Australian Associated Press – Page 11

June 1, 2025

Tommy Paul ends Alexei Popyrin’s French Open run with swift victory

American eases to 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win in under two hours
Popyrin plagued by unforced errors in dispiriting loss

Alexei Popyrin could find no way through the American iron man Tommy Paul as the Australian men’s challenge at the French Open petered out tamely.

Popyrin, the Australian men’s No 2, never looked like grasping the opportunity to earn his first grand slam quarter-final date. He succumbed 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on a sun-soaked Court Suzanne Lenglen in a bloodless fourth-round clash on Sunday.

May 31, 2025

Waratahs’ Super Rugby finals hopes crushed in ugly thrashing by Blues

Blues 46-6 Waratahs
NSW finals hopes crushed in seven-try drubbing

The NSW Waratahs’ season of promise has ended in despair with an ugly, record-breaking 46-6 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Blues in Auckland.

The Waratahs needed to defeat the defending champions for the first time at Eden Park in 16 years to keep their finals hopes alive. Instead, Dan McKellar’s depleted side copped a seven-tries-to-nil drubbing at New Zealand rugby’s burial ground on Saturday.

May 30, 2025

Alexei Popyrin advances to last 16 of French Open after beating Nuno Borges

Sydneysider wins tough contest 6-4 7-6 (13-11) 7-6 (7-5)
No 25 seed is the last Australian man left at Roland Garros

Alexei Popyrin has ensured there was no hangover from Alex de Minaur’s early exit as he got hot on a baking Paris day to reach the last-16 of the French Open with a touch of swagger and a sprinkling of good old-fashioned Aussie grit.

The country’s No 2 player isn’t now just the last man standing in the draw but the last man positively thriving as he downed quality Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-4 7-6 (13-11) 7-6 (7-5) in the Court 14 furnace at Roland Garros to reach the last-16 on Friday.

Alexei Popyrin is through to the last 16 for the first time in Paris!#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/JgfPLfu2aO

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

‘Not personal’: AFL CEO Andrew Dillon explains executive reshuffle

Laura Kane demoted and Tanya Hosch to depart organisation
Movements are ‘the right thing for the AFL’, says Dillon

AFL chief Andrew Dillon insists there’s nothing personal in the demotion of Laura Kane while brushing off fierce criticism of the umpiring standard.

Dillon has gone on the Friday hustings after his reshuffle of the AFL executive cost Indigenous identity Tanya Hosch her role and pushed Kane down the pecking order.

May 29, 2025

Alex de Minaur out of French Open after five-set defeat to Alexander Bublik

The Australian gave up a two-set lead in Paris sunshine
Maverick Kazakh fought back for 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 win

The sun came out in Paris and the gloom descended for Alex de Minaur as his French Open bid was poleaxed by a superlative comeback from the mad, marvellous maverick Alexander Bublik.

So used to playing in damp and dreary conditions at Roland Garros, Australia’s great hope looked energised by the lovely Roland Garros weather on Thursday as he swept into a two-set lead, looking just too fast, too focused and too professional for his eccentric Kazakh opponent.

May 28, 2025

Alexei Popyrin reaches French Open third round in fresh milestone

Australian beats Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 7-5 6-3 6-4
Ajla Tomljanovic goes down to No 4 seed Jasmine Paolini

Alexei Popyrin has broken more fresh ground in his soaring career as he brightened up a gloomy day in Paris by reaching the third round of the French Open for the first time.

But while the 25th seed was battling his way past Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, 7-5 6-3 6-4 on a drizzle-splattered outside court, Ajla Tomljanovic’s big date under the roof of Court Phillippe Chatrier turned into a bit of a damp squib as she succumbed 6-3 6-3 to 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini.

May 26, 2025

‘How much more can he take?’ Nick Kyrgios’s latest injury casts doubt on tennis future

Kyrgios feeling ‘pretty down’ after pulling out of French Open
‘You’ve just got to feel for him,’ says fellow Australian Jordan Thompson

Nick Kyrgios has been left crestfallen after a fresh knee injury forced him to abandon his planned return to action at the French Open, leaving more question marks over the luckless former Wimbledon finalist’s future in the sport.

Jordan Thompson, who had been set to play alongside his Australian compatriot in his first French Open for eight years, revealed the extent of his friend’s misery with Kyrgios telling him he did not know how much more he could take after his latest setback.

May 24, 2025

Australian 19-year-old Maya Joint wins first WTA title ahead of French Open

Joint outplays Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-3, 6-2 in Rabat final
New world No 53 to play compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic in Paris

Australian tennis has been given a major boost on the eve of the French Open after Maya Joint was crowned a WTA tour title winner in Morocco at the age of just 19.

Joint collapsed to the clay in joy in Rabat on Saturdayafter outplaying Romanian Jaqueline Cristian 6-3, 6-2 in the Morocco Open final.

May 23, 2025

Maya Joint reaches first WTA final in French Open tune-up in Morocco

19-year-old into decider after Ajla Tomljanovic withdraws from semi
Australian pair to meet again in first round at Roland Garros

Teenager Maya Joint’s remarkable rise has scaled a new peak with the brilliant young Australian prospect reaching her first WTA final in Morocco, just days before making her French Open debut.

In what was seen as a clay-court dress rehearsal after the Australian pair had also been drawn to meet each other in the first round at Roland Garros, 19-year-old Joint came out on top in her last-four encounter with Ajla Tomljanovic at the Morocco Open in Rabat on Friday.

May 20, 2025

Forgotten man Bernard Tomic heads Australian trio of French Open hopefuls

Former world No 17 wins through to second round of qualifying
But five other Australians lost on day one at Roland Garros

Australia’s 15-strong band of hopefuls in French Open qualifying has been trimmed by a third after the first day at Roland Garros. Bernard Tomic led three players into the second round, but five lost with seven still to enter the fray.

Jason Kubler and Maddison Inglis also won in Paris as they seek to join the 14 Aussies already guaranteed a place in the main draws. Qualifiers need to win three matches to secure their places.

May 19, 2025

Incoming Australia coach Les Kiss to take charge of Lions tour invitational team

AUNZ Invitational XV play British & Irish Lions in Brisbane in July
Former Wallaby Toutai Kefu to coach First Nations and Pasifika XV

Incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss will get an early taste of international rugby when he oversees the AUNZ Invitational XV against the British & Irish Lions in Adelaide.

Queensland Reds mentor Kiss will team up with former All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who was already announced as an assistant for the July fixture, the first time since 1989 that Australia and New Zealand have combined on the field.

May 18, 2025

State of Origin: Isaah Yeo to captain NSW as Bulldogs prop handed shock debut

Blues call up Max King to start on bench in Game 1 against Maroons
Payne Haas to undergo a scan that will decide if he plays in Origin I

Laurie Daley has delivered a selection shock with Max King to make his State of Origin debut as the NSW coach also sweats on a Payne Haas quad injury.

Daley confirmed his side for the series opener on Sunday, with Dylan Edwards retaining the fullback role and Mitch Moses to partner Nathan Cleary in the haves.

May 17, 2025May 17, 2025

Former West Coast player Adam Selwood dies months after twin brother’s death

Midfielder played 187 games for Eagles, including 2006 premiership
Selwood family says ‘words cannot express the grief and sadness we feel’

The West Coast premiership star Adam Selwood has been remembered as the ultimate teammate with an infectious personality, after his death aged 41.

Selwood’s death in Perth on Saturday came three months after his identical twin and fellow former AFL player Troy Selwood died.

May 15, 2025

NSW Blues wrap up Origin series with 26-6 win over Queensland Maroons

Olivis Kernick scores two tries in rain-soaked victory
Blues recover from shaky start in Sydney

Olivia Kernick has helped NSW claim the women’s State of Origin series with a game to spare after powering the Blues to a 26-6 victory over Queensland.

Kernick, who was controversially overlooked for the Australian Test team after winning the 2024 NRLW Dally M Medal, scored two tries and set up another on Thursday night as the Blues inflicted more misery on the Maroons to win game two.

May 15, 2025

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii injury not as bad as feared as Wallabies get boost for Lions tour

Player still needs surgery but fractured jaw is on lower scale
‘Just a four-week injury,’ says NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar

Wallabies fans can breathe easier after NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar allayed fears of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii missing any Tests against the touring British & Irish Lions.

Despite Suaalii requiring surgery for a broken jaw, McKellar on Thursday said the injury was of a lower scale and the 21-year-old was already back in the gym working out to maintain his conditioning.