Watch how a series of missed chances by the Melbourne Stars handed the Perth Scorchers a thrilling win, and a place in the Big Bash final
Sam Stosur during her Australian Open meltdown. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
SAM Stosur and the Melbourne Stars have joined an elite club of sports stars to suffer a mental meltdown on the biggest stage.
The Aussie world No.9 conceded "it probably was a bit of a choke" after she surrendered a 5-2 lead in the deciding set to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against China's Jie Zheng yesterday.
That may have been a slight understatement after a flood of unforced errors condemning Stosur to another early exit.
But she isn't the first star to forget how to win when the spotlight is turned on them.
Scientists say what happens when athletes choke is pretty simple - they start thinking too much about what they normally do on instinct.
That creates mistakes, which ramp up the pressure, increasing anxiety and creating a deadly spiral. Shots Stosur makes a thousand times at practice without thinking suddenly become a huge mental challenge.
"You make an error and you tighten up. Unfortunately, it kept happening point after point. Crazy things pop into your head," Stosur said.
"You start not wanting to miss instead of making the winner."
If it makes you feel any better Sam, choking can happen to all of us - think of the time you're stuck in busy traffic and suddenly forget how to parallel park. But luckily for the rest of us, the world isn't watching.
Here are 10 other athletes who are remembered for the wrong reasons:
10. Melbourne Stars (2012-13 Big Bash League)
A score of 183 should have been enough to get the Stars into the BBL final but a combination of rain, great Perth Scorchers batting and a calamitous final over condemned them to a heartbreaking defeat at the WACA Ground last night. Chasing a revised total of 139 in 13 overs, Perth needed 10 from the final over, bowled by James Faulkner - standing in as captain for Shane Warne for some reason (we think it was something to do with over rates). Mike Hussey was dropped on the first ball of the over but still needed three from the final delivery when the Stars inexplicably conceded a no-ball - Faulkner stepped over the line but the ball would have been illegal anyway because there were too few fielders inside the circle. Hussey smashed the extra ball to the fence. Game over.
Melbourne Stars players Shane Warne, Luke Wright and Peter Handscomb react after what should have been the final ball against the Perth Scorchers is called a no-ball. Source: Getty Images
9. Port Adelaide (2003 AFL finals)
Port was minor premier in 2002 but failed to make the Grand Final, and 2003 was supposed to be about redemption. The Power finished the home-and-away season three games clear on top of the ladder, then imploded against Sydney at home in the first qualifying final. Port rebounded to defeat Essendon the next week but fell short of Collingwood in the preliminary final. They would have to wait 12 months to banish the "choker" tag with coach Mark Williams making a not-so subtle choking gesture with his tie in the final quarter of Port's win against the Brisbane Lions.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams proves that Port is no choker at the end of the 2004 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun
8. Richmond (v Gold Coast 2012)
The Tigers made an art form of losing from winning positions last AFL season, but the clear lowlight came against the Suns in Cairns. The Tigers led the Suns - which had a 0-14 season record - by 10 points with less than a minute remaining, then came what Paul Roos called "the worst 47 seconds in footy". A simple dropped chest mark led to a Gold Coast goal and somehow the ball ended up with NRL convert Karmichael Hunt as the siren sounded. His shot never looked like missing.
7. Lolo Jones (2008 Olympics)
The pin-up girl of the American track team and hot favourite for the 100m hurtleds was just metres from fulfilling her destiny when she clipped the final hurdle and stumbled across the line in seventh place. Jones collapsed in tears as little-known Australian Sally McLellan claimed a surprise silver medal. Jones returned in 2012 and finished fourth in the final.
Aussie Sally McLellan (Sally Pearson) races to a silver medal in the 2008 Olympics while favourite Lolo Jones (left) crashes on the final hurdle. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun
6. Adam Scott (2012 British Open)
The Australian led by four shots going into the final day and despite a wobbly start, when he bogeyed two of the first three holes, Scott still held a four-shot lead with four holes to play. He finished with four straight bogies, including finding a fairway bunker and brushing the cup with his putt for par on the 18th, to hand victory to South African Ernie Els.
Adam Scott missing a putt on the 18th green at Royal Lytham & St Annes golf club during the final round of the 2012 British Open Golf Championship. Source: AP
5. Socceroos (1997 World Cup qualifier)
The Aussies can blame serial pest Peter Hore for crumbling against Iran at the MCG. The Socceroos were on the verge of a first World Cup appearance in 24 years, leading 2-0 when Hore jumped the fence and damaged the net. The interruption snapped Australia's concentration and the Socceroos conceded two goals in three minutes to fall short on the away goals rule.
4. Bill Buckner (1986 World Series)
Buckner's name is synonymous with choking in US sports.
Boston was leading the heavily favoured New York Mets three games to two when game six of the series went into extra innings. The Sox took a two-run lead and all seemed lost for the Mets - players were in the locker-room preparing for post-season celebrations when a series of Sox mistakes allowed them to tie the game. Then Mookie Wilson hit a slow ball along the ground to Buckner and took off for first base. Buckner bungled the fielding attempt so badly the ball rolled through his legs and into right field, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run.
The agony was compounded when the Mets came from behind to win game seven and the World Series - extending the curse of the Bambino to 68 years.
3. Greg Norman (1996 US Masters)
The Great White Shark was world No.1 for all of 1996, but became known for losing the unloseable. In his biggest meltdown he entered the final day with a commanding lead over Nick Faldo only to see shots spin back off the green and tee shots disappear into the water. Norman finished with a 78 - after shooting a 63 on the first day - to turn a six-shot lead into a five-stroke defeat to Englishman Nick Faldo.
2. Jean Van de Velde (1999 British Open)
The French golfer arrived at the 18th tee needing only a double-bogey to score an upset major win. What happened next almost defies belief. First Van de Velde drove his first shot into the rough. He could have played safe and knocked the ball out of trouble, but chose to shoot for the green and the ball rebounded off a grandstand into knee-high grass. Shot No.3 lobbed into the Barry Burn, a water hazard beside the 18th green.
As the world watched in disbelief, Van de Vende took off his shoes and socks and waded into the water, weighing up trying to hit out before opting to take a penalty instead - then hitting his next shot into a bunker. From there he remarkably blasted to within 2m of the hole and made the putt, but the triple-bogey seven put him into a three-way tie. Van de Velde completed one of sport's greatest meltdowns by losing the playoff to Paul Lawrie.
1. Jana Navotna (1993 Wimbledon final)
Who won the women's singles at Wimbledon in 1998? Points for you if you guessed Jana Navotna. But everyone knows what happened to the Czech five years earlier, when she led Steffi Graf 6-7 6-1 4-1 and 40-30 only to double-fault and lose her nerve - and the next five games in little more than 10 minutes. After the match she collapsed sobbing into the arms of the Duchess of Kent.
The Duchess of Kent consoles Jana Navotna after she broke down in tears upon receiving the loser's trophy following the 1993 Wimbledon women's singles final. Source: Herald Sun
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