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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent months, newly crowned German soccer champions Bayer Leverkusen dominated the headlines, going for a record 45 matches unbeaten. Within Europe’s top five leagues, Leverkusen remain the only club yet to taste defeat, in any competition, in the 2023/2024 season.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2152962\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2148016556.jpg\" alt=\"streak champions leverkusen\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" /> <em>Jonas Hofmann of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on 21 April 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. ANP. (Photo: ANP via Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In South African soccer, Mamelodi Sundowns are closing in on 50 games unbeaten in the DStv Premiership. Masandawana last lost a league game back in September 2022.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1517717\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-603421299.jpg\" alt=\"navratilova streaks champions\" width=\"720\" height=\"1020\" /> <em>Martina Navratilova of the United States pumps her fist during her Women's Singles Final match against Steffi Graf at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 3 July 1988 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo: Bob Martin / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Martina Navratilova dominated women’s tennis in the 1980s, with her pinnacle in 1984, when she won an astonishing 74 matches, including three of the four majors.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The winning streak that has golf fanatics talking is that of the US’s Nelly Korda, who recently won her fifth tournament in a row — the Chevron Championship at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Texas.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2152958\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149578534.jpg\" alt=\"korda\" width=\"720\" height=\"991\" /> <em>Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot on the sixth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the victory, the 25-year-old equalled a Ladies Professional Golf Association record which was jointly held by Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sörenstam (2004-2005).</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In men’s professional golf, Tiger Woods won five consecutive tournaments in 2007/2008, six in 1999/2000, and seven in 2006/2007. John Nelson holds the overall record though, with 11 consecutive wins in 1945.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Swing in her step</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Korda, who is the daughter of former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, had a tumultuous couple of years before attaining her present heights.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to suffering from recurring back injuries, in 2022 Korda revealed that she had a blood clot in her right arm that kept her on the sidelines for some time.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asked if she envisaged the success she is enjoying when she was battling ill health, Korda said, “Back then, no. Because obviously, then I was just more scared for my health. Competing was kind of on the backseat. I was not thinking about competing at all.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2152957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149578864.jpg\" alt=\"korda streak\" width=\"720\" height=\"426\" /> <em>Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the fourth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But all of the sad times and the health scares that I have gone through have made me who I am today. It has matured me a lot, and I would say it’s shaped me into the person I am today. I’m very grateful for the ups and downs.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2152964\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149657080.jpg\" alt=\"scheffler streak champions\" width=\"720\" height=\"437\" /> <em>Scottie Scheffler of the United States hits his shot from the 16th tee during the continuation of the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on 22 April 2024 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another US golfer on a hot streak is Scottie Scheffler. The 27-year-old won the Masters a fortnight ago and added the RBC Heritage to his haul last week. The Heritage victory took Scheffler’s record this year to four victories in five starts — he finished tied for second at the Houston Open.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following his latest win, the New Jersey-born golfer took time to pay homage to fellow world No 1 Korda, as well as Woods.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“One of the people here asked me whether this is ‘turning into a competition between you and Nelly’ and I was like, I don’t know, man. If it’s a competition she’s got me pretty beat right now,” Scheffler said.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-280699\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/h_551269922.jpg\" alt=\"tiger woods streak\" width=\"700\" height=\"422\" /> <em>Tiger Woods of the US celebrates after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on 14 April 2019. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Tannen Maury)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s underrated how difficult it is to do the stuff that Tiger was doing and win like every single week. It takes a lot out of you emotionally and physically, especially major championships.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Korda has pulled out of the next event in the LPGA roster to rest. She is set to return to action in mid-May at the Cognizant Founders Cup, where she will be seeking to continue her winning streak. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent months, newly crowned German soccer champions Bayer Leverkusen dominated the headlines, going for a record 45 matches unbeaten. Within Europe’s top five leagues, Leverkusen remain the only club yet to taste defeat, in any competition, in the 2023/2024 season.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2152962\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2152962\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2148016556.jpg\" alt=\"streak champions leverkusen\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" /> <em>Jonas Hofmann of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on 21 April 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. ANP. (Photo: ANP via Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In South African soccer, Mamelodi Sundowns are closing in on 50 games unbeaten in the DStv Premiership. Masandawana last lost a league game back in September 2022.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1517717\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1517717\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-603421299.jpg\" alt=\"navratilova streaks champions\" width=\"720\" height=\"1020\" /> <em>Martina Navratilova of the United States pumps her fist during her Women's Singles Final match against Steffi Graf at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 3 July 1988 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo: Bob Martin / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Martina Navratilova dominated women’s tennis in the 1980s, with her pinnacle in 1984, when she won an astonishing 74 matches, including three of the four majors.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The winning streak that has golf fanatics talking is that of the US’s Nelly Korda, who recently won her fifth tournament in a row — the Chevron Championship at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Texas.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2152958\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2152958\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149578534.jpg\" alt=\"korda\" width=\"720\" height=\"991\" /> <em>Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot on the sixth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the victory, the 25-year-old equalled a Ladies Professional Golf Association record which was jointly held by Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sörenstam (2004-2005).</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In men’s professional golf, Tiger Woods won five consecutive tournaments in 2007/2008, six in 1999/2000, and seven in 2006/2007. John Nelson holds the overall record though, with 11 consecutive wins in 1945.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Swing in her step</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Korda, who is the daughter of former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, had a tumultuous couple of years before attaining her present heights.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to suffering from recurring back injuries, in 2022 Korda revealed that she had a blood clot in her right arm that kept her on the sidelines for some time.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asked if she envisaged the success she is enjoying when she was battling ill health, Korda said, “Back then, no. Because obviously, then I was just more scared for my health. Competing was kind of on the backseat. I was not thinking about competing at all.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2152957\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2152957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149578864.jpg\" alt=\"korda streak\" width=\"720\" height=\"426\" /> <em>Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the fourth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But all of the sad times and the health scares that I have gone through have made me who I am today. It has matured me a lot, and I would say it’s shaped me into the person I am today. I’m very grateful for the ups and downs.”</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2152964\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2152964\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2149657080.jpg\" alt=\"scheffler streak champions\" width=\"720\" height=\"437\" /> <em>Scottie Scheffler of the United States hits his shot from the 16th tee during the continuation of the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on 22 April 2024 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another US golfer on a hot streak is Scottie Scheffler. The 27-year-old won the Masters a fortnight ago and added the RBC Heritage to his haul last week. The Heritage victory took Scheffler’s record this year to four victories in five starts — he finished tied for second at the Houston Open.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following his latest win, the New Jersey-born golfer took time to pay homage to fellow world No 1 Korda, as well as Woods.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“One of the people here asked me whether this is ‘turning into a competition between you and Nelly’ and I was like, I don’t know, man. If it’s a competition she’s got me pretty beat right now,” Scheffler said.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_280699\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"700\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-280699\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/h_551269922.jpg\" alt=\"tiger woods streak\" width=\"700\" height=\"422\" /> <em>Tiger Woods of the US celebrates after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on 14 April 2019. 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Jonas Hofmann of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on 21 April 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. ANP. (Photo: ANP via Getty Images)
Martina Navratilova of the United States pumps her fist during her Women's Singles Final match against Steffi Graf at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 3 July 1988 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo: Bob Martin / Getty Images)
Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot on the sixth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Nelly Korda of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the fourth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on 21 April 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Scottie Scheffler of the United States hits his shot from the 16th tee during the continuation of the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on 22 April 2024 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
Tiger Woods of the US celebrates after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on 14 April 2019. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Tannen Maury)