We’ve found compelling evidence that it is actually 2009

There are two types of people in this world. Those who think history repeats itself, and liars.

2009 was a banner year in many ways, and there is an argument that the world was in a better place then than it is now, but there are a few constants.

By constants, of course, we don’t actually mean constants. We mean things that went away after 2008 but which have reappeared in time to be convenient to include in this story.

Allow us to present our evidence.

January 2009: Venus and Serena Williams meet in a grand slam final

Hamish Blair/Getty Images

‘January 2017’: Venus and Serena Williams to meet in a grand slam final

January 2009: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet in the final of the Australian Open men’s singles tournament

Scott Barbour/Getty Images

‘January 2017’: Rafael Nadal one game away from meeting Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open men’s singles tournament

2009: Dev Patel is lavished with praise for a performance in an Oscar-nominated film with an animal in its title

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

‘2017’: Dev Patel is lavished with praise for a performance in an Oscar-nominated film with an animal in its title

Todd Williamson/Getty Images

2009: Chelsea leave people scratching their heads after signing a new back-up goalkeeper

Phil Cole/Getty Images

‘2017’: Chelsea leave people scratching their heads after being linked with a new back-up goalkeeper

2009: The host of ‘The Apprentice’ takes a new political title

‘2017’: The host of ‘The Apprentice’ takes a new political title

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

2009: Aston Villa set up a Champions League charge with entertaining football under a high-flying manager

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Well, we were close

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

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