• In 2022, tennis players were the most searched-for athletes on Google.
• Novak Djokovic refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine and Rafael Nadal won two Grand Slam titles.
• Serena Williams quit her job on the spot, but she later said that wasn’t the case.

The Year in Search at Google 2022: After taking a year off because of COVID-19, most major sports events went back to how they used to be. After a long break, several tournaments also reopened to fans. People have always been interested in athletes because they come from humble backgrounds and represent their country. Many people have become very famous and have a lot of money.

Almost all of the world’s most famous athletes play football, box, or basketball. People all over the world also know tennis players, NFL stars, and cricketers. But in the year 2022, tennis players were the most searched-for athletes on Google, not boxers or football players. In 2022, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams were the most searched athletes in the world, according to Google. Find out what other athletes made the list by reading on.

1) Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic, a famous tennis player from Serbia, refused to get a COVID-19 shot in 2022. This made him the most talked-about person in the world. Djokovic took a personal stand. He said that he was vaccinated as a child and that he has nothing against the COVID-19 vaccine. The medical community criticised Djokovic for putting his health and the health of others at risk. But Djokovic was adamant that he would not get vaccinated, even if it meant missing out on international tennis tournaments.

2) Rafael Nadal

Another tennis star who was at the top of the search results in 2022 was Rafael Nadal. On the tennis court, the Spanish athlete is known for his strong body and determination. Nadal is 36 years old, but he doesn’t seem to be slowing down. When he won the Australian Open and the French Open in 2022, he showed that his critics were wrong. Nadal is the only male player in history to have won 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

3) Serena Williams

Serena Williams was in the news in 2022 because of rumours that she was going to quit tennis and the Will Smith Oscars Slap. King Richard was a biographical play about Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams. Will Smith played the father of the sisters and their coach, Richard Williams, in the movie.

Will Smith got an Oscar for his performance, and at the ceremony, he attacked comedian Chris Rock. Serena Williams also played in the US Open in 2022, but she had to leave the tournament early because of an injury. She seemed to have quit her job on the spot, but she later said that wasn’t the case.

4) Manti Te’o

The Netflix documentary Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist is about the life and career of American football linebacker Manti Te’o. The movie was based on a true story that happened in 2012. A transgender woman tricked football player Manti Te’o into thinking that his fake online girlfriend had died of leukaemia. The scandal threatened Te’o’s career and legacy as a talented football player, but he came out on top in the end. He has been playing for the Chicago Bears since 2020, but is now a free agent.

5) White Shaun

American Shaun White skateboards and snowboards. He has been to the Olympics five times and won three gold medals in the half-pipe snowboarding event. Shaun White is thought to be the best half-pipe snowboarder in history. He went to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, but he didn’t make it to the podium.

6) Yuzuru Hanyu

Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater who won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2014 and 2018. Hanyu is often called the best figure skater of all time. He has won the World Championships twice, the Grand Prix Finals four times, and the Japanese championships six times. Hanyu decided to leave competitive figure skating after 12 years and go into business for himself in 2022.

7) Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner is an American basketball player and WNBA star who was arrested in Russia for carrying hashish (cannabis) oil in her luggage. Even though US officials said she was wrongfully held, a Russian court gave her a nine-year prison sentence. Griner was a polarising figure in the US because she was openly gay and had said some controversial things in the past. In a recent prisoner swap with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, President Joe Biden brought her back to the US.

8) Gerard Piqué

Gerard Pique played centre back for Spain’s national team and for the well-known professional football club Barcelona. Pique has had a successful career in football, and he has said that he will stop playing in 2022. Pique was also in the news in 2022 because of his troubled marriage to pop singer Shakira and because of cheating rumours.

9) Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez used to be the UFC Heavyweight Champion in mixed martial arts. He shocked the sports world when he went on a shooting spree in California. Velasquez and a partner crashed into an SUV and then shot at a man who was sitting inside. Harry Goularte Jr. was the man. He was said to be a child molester who was out on bail for molesting one of Cain’s close relatives. Cain was arrested because he shot someone else instead of the person he meant to shoot. The event shocked people all over the world, and many of Cain’s UFC teammates came out in full support of him and asked for his release.

10) Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz, who is from Spain, is the best tennis player in the world right now. Alcaraz is only 19, but he has already won ATP Tour singles titles and beat Casper Ruud in the US Open final to become the youngest No. 1 in ATP Rankings history.

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