One wanted a hug. Another thirsted for a beer. A third wept tears of joy. A triumphant trio of Australian women reacted with a common theme after delivering an unheralded burst of brilliance to Australia’s sporting landscape. Within a dozen hours; Australia found three fresh sporting heroines. Around 11pm Australian time on Sunday night, Ashleigh Barty became women’s tennis world …

The Matildas have crashed out of the Women’s World Cup, losing to Norway in a penalty shootout after scores were locked at 1-1 after extra time. In a tense, dramatic and controversial affair, Australia looked to be mounting another trademark comeback, before Alanna Kennedy was sent off in the 104th minute to turn the tide in favour of the Norwegians. …

French Open champion Ash Barty warmed up for Wimbledon with a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 win over Venus Williams to reach the semi-finals of the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham. Barty is now two wins away from becoming the first Australian woman to top the tennis rankings in more than 40 years as a title win in Birmingham will allow her …

Rafael Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open by beating Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem in four sets to lift a 12th men’s singles title. The Spaniard won for the third straight year at Roland Garros with a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory in a high-quality final. The 33-year-old is the first player to win 12 singles titles at …

Ash Barty is through to the French Open final after beating American teen Amanda Anisimova 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a three-set tussle on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The Queenslander is the first Australian finalist at Roland Garros in nine years after fighting back from a set down and a break down in the third set. She will now face unseeded Czech …

Australia reached their first Fed Cup final for 26 years with a 3-2 win over Belarus in Brisbane. Ashleigh Barty and Samantha Stosur beat Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 3-6 6-2 in the deciding doubles tie to seal victory. Barty also won both her singles matches, while US Open champion Stosur lost twice. In November’s final, Australia will host …

Ashleigh Barty has claimed the biggest singles title of her career by defeating Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (1), 6-3 to win her maiden Miami Open singles title. In doing so, Barty consolidated her position as the first Australian woman since 2013 to reach the top 10 in the world rankings. She will rise to ninth when the new rankings are released …

The Matildas have claimed the Cup of Nations with a 3-0 win against Argentina sparked, once again, by captain Sam Kerr. The Australian skipper rose bravely and superbly to give her side a lead with a header after less than four minutes, ensuring a Matildas’ win was never in doubt on Wednesday night at Melbourne’s AAMI Park. Alanna Kennedy doubled …

New Matildas coach Ante Milicic has faced the media to name his first squad for the Cup of Nations, saying he was unconcerned about the turmoil that came before his appointment. Milicic announced a 23-player squad for the four-team tournament which begins on February 28. Australia will face Argentina, South Korea and New Zealand in the Cup of Nations, ahead …

Women’s sport, what it represents and some of the perceived inequities involved when comparing it with men’s sport has become a hot discussion point over the last couple of years. But it is important to stop for a moment, put all of that aside and recognise what has been an exceptional period. If some of the recent statistics around TV …