JOHN PYE

AP Sports Writer
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning his match against Dominic Thiem of Austria with 7-5, 6-1, during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Nadal returns with a win in Brisbane in first competitive singles match in a year
Rafael Nadal has returned from an almost 12-month layoff to beat former No. 3-ranked Dominic Thiem 7-5, 6-1 in the first round of the Brisbane International.
 
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot in her match against Tamara Korpatsch of Germany during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Naomi Osaka returns to elite tennis from a maternity break and wins her first match in Brisbane
Naomi Osaka’s first win at the elite level since becoming a mother didn’t come easily. But it did come on Day 1 of the year. That’s two items Osaka has checked off the list for her comeback to professional tennis.
 
Australia's Mitchell Marsh plays a shot during the fifth and final ODI cricket match between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. (AP Photo)
Marsh set to return to the top of the order for Australia at the Cricket World Cup in India
A month ago Mitch Marsh thought he may have to return down the order to create room for others in Australia’s preferred starting lineup at the World Cup despite his recent success batting at the top of the innings.
 
Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka shakes hands with Pakistan's captain Babar Azam after their two wickets win in the Asia Cup cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Thursday, Sept.14, 2023. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Five key players to watch at the Cricket World Cup in India
 
Australia's head coach Tony Gustavsson and Australia's Sam Kerr react to their loss at the end of the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
A nation of new Matildas fans salutes Australia’s run to the Women’s World Cup semifinals
Nine of 10 people who watched commercial television in Australia on Wednesday night tuned in to see the Matildas play England in the Women’s World Cup semifinals.
 
England's Rachel Daly and England's Georgia Stanway celebrate after the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
England moves into the Women’s World Cup final against Spain after ending Australia’s run
England has advanced to its first Women’s World Cup final with a 3-1 victory over co-host Australia and will next play Spain for the title. Ella Toone scored in the 36th minute as England dominated possession in the first half.
 
Australia's Sam Kerr celebrates after scoring during a penalty shootout during the Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Australia and France in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
A Women’s World Cup semifinal is the here and now for the Australia-England rivalry, not the Ashes
This is Australia’s Matildas against England’s Lionesses. The Women’s World Cup semifinals. The here and the now.
 
France players sit and stand on the pitch in dejection at the end of the Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Australia and France in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
France coach Renard already plotting Olympic revenge after losing in Women’s World Cup to Australia
Hervé Renard walks away from the narrowest of Women’s World Cup quarterfinal exits and immediately starts plotting France’s next opportunity to avenge a loss to Australia.
 
Australia players celebrate after winning the Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Australia and France in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Australia edges France on penalties to reach Women’s World Cup semifinals. Next up is England
Australia has edged France on penalty kicks to reach the Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time.
 
Australia's Sam Kerr, left, enters the pitch during the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Australia and Denmark at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Pressure? No pressure. Australia, France view Women’s World Cup quarterfinal from different angles
The French have tried piling the pressure of home expectations onto Australia by relaying some bitter experience of losing as a host nation in a Women’s World Cup quarterfinals. The Matildas have seen that hand and they’re raising it.
 
France's Maelle Lakrar, left, and Australia's Cortnee Vine compete for the ball during their friendly soccer match in Melbourne, Friday, July 14, 2023, ahead of the Women's World Cup. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)
France coach sends a spoiler alert ahead of the Women’s World Cup quarterfinal against Australia
Spoiler alert. Hervé Renard’s French lineup knows what the atmosphere and the tension is like playing a Women’s World Cup quarterfinal on home soil. And they’ve projected that on to Australia’s Matildas.
 
Nigeria's goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saves a ball during the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
For Nigeria’s Super Falcons, a narrow Women’s World Cup exit is the start of a journey, not the end
Chiamaka Nnadozie’s Nigeria lineup had two chances hit the crossbar in a scoreless draw and only missed out on the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals after losing a penalty shootout against England.
 
Referee Melissa Borjas shows a yellow card to England's Lauren James during the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
A step too far. Lauren James shown a red card in England’s Women’s World Cup win over Nigeria
Star England forward Lauren James stepped on a Nigeria defender late in a tense round-of-16 game and received a red card that could rule her out of the remainder of the Women’s World Cup.
 
England's Chloe Kelly, right, celebrates after scoring the last goal during a penalty shootout at the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England advances at Women’s World Cup by edging Nigeria after James red card
England held firm despite a red card for Lauren James to beat Nigeria on penalty kicks and advance to the quarterfinals at the Women’s World Cup.
 
Nigeria's Michelle Alozie, left, celebrate with Nigeria's goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie after playing to a 0-0 draw during the Women's World Cup Group B soccer match between Ireland and Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, July 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Katie Tucker)
After upstaging group rivals, Nigeria ready to take on England at Women’s World Cup
Randy Waldrum was described by one federation official as the worst coach to ever lead the Super Falcons to a Women’s World Cup when he dared speak up about pay and conditions for the Nigeria women’s team.
 
France's Wendie Renard, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's second goal during the Women's World Cup Group F soccer match between France and Brazil in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, July 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Aisha Schulz)
Renard scores the clincher for France in 2-1 win over Brazil at the Women’s World Cup
Veterans Eugénie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard have revived France’s Women’s World Cup hopes with a goal each in a 2-1 win over Brazil to give Les Bleues the lead in Group F.
 
Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's third goal during the Women's World Cup Group B soccer match between Australia and Nigeria In Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Oshoala seals Nigeria’s upset win over co-host Australia at the Women’s World Cup
Asisat Oshoala inspired Nigeria’s 3-2 upset win over co-host Australia with her extra edge in attack and a goal that sealed the victory and sparked a jersey-shedding celebration.
 
FILE - Australia players pose for a group photo with the Aboriginal flag prior to women's soccer match against New Zealand at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 21, 2021, in Tokyo. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the decision on Friday, July 7, 2023, that First Nations flags will be flown at Women's World Cup stadiums in Australia and New Zealand after soccer's world governing body agreed to make exceptions to the usually tight FIFA match day regulations for tournament venues. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File)
Indigenous Football Australia pushes for direct funding out of Women’s World Cup legacy
The Indigenous Football Australia Council has complained to FIFA of an “egregious omission” of First Nations-led organizations in a Women’s World Cup legacy plan.
 
England's goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, right, and England's Millie Bright react after the Women's World Cup Group D soccer match between England and Haiti in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, July 22, 2023. England won the match 1-0. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England edges Haiti 1-0 in a tough opener for Euro champions at Women’s World Cup
England has beaten Haiti 1-0 on a retaken penalty from Georgia Stanway in a difficult Women’s World Cup opener for the European champions against a team on debut at the tournament.
 
FILE - Australia's Sam Kerr, center, celebrates scoring as Sweden's Linda Sembrant, right, walks past during their women's friendly soccer match in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File)
Sam Kerr was an Aussie rules reject. She’s now the Australian face of the Women’s World Cup
Sam Kerr had to go in search of a different game when she was told she could no longer play for her chosen Australian rules team.
 
FILE - Australia's Sam Kerr celebrates after scoring against England during the women's international friendly soccer match between England and Australia at the Gtech Community Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
With Kerr and her Matildas on home soil, Australia has high expectations for Women’s World Cup
Sam Kerr and the Matildas will have more than 80,000 fans in the stadium and much of Australia watching when they start their Women’s World Cup campaign against Ireland.
 
Barty joins players expressing concern over US Open timing
Ash Barty has joined the ranks of high-profile players expressing concern over the staging of the U.S. Open while there’s still so much uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic.
 
We have contact: NRL to resume with Broncos vs Parramatta
The National Rugby League will restart its interrupted season with the Brisbane Broncos hosting Parramatta on May 28 in what looms as a comeback for full-contact football.
 
MMA, esports, The Apprentice _ Chatri’s options in pandemic
As his mixed martial arts promotions go behind closed doors, One Championship founder Chatri Sityodtong says he’s finding ways to thrive during the coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down sports around the globe.
 
The games go on: Australia’s football leagues in action
The Aussie rules Australian Football League, the National Rugby League and soccer’s A-League competitions are all going ahead despite heavy travel restrictions and bans on crowds of more than 500 assembling at outdoor venues amid the coronavirus pandemic.
 
McLaren: 1 staffer has coronavirus, 14 others in quarantine
One positive case of coronavirus for a McLaren staffer was the catalyst for the cancellation of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. Now the British-based team has another 14 team members in quarantine.
 
F1 cancels season-opening Australian GP amid virus concerns
The Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix has been canceled amid concerns over the spreading coronavirus.
 
Djokovic: wildfires could cause problems for Australian Open
Novak Djokovic has voiced concerns about the impact of the devastating wildfires in Australia on tennis’ season-opening major. He says organizers may have to consider delaying the Australian Open if conditions around Melbourne deteriorate.
 
Warner breaks Bradman, Azhar Ali records in his unbeaten 335
David Warner surpassed two of the great Donald Bradman’s records and set the day-night cricket record for the biggest innings before he finished unbeaten on 335 against Pakistan.
 
No burden, no pressure as Erasmus steers Boks to victory
Rassie Erasmus regarded no detail as more important to impart on his Springboks players than context as they prepared to win the Rugby World Cup. Why are they here? Who are they trying to win it for?
 
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