Morning.

The first day of work is in the bag...only another (what'll feel like) 132 days until January payday!

In today's edition of SJ:

🎾 Kyrgios' pledge

🏏 Big sixes and bad high 5's

⚽️ Players available

🎾 Tennis

Kyrgios pledges $200 per ace to aid bush fire victims. His Australia teammates just followed suit

“All the heartbreak this summer; it’s pretty tragic what’s going on, especially with my hometown, Canberra, being under a bit of smoke, the most hazardous smoke in the world at the moment.

“To see Canberra like that, it’s pretty tough to see.” - said Kyrgios, who served 597 aces in 2019. (foxsports)

ATP Cup: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic headline smorgasboard of talent for inaugural tournament

There’s no better way to showcase a new tournament than getting the support of the world’s top two players. With Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in tow, the ATP Cup promises to be a great innovation.

Starting today and played across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth before the finals in the Harbour City. (news.com.au)

🏏 Cricket

Tim Paine told Australia there was a light at the end of the tunnel... he was right

This time last year Australia was on course for its first ever Test series defeat at home against India.

Fast forward 12 months and Australia ($1.33 favs) is on course for the perfect Test summer, having thumped Pakistan twice and set eyes on a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand – the second best team in the world on the rankings. A win in Sydney would be its seventh straight in Test cricket at home.

“We’d gone through a really difficult time,...getting games into guys like Marnus (Labuschagne) and Travis Head when they probably wouldn’t of would bear fruit and luckily it has.

“So all that has gone on wasn’t for nothing, there’s a silver lining.” (foxsports)

The New Year’s Test also marks the final time Steve Smith is ineligible to serve as Australian captain. Will he return as Captain in the future?

Big Bash League:

Renegades’ BBL season on life support as Silk sees Sixers home

Champions in BBL08, the Melbourne Renegades are winless from five matches after Jordan Silk helped see the Sydney Sixers home in a tense match at Marvel Stadium.

Set 154 for victory, the Sixers got home with one ball remaining as Silk finished 36 off 26.

Stars lose 6-19 but get home against Thunder after massive Stoinis, Larkin partnership

Larkim (65 off 45) came to the crease at 1-0 after Nic Maddinson’s six-ball duck, but the duo’s 123-stand saw the Stars never really troubled in their pursuit of 143 for victory.

Stoinis eventually fell for 58 off 51, becoming Chris Morris’ second victim in four deliveries.

Two wickets in two balls to Daniel Sams — who had Glenn Maxwell out for 1 Ben Dunk for a duck — gave the Thunder some late hope of a miraculous victory as they took 6-19.

But the Stars got home with two balls remaining to win by three-wickets, with Adam Zampa flicking McAndrew off his pads to seal victory.

⛳️ Golf

Sentry Tournament of Champions

The PGA TOUR returns after a few weeks off and travels to the middle of the Pacific Ocean for the Sentry Tournament of Champions located on Maui in the Aloha State of Hawaii.

The tournament will take place at the Plantation Course in Kapalua and will be a no-cut event.

The field will consist of only those who qualified by winning last season, like Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson and defending champion Xander Schauffele. There's no McIlroy, Woods, Koepka or Lowry. (pgatour)

Two against the field Justin Thomas (6.50) & Rickie Fowler (15.0)

🏀 WNBL

#WNBL20 Round 12 Preview - WNBL — wnbl.basketball

⚽️ Football

Money for nothing: 20 stars your club could sign for free

Bosman’ deals have been around since 1995 with Edgar Davids the first high-profile player to benefit from the ruling when he joined AC Milan in 1996.

Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal > Juventus) reportedly received an additional salary of $200k a week due to the fact the old lady weren't required to pay an upfront fee.

Sunsport have listed 20 players that could go on a free (fox)

Our top 3 picks...

1. Edinson Cavani - The mahogany dreamboat has a record any striker would be proud of. By our calculations, you do need to create about 37 chances per game for him to score one. (likely suitors: Athletico Madrid, Chelsea).

2. Christian Eriksen - The ongoing saga is still not over. Eriksen is “practically certain” to leave White Hart Lane for nothing – the big question is where will he go? (Manchester United or Real Madrid seem the likely destinations).

3. Luka Modric - In that select group of not quick, not big, 1 goal in 15 type midfielders but still get all the plaudits. 12 months ago, Modric won the Ballon d’Or after winning the Champions League and helping Croatia reach the World Cup final. (Likely suitors: Inter Milan / Japanese / Chinese league).

Preview...Every W-League round 8 winner and key player

It's incredibly even! The second half of the W-League starts this week with the top three teams decided by one point and the remaining playoff spot decided by just two points.

They're predicting wins for Melbourne City, Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory & Sydney FC. (womeninsport)

🥅 Goal of the round

🏉 Rugby

RugbyPass continues its festive highlights season as we look back on Australia's dominant run in rugby at the turn of the Millenium.

📺 Today's sport

⚽️ EPL - Liverpool v Sheff United (7am)

⛳️ PGA Tournament of Champions (10am)

🏏 3rd Test - Australia v New Zealand (10:30am)

🎾 ATP Cup Group Game, Germany v Australia (7:30pm)

⚾️ Australian Baseball regular season matches

🏀 Women's Basketball regular season matches

⚽️ A-League - Melbourne City v Western United (7:30pm)

⚽️ W-League - Adelaide United v Perth Glory

Back on Monday!

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