I’ve got a quick favour to ask.

TDA Sport has been in your inbox for a while now, and the support from readers has been massive. We read every reply, and it has a genuine influence on what we cover and how we cover it.

As we keep building this newsletter, we want to hear from you.

It’ll take about 30 seconds to fill out this short survey, and it helps us more than you think.

Thanks for backing TDA Sport!

3 minutes 47.57 seconds
The time it took 19-year-old Aussie Cameron Myers to run the Wanamaker Mile (1609m), becoming the youngest in history to win the prestigious athletics race. The event, held at the Millrose Games in New York City, saw Myers edge out some fierce competition, including American Yared Nuguse, an Olympic bronze medallist who was aiming for a fourth consecutive Wanamaker Mile title. Meanwhile, on Saturday in Boston, 16-year-old New Zealander Sam Ruthe set an under-18 world record and senior national record for the mile after he won a race in 3 minutes and 48.88 seconds at the BU Terrier Classic.

"Over the past few years, I've discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication. I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates and the Philly fans for my poor decision-making during this process.”
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George in a statement to ESPN after he was suspended for 25 games for violating the NBA’s drug policy. The ban, confirmed by the league in a statement, will sideline George until late March and cost him around $US11.7 million ($AU16.9 million) in salary. It is also a blow to the Sixers, who are currently sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference.

The modern snowboard can be traced back to 1965, when American engineer Sherman Poppen invented the ‘Snurfer’. The ‘Snurfer’ was a homemade board that Poppen created by bolting two skis together for his daughters. The name was coined by his wife as a mash-up of “surf” and “snow”. 

⚽ Arsenal won the first edition of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup after Matildas forward Caitlin Foord scored the decisive goal in extra time of a 3-2 win over Brazil’s Corinthians. Foord scored in the 104th minute to seal the title at Emirates Stadium, with fellow Australians Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross also part of the squad. Meanwhile, fellow Matildas star Mary Fowler made a successful return from an ACL injury for English club Manchester City. Fowler came on as a substitute in the side’s 5-1 victory over Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. 

🏏 Australia’s T20 World Cup warm-up has ended in a 3-0 series defeat at the hands of Pakistan, with Mitch Marsh’s side recording their heaviest ever T20 international loss in their third and final match on Sunday night (AEDT). After Pakistan set a total of 207 runs, Australia were bowled out for just 96 runs to lose by 111 runs, the biggest margin of defeat in their T20 history. Pakistan’s spinners dominated again, underlining major concerns for Australia with spin-friendly conditions awaiting at the World Cup.

🏉 Australia’s women’s sevens rugby side were outclassed by New Zealand in the Singapore Sevens final, losing 36-7 as the Black Ferns powered to the title. The win marked the Kiwis’ third straight Singapore Sevens crown, with Australia now shifting focus to the next round in Perth. Meanwhile, the Aussie men’s team finished fifth after defeating Spain 26-12 in the fifth-place play-off. Fiji won the men’s tournament, defeating France 21-12 in the final. The Perth Sevens will be held next weekend (7-8 February).

Super Bowl Monday: the biggest show of the year

Expect huge plays, clutch moments, and a halftime show (hello, Bad Bunny) that everyone will be talking about. 

This year, there’s another first: the Super Bowl is streaming on ESPN on Disney+. Tune in Monday, 9 Feb from 10:30am AEDT. 

_{^{*Subscription required}} 

After three weeks, the Australian Open came to a close in Melbourne on Sunday night.

Here’s what to know. 

Carlos Alcaraz has become the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam titles and complete the elusive ‘Career Grand Slam’. In last night’s Australian Open final, the 22-year-old Spaniard defeated 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in four sets (2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5). He is only the sixth man since 1968 to complete the career Grand Slam, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Rod Laver (who earned his second career slam, but first in the Open Era, in 1969). 

It is Alcaraz’s seventh trophy from his first 21 major singles tournaments. He won last year's French and U.S. Open, meaning he is the reigning champion at three of the four Grand Slams. 

Meanwhile, last night’s result marked the first time from 11 attempts that Djokovic has lost an Australian Open final. At 38-years-old, he continues to defy expectations and strive for a record 25th Grand Slam title. 

The Serbian legend’s post-match speech has raised some speculation about whether this year’s Australian Open was his last. He said: "God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months. So it has been a great ride. I love you guys." In a press conference later, Djokovic expressed a desire to play in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. 

In the women’s final on Saturday, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina won her first Australian Open title, beating two-time champion and world number one Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (6-4, 4-6, 6-4). 

It was Rybakina’s second Australian Open singles final, after losing to Sabalenka in the 2023 decider. Down 0-3 in the third and deciding set, Rybakina went on to win five straight games in a sharp turn of momentum. The victory marks Rybakina’s second Grand Slam title after she won Wimbledon in 2022. 

For Sabalenka, it is the second time in as many years that she has lost in the final of the tournament.

Enjoying the newsletter?

If you are, why not share the love with your friends? We’d love your help in getting the word out there.

Send them this link to sign up.

The T20 World Cup is set to kick off this weekend, with two teams mounting protests against the host nation, India.  

The International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh this month after a dispute over players’ safety. 

Pakistan has since confirmed it will boycott its match against India in protest.

Here’s what to know.

Bangladesh qualified for the World Cup in 2024. Prior to the tournament kicking off, it asked for all of its matches to be moved from India to Sri Lanka, saying team leadership could not guarantee players’ safety. 

It comes after the removal of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from Indian Premier League team the Kolkata Knight Riders, amid rising political and religious tensions between India and Bangladesh.  

Late last year, a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh was fatally beaten and set on fire after allegedly criticising the Prophet Muhammad, sparking protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in India. There have been other incidents, including the possible fleeing of an alleged murderer in Bangladesh to India. 

Indian cricket officials cited this tension in releasing Rahman from his contract in early January. 

Bangladesh has argued this shows its players were unsafe in India.

The ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request, saying there were no “credible” threats to the team. When Bangladesh did not confirm its team would still travel to India, the ICC replaced them with Scotland, the next best-ranked side. 

In a statement over the weekend, Pakistan announced its team will “not take the field” for its scheduled group stage match against India. 

The ICC has agreed to let India and Pakistan play at neutral venues in previous competitions, such as the Champions Trophy, the Asia Cup, and the women’s World Cup. 

After Bangladesh’s removal, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said: “You can’t say for one country they can do whatever they want and for the others to have to do the complete opposite. That’s why we’ve taken this stand”. 

The ICC responded, saying its tournaments “are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”

The T20 World Cup begins on 7 February, with Pakistan scheduled to play the Netherlands in the opening match.