Good evening!

If you’ve ever been to a major tennis tournament, you might recall getting stuck outside the arena and being made to wait until there is a break in play to return to your seat.

To improve the spectator experience, the U.S. Open is trialling a more relaxed approach to spectator movement so that now only certain seats will be restricted. The result - lots more spectators moving about during the point.

It seems some players don’t mind. Ben Shelton said: “I noticed it, but once the point starts, I don’t notice it. I guess with college tennis I’ve played... there’s a lot of situations where I’ve been in that’s a lot crazier.”

I have a feeling we might see some upset players at some point in the next couple of weeks… what do you reckon?

I’ve got 10 seconds

Stat of the day

44
The number of players in the AFL selected for the All-Australian squad, a symbolic team made up of the best players across the league. The team, which is decided by a ten-person selection panel, never actually plays. The Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions had the most inclusions with five each. The initial squad will be trimmed to a final team of 22 on Thursday.

Quote of the day

“Somebody commented on my TikTok and they were like: ‘You’ve won in life, literally and figuratively, and there’s no point in piling pressure on yourself on a victory lap.’”
Defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff has shared how a social media comment has shaped her mindset coming into the tournament. The third seed began her U.S. Open title defence this morning with a win over France’s Varvara Gracheva in straight sets (6-2, 6-0).

Random fact of the day

There are two indoor bowling alleys on the grounds of the White House in Washington D.C. The first was built for President Harry Truman in the 1940s The second was installed by President Richard Nixon, an avid bowler by all accounts, under a driveway in 1973 — just a year before he resigned. 

I’ve got 30 seconds

In case you missed it…

⚽ American women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe has had her jersey retired by the Seattle Reign. ‘Retiring’ the jersey means that the number Rapinoe wore on her back (15) will forever belong to her, and no future Seattle Reign player will bear it. Rapinoe is one of the U.S.’ most decorated soccer players of all time, having won two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal. The 39-year-old is also an outspoken advocate for equal pay for female athletes. 

⛵ Team New Zealand are looking like they could successfully defend the America’s Cup after beating Italy in the final of a warm-up regatta in Barcelona, Spain. The crew set to challenge them will be decided by the Louis Vuitton Cup, which begins on 29 August.

⚽ Sven-Göran Eriksson, England’s first international football manager, has died aged 76. Eriksson led the team to the quarter-finals at three major football tournaments. English football star David Beckham wrote on Instagram: “Sven thank you for always being the person you have always been, passionate, caring, calm & a true gentleman... I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain.”

🏟️ Remember the Swedish pole vaulter who was untouchable at the Paris Olympics? Over the weekend, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis broke his own world record again. He now owns the ten-highest vaults in history.

🏃‍♂️ At the same track and field meet, Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke the men’s 3000m record set in 1996 by Daniel Komen. The Norwegian also beat Olympic gold medallist Cole Hocker in the 1500m, after coming fourth in the event in Paris.

I’ve got 1 minute

Four Aussies through after Day 1 at the U.S. Open

Australia has had a strong start to the U.S. Open, with four of seven players advancing to the second round.

Aussie Men

Alexei Popyrin (no.28) beat former world no.52 South Korea’s Soon-woo Kwon in straight sets (7-5, 6-2, 6-3). Popyrin is in the form of his life after winning his first ATP 1000 title in Montreal earlier this month. He will play unseeded Spaniard Pedro Martínez in the second round. The 25-year-old is on a collision course with defending champion Novak Djokovic. If both players make it to the third round, it would be the third time Popyrin has faced Djokovic at a grand slam this year. 

While Adam Walton lost his first-round match to France’s Alexandre Müller, Rinky Hijikata upset former world no.21 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain. Hijikata prevailed in four sets (7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3). He will play the tournament’s ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round. 

Aussie Women

Ajla Tomljanović won her first-round match in straight sets, defeating American Ann Li (6-4, 6-4). In the second round, she will play Belgium’s Elise Mertens, a successful doubles player with a career-high singles ranking of no.12.

18-year-old Maya Joint is through to the second round at her first-ever grand slam after beating 36-year-old German Laura Siegemund (6-4, 7-5). Joint now faces a tough assignment in 14th-seeded American Madison Keys on Thursday.

For the full schedule of Australians playing on Day 2 head to the ‘Looking Forward’ section at the bottom of the newsletter.

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I’ve got 2 minutes

Australian Paralympians will receive the same pay as Olympians for winning medals in Paris 

The Federal Government has announced 2024 Paralympic gold medallists will be entitled to $20,000 — if they commit to continuing in elite sport.

The financial incentive is the same for Australians who won gold at this year’s Olympic Games.

Background

Paris Olympic medallists are eligible for funding from the Australian Olympic Committee’s ‘Medal Incentive Fund’ (MIF).

For gold medallists, that incentive was $20,000. Silver was $15,000, and bronze was $10,000.

Athletes receive one payment based on their best result if they stay in their sport after one year. For example, an athlete who won one gold and two silvers will only be paid $20,000.

The MIF is designed to act as an incentive to keep athletes in the sport at an elite level.

Paralympics

A joint statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Sport Anika Wells said para-athletes will have “the same financial incentives for winning medals at the Paris Games as our Olympians.”

Funding for the incentives will come from the Federal Government.

It follows a commitment by the previous Coalition Government in 2021. Before the Tokyo Games, Australian Paralympic medallists were not compensated via any similar incentive payment.

Response

Six-time Paralympic medallist Madison de Rozario said the funding showed para-athletes are “valued”.

“It also tells the public that athletes with a disability are equal with non-disabled athletes,” she said.

Paralympics Australia President Alison Creagh said the announcement would help para-athletes stay in their sport.

“Our athletes can continue to achieve greatness… Knowing that their achievements are valued equally to their Olympic colleagues will give our athletes more confidence and motivation to compete at their best.”

The Paralympics begin this Thursday (AEST). Australia is sending 160 para-athletes across 17 sports.

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In Conversation with Deakin University Elite Athlete, Becky Webster:

Rebecca (Becky) Webster is a professional football player with the Geelong Cats in the AFLW. Becky is also studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) at Deakin University.

What’s your schedule like?

Alongside my training and study, I am also gaining some professional experience working at the club in the Media and Digital team. This involves setting up press conferences to give the media opportunities for insights into the team. I also produce (and star in) the ‘Yeah the Girls’ podcast which has entered its second season.

When does Season 9 start?

The 2024 AFLW season starts on the 30th of August so we are still in preseason. This means we have been working super hard in the gym and on the field on our strength and conditioning and skills. It has also been great to be amongst the group again.

What appealed to you most about the Deakin Elite Athlete Program and how has it helped you?

I love the balance of being able to be a professional athlete and pursue a career I’m passionate about. This couldn’t be done without the support of Deakin throughout my studies.

Watch more.

Think beyond the field. Study sport at Deakin.

Looking forward…(All times are AEST)

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