Britain's losing streak: can Andy Murray end 344 years of hurt?

Last Modified: 08 Sep 2008
By: Lewis Hannam

With Andy Murray on the eve of breaking Britain's success drought in tennis, Channel 4 News online looks at the UK's great sports losing streaks.

Cycling: Tour de France - 105 years

The world's greatest cycling event may have been taking place just over the water for more than 100 years, but a Briton has still failed to crack it.

The closest we have got to taking the final yellow jersey was the victory Ireland's Stephen Roche in 1987.

Golf: PGA Championship - 92 years

The PGA tournament is one of golf's majors, and is held in the US each year. Is has been running since 1916, and a British golfer is still waiting to get his hands on the trophy.

Again, Ireland's record is not quite as bad, they got their first winner when Padraig Harrington won the title this year. No Brit has won a men's golf major this decade.

Tennis: Men's Grand Slam - 72 years

Fred Perry was the last Brit to land a major title in tennis, winning the US Open in 1936.

The three-time Wimbledon winner beat the American Don Budge in five sets - triumphing 10-8 in the final set.

Britain's women have a less embarrassing record, Virginia Wade won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open during 1968-1977, while Sue Barker also won the French Open in 1976.

Football: World Cup - 42 years

England is the only home nation to have won football's biggest prize, but has only managed it once - and that was at home.

Since Bobby Moore lifted the trophy at Wembley in 1966, Brazil has won it three times, Germany twice, Argentina twice, Italy twice and France once.

The wait for one of the home nations to land football's European Championships has gone on even longer, since the tournament started in 1960, no British team has won it.

Cricket: World Cup - 33 years

The world cup for one-day cricket was first held in 1975, and has been played every four years since.

Despite hosting - and co-hosting - the competition four times in the past thirty years England (and Scotland and Ireland) are yet to triumph.

Australia has won it four times, West Indies twice, and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka once each.