranking of 338 to reach the fourth round before retiring from her last-16 match after suffering breathing difficulties.

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Russell Fuller
Tennis correspondent

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Emma Raducanu spent the first three months of the year “staring at a wall for nine hours a day” revising for A-Levels.

The year is ending in similar fashion, with enforced quarantine in Abu Dhabi, but the 19 year old will not have any complaints about what she achieved in between.

Reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon on her Grand Slam debut was a significant achievement in its own right. But after touring some of the United States’ less glamorous tennis stadia in August, Raducanu became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam title by beating Leylah Fernandez in the US Open final in New York.

A message of congratulations from the Queen was waiting for her backstage at Flushing Meadows; and an invitation to the Met Gala was not far behind.

Raducanu won just two of the five matches she played after the US Open, but it was all valuable experience as she begins her WTA Tour education. And in that short period of time, she discovered just how much players now want to beat her.

OK, so imagine this. Having just completed your A-Levels, you reach the fourth round at Wimbledon in your first Grand Slam. Then, for good measure, you go and win the US Open in your second Grand Slam a couple of months later.

You'd call that a pretty good year, right?

"The standout boxer of his generation."

Here are a few highlights from Tyson Fury's year.

Unbeaten Fury gained a thrilling 11th-round win over American Deontay Wilder to retain his WBC title in Las Vegas in October.

He was twice knocked down himself in the fourth round before knocking out Wilder in a brutal contest to remain world champion.

It confirmed Fury's status as one of the great heavyweights and the dominant force in the trilogy against Wilder, with the first fight in 2018 finishing in a controversial draw, before the British boxer won their second outing in 2020.

The champion's father John later revealed Fury had undergone surgery on both elbows after suffering a serious injury before his second win over Wilder.

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He got knocked down. Twice.

But Tyson Fury would not be kept down in Las Vegas. Is he your BBC Sports Personality of the Year?

There's not too long to go now until the vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year opens, so make sure you're able to take part when it does.

You need to register for a BBC account beforehand, if you haven't already got one.

To do that, follow this link HERE to register.

Coral Barry
BBC Sport

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Boxing was back to its mercurial best in 2021. Large crowds, big upsets, huge knockouts and gold medals - what more could you want?

Team GB secured their best ever medal haul in boxing in Tokyo. Six medals were won including two golds for Galal Yafai and Lauren Price.

Anthony Joshua resumed his status as a bonafide stadium-filler in September against Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But the heavyweight champion was beaten and wouldn’t be the only world champion to suffer a shock loss on home soil. Teofimo Lopez, Kid Galahad and Terri Harper all suffered the same fate in 2021.

Women’s boxing is thriving. World champions Savannah Marshall, Chanelle Cameron and Irishwoman Katie Taylor have lead the way by staying undefeated.

In America, self-proclaimed GOAT Claressa Shields became a history-maker once again in March when she beat Marie Eve Dicaire to become the first boxer in the four-belt era to claim undisputed titles in two divisions.

In the men’s code, few fighters have shone brighter than WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and undisputed light welterweight champion Josh Taylor. Fury ended his trilogy with Deontay Wilder in dramatic fashion in Las Vegas while Taylor made history by beating Jose Ramirez in America to become undisputed champion and the first Brit to hold all four major belts.

Harry Poole
BBC Sport

Mark Cavendish wasn't even supposed to be at the 2021 Tour de France.

The Manx sprinter had battled the Epstein-Barr virus, several heavy crashes and depression since his previous victory at the Tour, five years ago.

He had not taken part in the famous stage race in 2019 and 2020 and it was only due to a last-minute injury to one of his Deceuninck Quick-Step team-mates that he was included this year.

It's safe to say he seized his opportunity, producing a sporting comeback for the ages.

The 36-year-old claimed the green jersey for the first time in a decade as he equalled Eddy Merckx record of 34 stage wins at the Tour de France, cementing his status as the sport's greatest sprinter of all time.

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BBC One

Here's what Dame Sarah Storey had to say on BBC One before that first award was handed out: "We've always gotten [our kids] involved. When we race in the UK, they help make sure I'm prepped. They've always been hugely involved.

"I asked them about going to Tokyo and they said, 'What happens if you don't go?' I said, 'Someone else will get the chance to win' - they said, 'We can't possibly let that happen! Go, go!'

"Age is just a number. We can always try and do something more, something exciting.

"I might have reached my peak, but I'd like to find out if I have."

RV: What a delight Sky Brown is!

Richard: Congratulations Sky Brown amazing ambassador for the sport of skateboarding.

Ryan: Well done Sky on winning Young Sports Personality of the Year!

BBC One

Speaking on BBC One, Sky Brown said: "I honestly don't feel like I deserve it. I want to say thank you to everyone who's supported me - especially my family.

"I want to make Britain proud and I want to inspire the world, especially little girls. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything.

"I want to get two gold medals in Paris for Great Britain - for you guys."

Sky Brown is already promising us two gold medals at Paris 2024 as she receives her award!

It has been a wonderful year for Sky Brown.

Not only becoming the youngest athlete to represent Team GB at a summer Games, but Great Britain's youngest Olympic medallist of all time.

Brown, who learns her tricks from watching YouTube videos, also won gold in the women's skateboard park event at the Summer X Games in California in July.

Those 2021 successes come just over a year after she suffered a serious fall in training - one which left her "lucky to be alive" after she fractured her skull, broke her left arm and wrist and suffered lacerations to her heart and lungs.

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And the winner is...

Sky Brown!

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Jude Bellingham's rapid rise continued as he established himself at senior level for club and country in 2021.

Aged 17 years and 349 days, he became the youngest Englishman to play at a major tournament at Euro 2020.

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Sky Brown became Great Britain's youngest Olympic medallist of all time when she claimed bronze in the women's park skateboarding final at Tokyo at the age of 13 years and 28 days.

She had already become the youngest athlete to represent Team GB at a summer Games.

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Swimmer Ellie Challis became ParalympicsGB's youngest medallist when she won silver at the Tokyo Paralympics.

The only elite British female in the S1-S4 categories in Tokyo she finished second in the S3 women's 50m backstroke just two years after making her international debut.

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More football to come later on. Now, it's time to hand out our first award of the evening - BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

There are three contenders for this year's award, which was won by Diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix last year.

The 2021 nominees are Borussia Dortmund and England footballer Jude Bellingham, skateboarder Sky Brown and Para-swimmer Ellie Challis.

BBC One

Dame Sarah Storey's husband, Barney, speaking to BBC One: "The preparations for Tokyo were completely different. Sarah gave the kids a choice, 'I'll be away for three weeks, do you want me to go or not?' - they said yes.

"She's always said she's a mum first, that's the most important thing.

Family is a big thing for her. Not having them there for her in that moment was a reminder to anyone watching that athletes aren't machines, they're human beings.

"17 gold medals - it's just insane."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport

Christian Eriksen’s life-threatening collapse in Denmark's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland brought the footballing world together.

Denmark’s show of unity and bravery was applauded around the world, while England progressed to their first men’s major tournament final in 55 years.

Following months of football without fans in the country, there were jubilant scenes when England beat Germany and saw off Denmark at Wembley.

The final ended in heartbreak with a penalty shootout defeat to Italy – and mass fan disorder marred an otherwise positive tournament for the English.

Scotland failed to progress beyond the group stages, while Wales were thrashed by Denmark in the last 16, alongside world champions France, who were shocked by Switzerland.

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We're taking a look back at the football on BBC One now.

We were treated to some incredible action during Euro 2020 - but there was one moment that shocked us all.