Kazakhstan have placed Australia on the brink of Billie Jean King Cup elimination with a 2-1 victory in their qualifying tie in Brisbane.
Big-hitting former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina out-gunned Kim Birrell to secure victory for Kazakhstan before the hosts picked up a precious point with success in the not-so-dead-rubber doubles.
Continue reading...Oscar Piastri has said he has no complaints about McLaren rejecting his request to shoot for glory at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Australian finished third behind teammate Lando Norris and victor Max Verstappen on Sunday, but he believed he had possessed the pace to get past the Red Bull champion and possibly make it back-to-back F1 wins following his victory in China.
Continue reading...Tim Tszyu has restored his reputation and reignited his international career with a brutal beatdown of American Joey Spencer in Newcastle.
The referee stopped the fight two minutes and 18 seconds into the fourth round after Australia’s former WBO world champion battered Spencer with a stunning blitz to the head and body.
Continue reading...“And please welcome from Australia, Daria Kasatkina!” With those words from the MC introducing her on court at the Charleston Open on Wednesday, Australia’s latest tennis import admitted she was left feeling a bag of nerves about the advent of her new adventure.
She need not have worried. For just over an hour later, following her consummate first triumph as an Australian player, Kasatkina was soaking up the cheers of the US crowd amid the strains of “I come from a land Down Under”, while beaming a smile of relief mixed with joy.
Continue reading...Teenage sensation Sam Konstas has been rewarded with his first Cricket Australia contract but is no guarantee to win back his opening spot for the World Test Championship final. The NSW opener joins spinner Matt Kuhnemann and Tasmania allrounder Beau Webster as additions to the contract list for the 2025-26 season.
Kuhnemann starred across two Tests in Sri Lanka, before having to deal with clearing his name after being reported for a suspect action. Webster had already been upgraded last season, but has been retained following a stunning ascension to Test level for the Border-Gavaskar series decider in January.
Continue reading...Russian-born tennis player Daria Kasatkina is switching allegiances to Australia after her application for permanent residency was accepted by the government.
The world No 12 has been playing on the tour as a neutral athlete after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing under their own flags following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Continue reading...South Sydney’s mascot has apologised for pushing a child during an NRL match against the Cronulla Sharks. Charlie Gallico, while dressed as mascot Reggie Rabbit, was filmed shoving a nine-year-old boy while moving through the players’ tunnel at Sharks Stadium during their round three fixture.
Gallico, 81, issued an apology on Tuesday following an investigation by the club into a complaint made by the child’s mother Caroline Agius.
Continue reading...Oscar Piastri was full of praise for his team after a triumphant weekend during which he redeemed himself from a nightmare end in Melbourne a week ago by emphatically winning the Chinese Grand Prix from pole.
The McLaren flyer never gave up the lead he earned in qualifying in Shanghai to win the third GP of his burgeoning career on Sunday. It adds to his triumphs in Hungary and Azerbaijan last year in what was a breakout season for the 23-year-old.
Continue reading...Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has recovered from a slow start to beat American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round of the Miami Open. Kyrgios dropped the opening set before storming home to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday.
The win was his first in a tour-level match since 2022 and sets up a second-round encounter with Russian Karen Khachanov. The Australian said he is glad to be back but will not be getting carried away.
Continue reading...Australian star Oscar Piastri has secured a multi-year contract extension with Formula One champions McLaren ahead of the season start in Melbourne on Sunday. The 23-year-old, who was already under contract until 2026, has now locked in a long-term future with the British team.
Piastri finished fourth in the championship last year, claiming his first F1 victory in Hungary in his second season before winning again at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With McLaren expected to carry over their constructors’-winning form into the new season, Piastri looks set to battle with team-mate Lando Norris – who was second last year behind Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen – for the 2025 world title.
Continue reading...The historic 150th anniversary Ashes Test at the MCG in 2027 will be staged as a day-night match.
Long locked in for 11 to 15 March, Cricket Australia confirmed – exactly two years out – Australia’s one-off match against England would be the first men’s pink-ball Test at the venue.
Continue reading...Australia’s top-ranked tennis player Alex de Minaur cruised into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The world No 10, who is seeded ninth for the ATP 1000 event in the California desert, scored an impressive 6-4, 6-0 win over Hubert Hurkacz.
The spoils had been shared at one win apiece in previous meetings, with the Pole taking out their last clash back in 2019 on the red clay in Madrid.
Continue reading...James Sicily starred as Hawthorn took a step towards stamping themselves as genuine heavyweight contenders in a hard-fought 20-point win over Sydney in the AFL season opener.
Will Day (26 disposals, three goals) shone as the Hawks kicked 25 points clear late in the first half before holding off a surging Swans fightback in the second to win 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76) at the SCG on Friday night.
Continue reading...Australian tennis great Fred Stolle, a former world No 1, dual grand slam singles champion and three-times Davis Cup winner, has died at the age of 86.
To modern-day fans, Stolle will be best remembered for his colourful commentary and anecdotes after featuring on TV for almost 50 years. To old-timers and aficionados, Stolle will be regarded as a giant of the game during the halcyon days of the 1960s when Australia ruled the tennis world and Stolle ruled some of the country’s finest ever players.
Continue reading...Dolphins duo Kodi Nikorima and Mark Nicholls have withdrawn from the clash with South Sydney as Cyclone Alfred makes a beeline for the southern Queensland coast.
Kenny Bromwich, who was slated to be 18th man, has also pulled out of Friday night’s clash in Sydney. Sean O’Sullivan comes into the side to replace Nikorima while prop Josh Kerr is on the bench in place of Nicholls.
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