Latest news with #Geography
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Vaughan: 'Test match openers are BORN'
Cricket: Michael Vaughan spoke to Nic Savage about Australia's batting lineup which is set for a reshuffle after their loss in the WTC final.
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Jannik Sinner stuns fans by announcing jaw-dropping new career endeavour
Jannik Sinner has swapped tennis swinging for tenor singing with his shock new music collaboration. The World No1 tennis star, 23, has proven his ability with a racquet in hand. But now he will be hoping his shock new venture with Andrea Bocelli is anything but a racket, The Sun reports. That is because the top male singles player has dropped his very own … single. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. The Australian Open and US Open champion – who served a controversial three-month doping ban earlier this year – has linked up with Italian compatriot and world-famous opera singer Bocelli, 66, to release their track. The celebrity duo's duet Polvere e Gloria – which translates as 'Dust and Glory' in English – will be released on Friday, with a teaser video featuring the pair launched on Thursday. Sinner says in the short clip: 'In our lives there will be many first times … all you need to do is be yourself.' And the three-time major winner will be hoping he smashes it rather than double faults as he aims to hit the notes … not the nets. Sinner follows in the footsteps of fellow tennis players Yannick Noah, Lorenzo Sonego, Denis Shapovalov and Corentin Moutet by releasing music – with the others having mixed levels of success. Bocelli, meanwhile, memorably sang at Leicester City's 5,000-1 Premier League title coronation for his friend Claudio Ranieri – and then made a surprise cameo on Match of the Day last month to bid Gary Lineker farewell. But tennis fans could barely believe the Sinner and Bocelli link-up was genuine. One said: 'I was confused for a moment, this is not AI I guess.' Another wrote: 'Wait this is real?! I need to sit with this for a bit.' A third added: 'Jannik you truly surprise us.' And a final user replied: 'Not on my 2025 bingo card.' Sinner suffered heartache in the epic, five-hour-29-minute French Open final as he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in dramatic fashion. The No1 seed took the opening two sets then had three match points in the fourth set before the Spaniard's sensational comeback. Sinner will be hoping to get revenge at Wimbledon where they could meet in another final – but Alcaraz is going for a hat-trick of grass-court crowns.
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Marnus Labuschagne axed as Sam Konstas returns for Australia in first West Indies Test
Australia's selectors have made their biggest call in recent memory, dropping Marnus Labuschagne from the top order and replacing him with Sam Konstas. Chief selector George Bailey confirmed on Friday that Labuschagne would miss next week's first Test against the West Indies. Steve Smith will also miss the match as he recovers from his dislocated finger, with medical staff to assess him ahead of the second Test. Josh Inglis will come into the XI, while it is expected Konstas will open, but Australia will unveil their batting order and bowling attack closer to the start of the first Test next Wednesday. It is the decision to drop Labuschagne that will be the biggest talking point since Bailey took over as chief selector in 2021. Labuschagne was the top-ranked Test batter in the world as recently as two years ago, but has averaged just 27.82 for the past 12 months. He was moved from his regular spot at No 3 to open in the World Test Championship final loss to South Africa last week, for returns of 17 and 22. 'Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn't been at the level we, or he, expects,' Bailey said in a statement. 'We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover. 'We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively.' Konstas's recall comes after he was left out of the team for Sri Lanka, following the teenager's high-profile start to Test life with a half-century on debut on Boxing Day against India. Selectors opted to go with Travis Head at the top of the order in Galle, given their preference to have him open on spinning wickets. But that move was only ever temporary, leaving the opening spot free for Labuschagne at Lord's last week and now seemingly Konstas in the West Indies. Inglis also impressed with a century on debut in Galle in January, before being squeezed out of the side for the Test Championship final. 'Steve needs more time for the wound to heal so we'll give him another week's rest and assess his functionality after that,' Bailey said. 'We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. 'We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers. In his only opportunity in Test cricket to date, Josh was outstanding in Sri Lanka, showing great intent and ability to put pressure on the opposition.' Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion The decision to drop the 30-year-old Labuschagne comes after former coach Justin Langer urged officials to keep him in the side this week, with his experience valuable. Usman Khawaja is aged 38 and Smith 36, meaning a transition in the top order looms after David Warner's retirement from Test cricket last year. 'He's actually a very, very important link in this chain,' Langer said on Monday. 'You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns. 'Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game, and you have to bring another kid in there [to replace Labuschagne].'
ABC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Labuschagne dropped, Smith out injured for first Test against West Indies
Australia's selectors have made their biggest call in recent memory, dropping Marnus Labuschagne from the top order and replacing him with Sam Konstas. Chief selector George Bailey confirmed on Friday that Labuschagne would miss next week's first Test against the West Indies. Steve Smith will also miss the match as he recovers from a finger dislocation, with medical staff to assess him ahead of the second Test. Josh Inglis will come into the XI, while it's expected Konstas will open. More to come. AAP
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Marnus OUT, Konstas returns for Aussies!
Cricket: Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped for Australiaâs first Test against the West Indies, with opener Sam Konstas and reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis recalled for the series opener.
