Novak Djokovic has retired from the Australian Open midway through a semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

The ten-time Australian Open champion, whose left leg was strapped when he took to the court, had just lost the first set in a tiebreak when he withdrew.

Zverev will advance to the final and play the winner of tonight’s semi-final between world number one Jannik Sinner and 21st seed Ben Shelton.

As for the Joker, will we ever get to see him climb the mountain again? Or was the 2023 US Open his last?

€1.046 billion ($AU1.73 billion)
How much Spanish football club Real Madrid made in revenue in the 2023/24 season, according to financial services firm Deloitte. It makes the football club the first to surpass a billion euros in revenue in a single season.  One of the driving forces behind the club's staggering income has been the redevelopment of its home stadium in Madrid, the Bernabéu.

"A whitewash would be outstanding. England got the better of us in the last series. To me, it's a loss, a draw is boring. But 16-0, that would be very, very good if we could embarrass this England team because they're actually a very competitive outfit and they've got some really good players among them.”
Australian cricketer Grace Harris speaking to the BBC after the Aussies’ 10-run victory over England in the second T20 of the women’s Ashes series. Australia have already won all five matches so far, establishing an unassailable 10-0 points lead and retaining the Ashes in the process. One T20 and one Test match remain to play. 

Last week, a gold medal from the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis sold for $US545,371 ($AU863,000) at auction. It was the first Games where gold medals were awarded. Previously, an event’s winner was awarded a medal made of silver. The medals in St. Louis were made completely of gold, unlike the modern-day medals which are usually silver with a gold plating.

🎾 Olivia Gadecki and John Peers have become the first Aussie pairing to win the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open since 2013. Gadecki and Peers beat fellow Australians John-Patrick Smith and Kimberly Birrell in a 10-point tiebreak after both duos had won one set each. The victory marks Gadecki’s first grand slam title and Peers’ third after winning the mixed doubles at the 2022 US Open and the men’s doubles at the 2017 Australian Open.

🚴‍♂️ Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis appeared in court today as the sentencing process for a charge against him relating to the death of his wife Melissa Hoskins began. The 32-year-old Hoskins, also an Olympic cyclist, died in hospital after being hit by a car being driven by Dennis in December 2023. Dennis will not be held legally responsible for Hoskins' death but for creating the likelihood of harm, to which he has pleaded guilty.

🏀 LeBron James has been selected to start in the NBA All-Star game for a record-extending 21st time. The 40-year-old continues to defy time, averaging 23.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 9 assists per game for the LA Lakers this season. James will take to the court for the Western Conference team alongside Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. Eastern Conference starters include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

🏉 The third tournament of the World Rugby Sevens season began today in Perth. The competition will run all weekend with finals to be played on Sunday. The Aussie women and men will be looking to improve upon respective 4th and 8th place finishes in the most recent tournament in Cape Town, South Africa.  You can watch the Sevens on Stan Sport.

On Monday, two NFL Conference Championship games will determine which two teams will play the 2025 Super Bowl. At 7:00am (AEDT), the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Washington Commanders. Later, at 10:30am, the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills.

The Eagles and Commanders played each other twice this season. The Eagles won the first match 26-18, while the Commanders responded the next month with a 36-33 victory. The players to watch will be Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Barkley ran for 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season, a single-season Eagles record, and scored two touchdowns in last week’s win over the LA Rams.

In his first season in the NFL, Daniels has excelled at the game’s highest level. In last week’s upset victory over the Lions, the 24-year-old passed for 299 yards and two TDs and ran for 51 yards. If the Commanders win, he will be the first rookie quarterback to play in a Super Bowl.

The last time Philadelphia and Washington’s football teams met in the playoffs was in 1990. Washington won the match 20-6.

In these two teams’ only meeting this season, the Bills won 30-21. This Conference Championship will see two of the finest quarterbacks in the league, the Chiefs’ Pat Mahomes and the Bills’ Josh Allen, go head-to-head. In the eight times the two have played each other, they have each won four matches. In the three times they have met in the playoffs, Mahomes has won every time.

Chasing a record third straight Super Bowl title, Mahomes and the Chiefs possess an unmatched wealth of big-game experience and will enter Monday’s match as favourites. In saying that, Allen is the favourite to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award and may well be the player to put a stop to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl dynasty.

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Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will face 19th-seeded American Madison Keys in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tomorrow night. Here’s what you need to know ahead of their match.

Sabalenka has looked as dominant as ever in her 2025 Australian Open campaign. The 26-year-old has only dropped one set on the road to the final. In the semi-final, she beat Spanish 11th seed Paula Badosa in straight sets (6-4, 6-2).

Madison Keys has endured a tougher run. Of the six matches she has won, four have been against seeded players, including 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (6) and five-time grand slam winner Iga Świątek (2). Keys won her semi-final against Świątek in a three-set thriller (5-7, 6-1, 7-6), beating the Polish champion 10-8 in a tiebreaker.

The last time the two players faced off was in Beijing last year, where Sabalenka won in straight sets. Of the five matches the two have played, Keys has only won once. Despite their record, Keys demonstrated she can go toe-to-toe with Sabalenka on the biggest stage. In the 2023 U.S. Open semi-final, their last meeting at a grand slam, it took a final set tiebreak for Sabalenka to emerge victorious.

Sabalenka is a three-time slam champion who has won all her titles at the hard-court majors (Australian and U.S. Open). Tomorrow, the world number one will have the opportunity to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open titles. After her win against Badosa, Sabalenka said: "First I was dreaming to win at least one grand slam. Now, I have this opportunity [to win three in a row]. It's incredible.”

Keys, who hasn’t won a grand slam title, is playing in her second major final. The 29-year-old’s first opportunity came at the 2017 U.S. Open where she lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens in straight sets. As a player who understands these opportunities don’t come around often, Keys will be highly motivated to claim her first title. Her win against Świątek, who had seemed unstoppable before facing Keys, shows she has the form to do so.

The time for tomorrow night’s final is TBD. You can watch the Australian Open on Channel 9, 9Now, and Stan Sport.

Ever wondered what it takes to excel at a Grand Slam?

With the Australian Open in full swing, we’re seeing athletes showcase incredible skill, strategy, and athleticism. But behind the scenes, it’s the science of performance that truly makes the difference.

At Deakin University, Sport Science students gain insights into the many varying factors that influence performance. Explore how athletes manage energy, prevent injuries, and perform under extreme conditions - like playing tennis for 2+ hours under the sweltering Australian sun.

Whether you're interested in injury prevention, performance enhancement, or rehabilitation, Deakin offers the knowledge and flexibility to tailor your studies to your passions.