Daria Kasatkina, one of nine Australians still in contention at this year’s U.S. Open, could be finding it difficult to sleep tonight.

Kasatkina was down one set and losing the second 5-4 to Spain’s Paula Badosa before the pair’s opening round match was suspended because of rain. The match is now due to be picked back up tomorrow.

This brings me to my latest concept: Test match tennis.

It’s a combination of Test cricket and tennis. Two of the world’s best go head-to-head, playing five sets every day for five days. Whoever wins the most sets wins. And just for fun, there’s a billion-dollar prize.

One
The number of years left on Alastair Clarkson’s contract as North Melbourne Kangaroos coach before the club sacked him today. Clarkson coached the Kangaroos for four seasons, winning 20 of 82 AFL matches and finishing 14th on the ladder this season. It marked North Melbourne’s best season finish since 2019. A statement from North Melbourne club president Dr Sonja Hood said: “Although we have clearly made progress and won more games, we won’t shy away from our desire to want more from this talented group.”

“Nike said basketball, so I said, ‘You want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.’ I like expressing myself through clothes, and I’m glad you guys appreciate it.”
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka speaking about the Allen Iverson-inspired outfit she wore onto court for her opening round match at the U.S. Open on Tuesday (local time). Iverson is a former NBA player who played 14 seasons in the league from 1996 to 2010. Osaka won the match, defeating unseeded Russian Anastasia Zakharova in straight sets to advance to the second round.

On this day in 1960, Tamara Press won the women’s shot put at the Rome Olympics. The result meant that she and her sister, Irina, were the first pair of sisters to be Olympic champions after Irina had won the women’s 80 metre hurdles a day earlier. Other notable pairings of Olympic champion sisters are Serena and Venus Williams, and Noemie and Jess Fox.

🏉 Victoria Police say they have interviewed four Sydney men over an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in East Melbourne last month. In a statement, police identified the four men only by age and suburb, though media reports it is some of the Swans players who have been suspended over an incident at the Pullman Hotel last month. Another three men believed to have been in the hotel room are being treated as witnesses. No charges have been laid, and detectives say there will not be another update due for around eight weeks. Sydney's five suspended players - Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordan, Riley Bice and Nick Blakey - remain away from training ahead of Saturday's qualifying final against the Brisbane Lions at the SCG.

🚴‍♂️ French cyclist Bastien Tronchon won Stage 10 of the Vuelta a España, edging out Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen and Belgium’s Thibau Nys in a sprint finish. Tronchon was in tears following the result, his first stage victory in a Grand Tour. Spain’s Enric Mas retains the overall lead and the red jersey heading into Stage 11 tonight.

🏉 The Sydney Roosters are resting nine players for this weekend’s final regular-season match against crosstown rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Roosters have locked down a spot in the top four and could conceivably move into third if the Dolphins lose to the Titans on Friday night, but coach Trent Robinson is opting to keep his players fresh for the side’s finals campaign. The Rabbitohs are currently sixth and will also play finals.

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Former England cricket captain Ben Stokes will join the Adelaide Strikers for the upcoming Big Bash League season, returning to the city where he made his Test debut in 2013.

Here’s what to know.

The announcement follows Stokes’ retirement from all forms of international cricket in June. The 35-year-old, widely regarded as one of England’s greatest ever all-rounders, told his teammates he was retiring during the third and final Test match of a series against New Zealand.

The decision to retire was made with him and England’s Test side under public scrutiny after a series of drinking-related incidents. Stokes had been dropped for the second Test against New Zealand because he and teammate Gus Atkinson were being investigated for an incident on a night out after the first Test.

Despite all of the off-field antics, Stokes could provide a much-needed boost for the Strikers, who finished sixth on the BBL ladder last season with four wins from 10 matches. The Strikers have not won a BBL title since their first and only one in 2018.

Strikers coach Tim Paine said: “Ben is one of the greatest all-rounders the game has seen, a proven match-winner and a competitor who thrives under pressure. We’re thrilled to have a player of his ability join our squad.”

Meanwhile, Stokes said: “I’ve always enjoyed playing in Australia, and when the opportunity came up to join the Strikers it was one I couldn’t pass up.”

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If your English neighbours have been shouting at odd hours for the past fortnight, blame the return of the English Premier League (EPL).

Here is what you need to know if you want to join in.

The Premier League is the top division of English football, contested by 20 clubs across a season running from August through to May. It ranks among the most watched sporting competitions in the world, broadcast into almost every country each week.

Three of the league’s biggest clubs have new bosses this season. Manchester City have said goodbye to manager Pep Guardiola, who left after a decade in charge, replaced by former assistant Enzo Maresca. Liverpool sacked manager Arne Slot only 12 months after he lifted the EPL title, bringing in Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. Chelsea have appointed Xabi Alonso as manager, fresh from a brief stint at Spanish club Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Arsenal return as defending champions chasing a fourth Premier League title and their crosstown rivals Tottenham have spent more than £200 million ($AU378 million) rebuilding after finishing 17th in the past two seasons.

Hull City are the biggest surprise package of the season so far. The newly promoted side have won both games without conceding a goal, and sit level on points at the top with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. It is Hull’s first season back in the EPL since 2017.

The northern English club’s opening win came against powerhouse Manchester United, who needed a five-goal comeback against Ipswich Town in the second round to get off the mark.

At the other end, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Fulham and Tottenham have all lost both their opening games. Liverpool have drawn both their games and are still chasing a first win under Iraola.

Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington is the lone Australian in the competition. He swapped Colorado Rapids for Hull City at the start of the season for a reported Australian-record transfer fee of $33 million, then made his Premier League debut off the bench in the side’s 2-0 win over Manchester United.

Only two Australians have debuted in the competition at a younger age: Harry Kewell and Aiden O’Neill.