The future is here.

Sports giant Nike has signed Anna Leigh Waters, the most dominant player in pickleball, in a landmark sponsorship deal.

At just 18, Waters is the first professional pickleball athlete backed by Nike and already holds the world No. 1 ranking across singles, doubles and mixed doubles, with more than 180 pro titles to her name.

Pickleball is coming for a court near you, whether you like it or not!

Have a great weekend.

🏏 New Zealand cricketer Finn Allen scored his first Big Bash League century (100 runs) to help the Perth Scorchers to a dominant 50-run win over the Melbourne Renegades. Allen smashed 101 runs from 53 balls as Perth set a total of 7-219 at Docklands, one of the biggest totals ever seen at the venue. The Renegades never seriously threatened in reply, finishing on 169 runs. The Scorchers now face the Stars on Saturday with a top-two spot on the line. 

🎾 Australian tennis player Taylah Preston has claimed the biggest win of her career at the Hobart International, stunning top seed and 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to reach her first WTA semifinal. The 20-year-old world No.204 backed up earlier wins over two top-75 players with a calm, controlled performance in tricky conditions. Preston will play American Iva Jović for a place in the final in Hobart.

🏀 Federal prosecutors in the U.S. have charged 26 men over an alleged scheme to fix college basketball games, in one of the biggest betting scandals the sport has seen. Authorities say a gambling ring paid at least 39 players to underperform deliberately, or “shave points,” across more than two dozen Division I games. Prosecutors allege millions of dollars were wagered, with players paid tens of thousands of dollars per game. Several active players have now been suspended. The case has renewed concerns about the impact of legal sports betting on the integrity of college sport.

Talking points: The Sydney Smash takes over the SCG on Friday night, with cross-town rivals Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers meeting in what could be a final showdown between Aussie cricket legends Steve Smith (Sixers) and David Warner (Thunder). The Thunder sit at the bottom of the ladder and are playing for pride, while the Sixers are fifth and remain in the hunt for the finals with two matches remaining. Adding to the occasion, Australian Test bowler Mitchell Starc is set to make his first BBL appearance for the Sixers in more than a decade, setting up a blockbuster bowler-batter contest if Warner is fit to play.

How to watch: The match begins at 7:15pm tonight at the SCG and will be on Channel Seven, 7plus and Kayo Sports.

Talking points: Two Australian contenders collide in Brisbane tonight, with unbeaten prospect Nikita Tszyu facing his biggest test against experienced rival Michael Zerafa. Tszyu, the son of former world champion Kostya Tszyu, is 11-0 and seen as one of Australia’s rising names, but he has yet to fight for a world title. Zerafa is a former world title challenger who has faced elite opposition, including Kazakhstani former world champ Gennadiy Golovkin, giving him a clear edge in experience. The card also features former NRL forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who is making his professional boxing debut.

How to watch: The card will begin at 7pm tonight with Tszyu and Zerafa expected to meet at around 10pm. It is a pay-per-view event that can be ordered on Kayo.  

Talking points: It’s hard to look past the beginning of the Australian Open main draw as the sporting moment of the weekend. It’s already set to be a special year for the Australian contingent at this year’s AO after four players (Storm Hunter, Maddison Inglis, Jason Kubler, and Dane Sweeny) made it through the third and final round of qualifying yesterday. It is the most Australians to enter the main draw through qualifying since 1992, and means there will be 21 Australians (11 men, 10 women) in the opening round of the singles draws. World No.6 Alex de Minaur will lead the men’s contingent and faces a tough draw, taking on former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berretini in the first round. If the Demon makes it as far as the quarter-final, he is likely come up against world number one, Carlos Alcaraz. Teenage sensation Maya Joint will lead Australia’s women as the tournament’s 30th seed. She is playing Czechia’s Tereza Valentova in the first round. 

How to watch: The main draw will kick off on Sunday at 11:30am. You can watch the Australian Open on Channel 9, 9Now, and Stan Sport.

If you’re the kind of person who checks team lists, debates tactics, or plans weekends around sport…this one’s for you

Deakin University has once again been ranked #1 in the world for Sport Science in the Shanghai Ranking's Global Rankings for 2025. That’s seven times on top, and five years in a row ahead of 300+ universities worldwide.

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science you can look forward to a career in in athlete performance, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, coaching, community health and more.

If turning a passion for sport into a real career sounds good, this is your sign.

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