Good evening!

Ever heard of the Johnny Smyth band? Neither had I, until today.

It’s former tennis star John McEnroe’s band.

It turns out the seven time Grand Slam champion, who was also known for his theatrical breakdowns, is a handy guitar player.

I guess you could say he’s a master of the strings — sorry, I couldn’t help it.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Stat of the day

3
The number of games Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi will miss, following a red card for high contact in last weekend’s victory over Wales. The 31-year-old, who plays professional club rugby in Japan, will not play again on the Spring Tour. The Wallabies are set to play Scotland and Ireland over the next fortnight. Kerevi’s suspension opens the door for rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i to start in the centres.

Quote of the day

"If I did get it, I'd happily snatch it up."
Sam Lalor, selected by Richmond as the first pick in the 2024 AFL Draft, when asked if he’d like to wear the number four on his jersey. Four is the number worn by recently retired Richmond player and three-time premiership winner Dustin Martin. Lalor, who has credited Martin as an inspiration of his, has drawn comparisons with the club legend and has worn the number four in the past.

Random fact of the day

The NBA Rookie record for the most three-pointers in a game is nine. A rookie is a player in their first season. The record is held jointly by four players: Rodrigue Beaubois (2010), Yogi Ferrell (2017), Keyonte George (2024) and Dalton Knecht, who achieved the feat in the Lakers win over the Utah Jazz earlier this week.

I’ve got 30 seconds

In case you missed it…

🎾 In women’s tennis, Italy has won the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time since 2013, beating underdogs Slovakia in the final. Jasmine Paolini and Lucia Bronzetti both won their singles matches in straight sets to win the final 2-0. World number four Paolini said: "It's unbelievable, amazing. I don't have words to describe how I feel right now; it's just incredible." The win was especially sweet for Italy after losing to Canada in last year’s final. 

🎾 In men’s tennis, Germany will face the Netherlands in the semi-final of the Davis Cup after defeating Canada 2-0. There are still two quarter-finals to be played to determine who will meet in the other semi-final. First, Australia will take on the U.S, followed by a match between defending champions Italy and Argentina. The Davis Cup is being played in Málaga, Spain. You can watch Australia’s quarter-final on 9Now at 8:00pm tonight.

🏏 The summer of cricket officially begins tomorrow with the first of five Tests between Australia and India at Optus Stadium in Perth. The two teams will play for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, which India will be looking to retain after winning the most recent series at home last year. While India has won the last two series on Australian soil (2018-19, 2020-21), they will enter the contest as underdogs. Australia is the world’s top-ranked Test cricket team and India, who recently lost a Test series to New Zealand on home soil for the first time since 2012, is ranked second. 

⚽ The Matildas will debut at the SheBelieves Cup in February next year, where they’re set to play Colombia, Japan and the U.S. The SheBelieves Cup is an invite-only four-team tournament hosted annually in the U.S. Played in a round-robin format, the 2025 tournament will be the 10th edition of the Cup. Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said: "The SheBelieves Cup aligns with our vision to challenge the team in high-stakes environments as we continue to elevate the Matildas and build towards the next FIFA Women's World Cup.” The U.S. has won the last five tournaments.

I’ve got 1 minute

Aussie golfers eye off massive prize purse at LPGA Tour Championship

The LPGA Tour’s final event of the season, the Tour Championship, will be played from Thursday to Sunday (local time) at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida. Four Aussies are in contention. They’ll be looking to take home a share of the $US11 million ($AU16.9 million) purse or ideally, the $US4 million ($AU6.13 million) winner's cheque — the largest ever single prize awarded in women’s golf.

Who’s playing?

The tournament will see the world’s top 60 women’s golfers go head to head. The four Australians competing are world no.5 Hannah Green, two-time major winner Minjee Lee, 23-year-old Grace Kim, and tennis player-turned-golfer Gabriela Ruffels. Green has won three titles this season and is expected to be amongst those leading the field. Olympic champion Lydia Ko (New Zealand) and Chinese star Ruoning Yin have also collected three titles over the year.

American Nelly Korda is the favourite to win the Championship. The world number one has had a fantastic season, winning seven titles. The defending champion is South Korean Amy Yang, who won her first major title in June this year.

Australian PGA Championship

Closer to home, the Australian PGA Championship got underway today at the Royal Queensland Golf Club. At the time of writing, 22-year-old Australian Elvis Smylie leads the field at six shots under par.

How to watch

The LPGA Tour Championship will be streamed on Foxtel and Kayo.

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I’ve got 2 minutes

Hawthorn settles court case with former Indigenous players and families

AFL club Hawthorn has settled a Federal Court case with former Indigenous players and their families who alleged it had a racist culture. The case’s settlement meant the court did not make any formal findings about any of the allegations.

What happened

The club released a statement which acknowledged the allegations, and said that the club had settled with the former players and their partners.

It also detailed the steps the club has taken in response to the allegations, including:

• creating a First Nations Advisory Committee,

• the development of a First Nations strategic plan,

• the expansion of the Indigenous Player Development Manager’s role to also become the Head of Indigenous Affairs,

• and building out the club’s infrastructure to include physical spaces fostering a culturally safe environment.

Context

In September 2022, several First Nations former Hawthorn players alleged that club officials pushed them to separate from their partners and pressured one couple to terminate a pregnancy.

The allegations, initially published by the ABC, related to Alastair Clarkson's time as coach (2005 to 2021). They involved Clarkson and two senior staff members, assistant coach Chris Fagan and player development manager Jason Burt. Clarkson is currently the head coach of the North Melbourne Football Club, and Fagan is the head coach of the Brisbane Lions.

One former player alleged to the ABC that Clarkson and Fagan pushed him to have his partner's pregnancy terminated and to leave the relationship. The couple were separated for months leading up to their child's birth, and say they terminated a subsequent pregnancy because they were afraid of Hawthorn's response. The player says he has since attempted suicide.

A second player alleged Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt went to his pregnant partner's house with him to end their relationship. The club allegedly severed contact between the pair. The partner subsequently miscarried. A third player alleged the club stopped his partner and child relocating interstate to join him. His partner said it triggered several suicide attempts.

What they said

Part of the statement read: “No person should suffer to pursue a career in football. By the former players, partners, and their families sharing their truths and raising their allegations, this has provided valuable learnings for the Club and has greatly assisted the Club in improving its processes, education and the care it provides to each First Nations player and their support persons. The Club thanks the former players, partners, and their families for their courage in providing this guidance.”

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ICYMI: TDA Sport has a new game on Instagram called Blurdle. IYKYK.
Today’s answer: Tiger Woods
Useless clue: Panthera tigris

A deep dive powered by Deakin University

From plate to podium: Nutrition for young athletes

Peak performance isn't just about rigorous training, physical skills and genetics – it’s also about nutrition.

Whether you’re chasing gold or just looking to optimise your health, Dr Dominique Condo, a researcher and lecturer from Deakin’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, says that “proper nutrition is key.”

Nutrition has the power to make or break your athletic performance, and according to Dr. Condo, there are three key ingredients for a winning plate:

1. A balanced diet

Young athletes need a well-balanced diet that is rich in carbohydrates for slow-burning energy, proteins for muscle repair and growth, and fats for overall health. Picture a colourful plate full of fruits and veggies!

2. Hydrate

Unfortunately, the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ trick might not cut it! “It’s important to understand the demands of the sport and individual factors, including thirst, that may impact hydration needs,” Dr Condo said. Proper hydration depends on factors like body size, climate, activity level and overall health.

3. Meal timings

“Meal timing is just as important as what the meal is made of,” Dr Condo advises. “Eating a nutritious meal 2-3 hours pre-exercise or competition will allow for the food to be digested and able to be used as energy.”

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