This afternoon, I spent longer than I’d like to admit researching tennis jokes for today’s intro. There were some very clever ones but this was my favourite:

What time does Roger Federer go to bed? Tenn-ish

A chuckle or a shake of the head (or both) are warranted after that.

670
The current world ranking of Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 29-year-old returned to the court for the first time in a year at the Adelaide International, defeating American world No.50 Sebastian Korda after fighting back from a set down. The win came in front of a home crowd following a lengthy recovery from pectoral muscle surgery.

“When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the PGA Tour, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning.”
American golfer Brooks Koepka in a post to social media announcing his return to the PGA Tour. The five-time major winner will make his comeback later this month after four years away playing on the LIV Golf circuit. He is set to resume competing on the tour from late January under a new return pathway introduced by the PGA Tour.

In 2010, the NBA prohibited players from wearing a shoe designed by Athletic Propulsion Labs. The ‘Concept 1’ was banned after the league ruled its “Load ‘N Launch” technology could provide an unfair competitive advantage by increasing vertical leap. It remains the only shoe the NBA has ever banned on performance grounds.

🏏 In the BBL last night, The Sydney Thunder pulled off a late upset to beat the Melbourne Renegades by four wickets. Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 140 runs due to rain, the Thunder were 6-95 before Chris Green and Nic Maddinson combined for an unbeaten 45-run partnership to finish the job. Green’s 34 from 13 balls swung the match late, handing Sydney their second win of the season and leaving Melbourne’s finals hopes in serious doubt.

⚽ Former Adelaide United player Josh Cavallo has accused the A-League club of sidelining him because of his sexuality, alleging what he described as “internal homophobia” during his time at the club. Cavallo, who became the league’s first openly gay active player in 2021, said football decisions were influenced by off-field politics and claimed teammates mocked a photo of him and his partner in a group chat. Adelaide United has strongly denied the allegations, saying all selection decisions were made on football grounds and reaffirming its commitment to inclusion ahead of this weekend’s Pride Cup match against Melbourne Victory.

The Houston Texans have cruised into the second round of the NFL playoffs with a dominant 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wild Card Weekend. Houston’s defensive unit did most of the damage, scoring two touchdowns and stopping Pittsburgh from reaching the end zone all night. The Texans now advance to the next round, the Divisional Round, where they will take on the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ season comes to an abrupt end.

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.

Brazilian qualifier Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva has made history at the Australian Open, becoming the first openly gay man to compete at the tournament.

Here is what to know.

Reis, ranked world No.206, played his first Australian Open match in men’s qualifying at Melbourne Park on Monday. The Brazilian lost in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to Portugal’s Henrique Rocha. 

While his campaign ended in the opening round, the appearance marked a significant milestone for men’s tennis. The 25-year-old came out publicly in late 2024 after sharing a photo with his partner on social media, a moment he said he did not view as a statement at the time. 

“I didn’t think about it,” Reis told The Sydney Morning Herald . “I post a picture and everything like [changed].”

Men’s tennis has had few openly gay players compared with the women’s game, making Reis’s presence at the Australian Open notable. Reis told The Sydney Morning Herald that  he does not see himself as a trailblazer but hopes visibility can help others. 

In a sign that barriers in the men’s game may be shifting, Swiss men’s tennis player Mika Brunold came out as gay via a post to social media last month.

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Australian captain Alyssa Healy has announced she will retire from all forms of cricket at the end of the upcoming multi-format series against India. 

Here’s what to know.

Healy said the series in February and March will be her final appearances for Australia. The 35-year-old said the decision came after reflecting on her motivation to keep playing.

“I’m still passionate about playing for Australia, but I’ve somewhat lost that competitive edge that’s kept me driven since the start,” Healy said. “So the time feels right to call it a day.”

She will not play the T20 matches against India. That decision allows the team more preparation time ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup. Healy said missing the tournament was difficult but necessary.

“Representing my country has been an incredible honour,” she said. “I’m grateful for one last series in the green and gold.”

Healy made her international debut in 2010 at the age of 19. She has been Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper for most of the past 15 years.

She took over the captaincy in 2023 following Meg Lanning’s retirement. Under her leadership, Australia won more than 80% of their matches and dominated England in the Ashes last summer. 

Healy has won seven World Cups and a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. She holds the record for dismissals in women’s T20 internationals and is among Australia’s most capped players in white-ball cricket. 

Her standout innings remains her 170 runs in the 2022 ODI World Cup final, the highest score in a men’s or women’s final.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said Healy is “one of the all-time greats of the game”.

Healy will play three one-day internationals and a Test against India. Her final match is scheduled to be the Test at the WACA in March.

Australia’s series against India will begin with a T20 match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 15 February.