As 2022 draws to a close many athletes will be looking back at a year of success and accomplishment, while others will be hoping to put the past 12 months behind them.

Whether it is a failure to live up to their extremely high standards, crushing defeats or self imposed problems off the field of play, several stars have endured disappointments throughout the year.

The year ahead could prove vital in either bouncing back from a first major setback, restoring a dented reputation or targeting a record-breaking achievement before their careers draw to a close. Here, Sportsmail takes a closer look at several stars who desperately need a good 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo in tears walking down the tunnel after Portugal's shock quarter-final defeat by Morocco was one striking images of the World Cup in Qatar, with the veteran forward admitting it was the end of his dream to lift the sport's greatest prize.

The bigger question was whether the image was the final time the public will see Ronaldo at the elite level of the game.

The thought seemed unlikely when the five-time Ballon d'Or winner finished as Manchester United's top scorer in the Premier League last season, but so much has happened since.

Ronaldo has since been jettisoned by the club after his controversial interview with Piers Morgan, where he hit out at manager Erik ten Hag and the club's ownership. 

The fallout dominated the start of Portugal's World Cup campaign, but by the knock-out stage the discussion centred around whether he was a hindrance to the national team, with Goncalo Ramos taking his starting place and scoring a hat-trick against Switzerland.

Added salt in the wounds will have come with the sight of his great rival Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup at a time when his own career is in a state of turmoil. 

Whether a Ronaldo lover or hater, it would be sad to see a legendary career peter out in the way it currently looks like doing, no matter how self-inflicted.

For the first time clubs appear keener to distance themselves from Ronaldo than utilise his talent, with the number of potential suitors seeming thin.

After an inglorious end to 2022, the question is whether Ronaldo can carve out a more fitting final chapter to his career, with reports he is on the brink of signing a massive £173million-a-year deal with Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia.

Jadon Sancho

Jadon Sancho was the highest profile name to miss out on Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar. The most surprising part was that there had been little shock at his omission, having dropped down the Three Lions' pecking order.

Few would have attempted to justify Sancho’s inclusion over the likes of Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Manchester United team-mate Marcus Rashford in England’s wide positions.

The hype when United finally completed the £73m move for the winger back in 2021 feels like a distant memory.

Sancho has yet to hit the heights since joining from Borussia Dortmund, where he had scored 50 goals and registered 57 assists in 137 appearances.

The winger heads into the New Year having not featured for United since October due to not being 'physically or mentally ready to play', having instead travelled to Holland to work with coaches recommended by manager Erik ten Hag. The United boss has yet to put a timeframe on his return.

‘We want to bring him back as quickly as possible, but I can't give a prognosis of when that will be,’ Ten Hag said. 'Sometimes there are circumstances with fitness and mood.

'We got a drop of quality level and sometimes you don't know why or what is causing it. That is what we are doing now to try to get him back there. It is a combination of physically and mentally.’

Sancho could take heart from the return to form of Rashford, who scored in United's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in midweek and who has been rejuvenated under Ten Hag's management this season, which contributed to his return to the England set-up.

The increased stability at United and departure of Ronaldo should provide a platform for Sancho when he is ready to return to the fold at Old Trafford. 

Emma Raducanu

There are few athletes to have had the rise to prominence that Emma Raducanu had in 2021. Having been a largely unknown 18-year-old heading into Wimbledon, Raducanu quickly became the fairytale of New York by becoming the first qualifier to win the US Open title just months later.

Raducanu's meteoric ascent led to enormous interest from the public and commercially, with Forbes estimating this year that the British tennis star had earned $21.1m during the last 12 months, largely due to a series of lucrative endorsements from the likes of British Airways, Dior, Evian, HSBC, Nike, Porsche, Tiffany and Vodafone.

It is understandable then that 2022 has seen a levelling out, with Raducanu adjusting to her first year on the WTA Tour amid the intense spotlight and expectations her rise had caused.

Raducanu suffered second-round exits in the first three Grand Slam events of the season, while her US Open title defence came to an abrupt end with an opening round loss to Alize Cornet.

The Briton has acknowledged that remaining physically fit throughout the year will be a big goal having endured a series of niggling injuries which hampered her season, including four retirements from matches. 

While Raducanu should have a long career ahead, with 20-year-old could certainly do with a positive year in 2023, if she is to curb the idea she had simply caught lightning in a bottle at the US Open in 2021.

Dmitry Tursunov, who was one of four coaches within a 15-month period, had claimed there were some 'red flags' which led to him walking away. The Russian coach also suggested Raducanu would be a two-and-a-half-year project.

'I loved working with her, it was a difficult decision to walk away,' Tursunov said. 'She's minimum a one-year project but I would say she's a two-and-a-half-year project. It's hard for people to understand because she already won the US Open.'

Tursunov had suggested Raducanu needed 'one voice' to guide her development, with the Briton having now turned to German coach Sebastian Sachs, who helped Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic win Olympic gold last year.

While Raducanu does not need to pull up any trees throughout 2023, a year of stability would do the Briton no harm.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic may seem an unusual entry onto this list, given the Serbian superstar earned his seventh Wimbledon title, notching his 21st Grand Slam in the process to move to within one of Rafael Nadal's record.

Yet, there is no doubt that 2022 has been a difficult year for Djokovic, with his stance over COVID-19 vaccinations restricting him to competing at just two of the four Grand Slam events.

Djokovic was sensationally deported from Australia in January, having sought to enter the country despite being unvaccinated, spending four nights at a detention centre while a very public legal case was argued.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke personally cancelled Djokovic's visa, claiming he could pose a danger to public health by stoking 'anti-vaccination sentiment'.

Djokovic has admitted the high-profile case had taken its toll on him and his family during the year, after confirmation he would be granted a visa to attend the 2023 event.  

'It's a relief, obviously knowing what I and people closest to me in my life have been through this year with what happened in Australia and post-Australia obviously,' Djokovic said. 'The Australian Open has been my most successful grand slam. I made some of the best memories there.

'Of course, I want to go back there, I want to play tennis, do what I do best, hopefully have a great Australian summer.'

As well as having an impact on him personally, it remains to be seen whether Djokovic's standing amongst tennis fans has been impacted by events in Australia last year. 

Australia's Nick Kyrgios has emerged as an unlikely backer of Djokovic over recent months, but the crowd reaction to Djokovic on his return to Melbourne Park will be a fascinating one at the start of the year and could potentially set the tone for his season.

The deportation saga at the start of 2022 certainly created the headlines, but the remainder of the Serbian's season was dominated by the question of whether he would or would not be able to feature at tennis' biggest events, contributing to him ending the year fifth in the world rankings.

Djokovic desperately needs a smoother 2023. A 10th Australian Open title to move level with Nadal's record number of Grand Slam wins would certainly be a good way to start the year.

Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua admitted he is reaching the 'end' of his career in the wake of his second-successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in August, having lost his WBA, WBO and IBF belts to the Ukrainian the previous year.

Joshua’s tearful post-fight press conference following the split-decision defeat prompted suggestions the heavyweight star could opt to throw in the towel for good.

The 33-year-old has said he is determined to make the most of the final years of his career as he resets ahead of an expected return to action in the spring.

Joshua’s next fight is expected to be his first non-world title fight since 2015, with the two-time world champion expected to have a tune-up fight before potential showdowns with the likes of Deontay Wilder or Dillian Whyte.

There is no doubt that Joshua’s status in the sport has taken significant blows, making 2023 a pivotal year for AJ as he seeks a return to the summit.

Unsurprisingly the advice for the London 2012 Olympic champion has come thick and fast.

Former world champion Johnny Nelson recently suggested he should take a year off to reset, while former trainer Robert Garcia claimed Joshua needs to take a step out of his comfort zone to achieve his full potential.

Joshua and Garcia had split following the second fight with Uysk, leaving the boxer seeking a new team to start 2023.

The heavyweight has little room for error in the year ahead, with fans still craving a potential showdown with Wilder or Tyson Fury in the future.

Lewis Hamilton 

By his own admission, Lewis Hamilton declared the 2022 Formula 1 season as one of the worst of his career.

The British driver had entered the year hoping to fight back after the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi. Instead, Hamilton was unable to record a victory or pole position for the first time in his 16-year F1 career.

With sixth place in the driver’s championship representing his lowest finish, ending 35 points behind his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, it was unsurprising when Hamilton said he was glad for the season to have come to an end and that he wouldn’t miss it.

Hamilton, who turns 38 in January, was vocal throughout the season about the under-performing Mercedes car.

The Briton has insisted he has ‘no doubt’ Mercedes will come back better, dispelling suggestions he may opt to retire, as he seeks a record-breaking eighth F1 title.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expects Hamilton to renew his contract, which currently expires at the end of the 2023 season.

Having suffered disappointments over the past two seasons, Hamilton will be desperate to have a stronger year.