The best sports photos of the year

American teenager Coco Gauff serves during a third-round singles match at the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20.

Gauff lost in the fourth round to Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, but broke through later in the year at the US Open to win the first Grand Slam singles title of her nascent career.

Li Xinpeng of Team China takes part in aerial training at Deer Valley Resort, Utah, on February 2.

Li place 24th in the Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Ski World Cup, though two of his compatriots — Tianma Li and Shuo Chen — finished on the podium.

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate their Super Bowl victory on February 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.

Iowa Hawkeyes players navigate a sea of fans prior to their 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament championship game on April 2.

Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers took down Caitlin Clark's Hawkeyes 102-85 in the NCAA championship game, which was mired by controversial calls and the antics of LSU head coach Kim Mulkey.

Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders scores against Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at UBS Arena on April 23.

In game four in the first round, the Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 5-2.

Miami Marlins players dunk a cooler of Gatorade on teammate Jean Segura after defeating the Chicago Cubs on April 28 in Miami, Florida.

The Marlins defeated the Cubs 3-2 after Segura hit the game-ending single.

Feng Yanzhe (right) and Huang Dongping of China compete in a badminton mixed-doubles match against Japan on May 20.

During the Sudirman Cup at Suzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Japan's duo of Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya defeated Feng and Huang 26-24, 18-21, 24-22 in the semifinal match.

Filipe Sauturaga of Fiji scores a try under pressure from Argentina's Luciano Gonzalez during the Cup Final at The HSBC London Sevens at Twickenham Stadium on May 21.

Gonzalez and Argentina beat Fiji 35-14 to win their third gold medal of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The Seattle Storm's Mercedes Russell defends Indiana Fever player Aliyah Boston at a June 22 game in Seattle, Washington.

The Indiana Fever won the game 80-68.

Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy and Team Lidl-Trek crashes during the 34th Giro d'Italia Donne 2023 on July 4.

Though Borghini did not suffer a concussion or any fractures, she opted against continuing the race the next day because she was in considerable pain following the cycling accident.

Sha'Carri Richardson reacts after winning the women's 100-meter final during the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on July 7.

Richardson ran a 10.82 to punch her ticket to the World Championships, where she subsequently won gold.

Tour de France competitors ride through a sunflower field on July 8 in Limoges, France.

Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark won the 2023 Tour de France.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia falls over the net at Wimbledon in London, England, on July 9.

The game was suspended and resumed the following day since Wimbledon matches can't continue past 11 p.m. Djokovic ultimately won the match.

Kimberley Min Lim and Rui Qi Cecilia Low of Singapore race during the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing test event at Marseille Marina on July 11.

Olympians competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics will set sail on the Mediterranean some 400 miles southeast of France's capital city.

Swimmers dive into the water at Seaside Momochi Beach Park in Fukuoka, Japan, during an event at the World Aquatics Championships on July 15.

Leonie Beck of Germany won first place in the Open Water Women's 10-kilometer race.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning the Wimbledon men's singles final against Novak Djokovic on July 16.

The 20-year-old Spaniard took down Djokovic — the four-time reigning champion — in an epic five-set battle to win his first title at the Championships.

Tony Kemp of the Oakland Athletics jumps over Jorge Alfaro of the Boston Red Sox during a July 18 game in Oakland, California.

The Oakland Athletics ended an eight-game losing streak, beating the Boston Red Sox 3-0.

Evangelia Platanioti of Greece extends her leg over her head in an artistic swimming event during the 2023 World Aquatics Championships on July 19 in Japan.

Yukiko Inui of Japan took the top prize in the women's solo free final.

David Rinaldo of France flips through the air during the X Games California on July 21 in Ventura.

Rinaldo won the gold medal in the Moto X Best Trick event.

England's Chloe Kelly hits a bicycle kick against Denmark during the FIFA World Cup in Sydney, Australia, on July 28.

Kelly and the England Lionesses advanced to the 2023 World Cup final, where they fell to Spain.

Sam Kerr of Australia mourns her team's loss at the FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final match against England on August 16 in Sydney.

England defeated Australia 3-1 to reach their first-ever World Cup final. They were defeated 1-0 by Spain in the final.

Australian surfer Olivia Ottaway dives under a wave in Teahupo'o, French Polynesia, on August 19.

Teahupo'o, French Polynesia, will host the surfing event for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami is hoisted in the air by his teammates after winning the Leagues Cup 2023 final match against Nashville SC on August 19.

Messi, the Argentinian superstar and World Cup champion, scored Inter Miami's lone goal in regulation and converted his shot during penalty kicks.

Noah Lyles celebrates his gold medal win in the men's 100-meter final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Lyles won both the 100-meter and 200-meter races at the event.

Then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales kisses Spain's Jennifer Hermoso during the medal ceremony of the 2023 FIFA World Cup on August 20.

Spain's squad boycotted its federation less than a week after winning the World Cup in response to the kiss, which Hermoso insisted was not consensual. Rubiales was eventually suspended from his position and, later, was issued a three-year ban from FIFA.

Danielle Collins' serve lines up perfectly with decals on the wall at the Cymbiotika San Diego Open in California on September 14.

Collins of the USA defeated Caroline Garcia of France in their quarterfinal match.

Lee Hyein of South Korea competes in fencing against Kong Man Wai Vivian of Hong Kong in the Asian Games on September 27 in Hangzhou, China.

Lee won the match against Kong 15-14.

Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on October 4 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Biles won gold medals in both the balance beam and floor events, bringing her grand total to 30 career medals.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates his victory in the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico on October 29.

Verstappen enjoyed a record-breaking Formula-1 season which culminated in him winning his third-consecutive title in dominant fashion.

Oklahoma State wide receiver Brennan Presley celebrates the Cowboys' 27-24 win over their rival Oklahoma Sooners at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 4.

Presley celebrated in the arms of the crowd after the last scheduled game between the two teams. The longtime in-state rivalry may look different in coming years as the Sooners depart the Big 12 conference — home of Oklahoma State — to join the SEC.