World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a second defeat in three matches as she was beaten by Sorana Cirstea in the Italian Open third round. The Belarusian missed six match points in a quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open on 28 April in what was just her second defeat of the year. And just 11 days later, Sabalenka’s French …

The International Olympic Committee has announced that transgender women will be banned from competing as females from the 2028 Games. Eligibility for any female category at IOC events will now be limited to biological women, with an athlete’s status determined by a one-time screening process. Speaking in a video on the social media site X, IOC president Kirsty Coventry said: “Today, we the International …

The Matildas will take on a tough opponent in their Women’s Asian Cup semi-final against China, the nine-time champions now coached by ex-Matildas boss Ante Milicic. Milicic led the Matildas to the Round of 16 at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but he’s been in charge of China since 2024. He previously assisted Ange Postecoglou with the Socceroos, Tony Popovic …

A fifth member of the Iranian women’s football team who Australia granted humanitarian visas to has left the country to return to Iran. On Sunday night, Iranian state media reported that team captain Zahra Ghanbari had withdrawn her asylum bid. Ghanbari would travel from Australia to Malaysia, and from there fly back to Iran, the state-run IRNA news agency said. …

American star Coco Gauff has suggested players do not have enough privacy at the Australian Open after vision of her smashing a racquet was broadcast on TV. Gauff cut a frustrated figure throughout her 6-1, 6-2 quarterfinal loss to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, and then was shown smashing her racquet inside one of the tunnels at Melbourne Park. “I tried to …

Alex de Minaur has been knocked out of the quarterfinals by a dominant Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. Alcaraz was too good from start to finish as he showed the tennis world why he is ranked number one. The match ended 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. The Australian played well and was much better than the scoreboard showed. However, he is still …

Alex de Minaur has obliterated Alexander Bublik in straight sets on Rod Laver Arena, after superstars Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz progressed through to the last eight of the Australian Open. Follow live. Australian sixth seed de Minaur edged Bublik in a tight first set, which was at one point on serve at 4-4, before putting his foot down. Bublik …

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place in Washington, DC, on Friday, and Flashscore had reporters on the ground at the event to cover the spectacle as it unfolded. Find out how the groups were drawn below. Probably the closest the competition has to a ‘group of death’ comes in the form of Group I, comprising France, Erling …

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has hailed Mary Fowler for her “courageous” willingness to open up about her mental health. Playmaker Fowler, 22, is set for a January return from her ACL tear suffered in April. Fowler recently released her book Bloom, where she detailed struggling with her mental health, self-harming and experiencing suicidal thoughts during her time at French club …

It has been 25 years since the Sydney Olympics — the event officials declared the “best games ever” and marked one of the proudest moments in Australian history. In September 2000, just after the turn of the millennium, the world watched as running champion Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony. It kicked off perhaps the biggest …