Morning all,

How's the head this morning?...Have a great day today 🇦🇺

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏌🏻‍♂️ Aussie winner in Dubai

🎾 Kyrgios' moment

🚴🏼‍♂️ Riche Porte wins TDU

🏌🏻‍♂️ Aussie Winner

Australia's Lucas Herbert beat South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout in a play-off to win his first European Tour title in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Herbert saved par on the first extra hole after hitting his approach into the water and birdied the same hole when the players returned to the par-five 18th at Emirates Golf Club.

Herbert told Sky Sports: "The last 10 minutes feels like I've just been dreaming. It's so weird.

"It's awesome - just the best thing ever. I've got a bottle of scotch back home in Australia to celebrate so I can't wait to get into that with the boys.

Herbert pocketed a not too shabby, US$511,660 for a few days work.

🎾 Australian Open

Kyrgios out to create Aussie Open history

It's been 15 years since Australia had both a man and a woman in the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park.

But that drought will end if Nick Kyrgios can upset world No.1 Rafael Nadal in their blockbuster Australian Open clash

With Ashleigh Barty already into the last-eight following her triumph against American Alison Riske, the pair can match Lleyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik's efforts in 2005

The task in front of world No.26 Kyrgios is monumental, with Nadal in scintillating form and on a mission to claim his second Australian Open title after last winning in 2009.

The match-up would already be fascinating without the extra spice of the mixed on-and-off court history between the pair.

Kyrgios' record against the Spanish legend is one of the best on tour, winning three out of their seven encounters. (yahoo)

🎾 Ashleigh Barty has netted a national prize as she battles to become Australia’s first Open singles champion since 1978. The 23-year-old tennis star from Ipswich in Queensland has been named 2020 Young Australian of the Year.

“All of my values that I’ve lived by and try to live by every single day, regardless of whether it’s in sport ... all come from mum and dad,” she said.

“It’s about being humble and respectful, and giving it a crack - trying to be the best you can be, and that’s all you can ask of yourself.” (guardian)

🏏 Cricket

Epic! Wade whacks the second-highest score in BBL

Hobart captain Matthew Wade has blasted the Hurricanes into the BBL finals, spearheading his side to a tense 10-run victory over the Strikers at Adelaide Oval on Australia Day.

Wade smoked 130 off 61 balls - the second-highest score in BBL history - to catapult the Hurricanes to 1-217 on Sunday before the Strikers replied valiantly with 8-207.

As Big Bash moves towards final stages...

What we know:

• Stars v Sixers in The Qualifier at the MCG

• Strikers will host The Knockout at the Adelaide Oval

• If the Heat beat the Renegades today, they will host the Hurricanes in The Eliminator

• Renegades and Scorchers CANNOT make the #BBL09 finals

🏏 Grade cricketer breaks 62-year-old record with outrageous spell

A Victorian grade cricketer has sent down the competition’s best bowling spell in 62 years, claiming figures of 9-26.

Dandenong all-rounder James Nanopoulos ripped through Greenvale Kangaroos on Saturday in Victorian Premier Cricket.

Nanopoulos had to settle for the competition’s best bowling since 1957-58, taking nine off his 15.5 overs, which included four maidens.

⚽️ Football

Wellington Phoenix 2-1 Newcastle Jets: (match report) Davila hits double figures as Phoenix respond to beat Jets

Melbourne Victory 0-3 Sydney FC: Le Fondre on the score sheet as Sydney hammer Victory.

Central Coast Mariners 0-1 Brisbane Roar: (match report) Brisbane enter top six as late own goal sinks Mariners.

Melbourne City 0-0 Perth Glory: (match report) Major talking point will be the 55th minute penalty to Fornaroli which ended up being correctly overturned by the VAR.

Western United 3-4 Adelaide United: Adelaide held off a concerted Western United fight-back to return to the top six (match report)

⚽️ Sydney to host Matildas’ Olympic qualifiers

Sydney will host the Matildas’ Olympic qualifying group matches, in February, after the Asian Football Confederation elected to move the games away from Nanjing due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. (Fox)

⚽️ English FA CUP

'Messi' Lingard and Phil Jones both got a goal for Man United (which could mean the world's about to end) as they hammered League 2, Tranmere 6-0. Man City cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win over Fulham. Liverpool were shocked by Shrewsbury Town who earned a replay at Anfield, after a 2-2 draw. (Sky)

⚽️ Saudi prince in $650 million takeover talks with Premier League battlers

Apparently, it wasn't one of those scam emails, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is in talks to buy English Premier League club Newcastle United for about STG340 million ($A651 million), a source familiar with the situation told Reuters, confirming a report in the Wall Street Journal.

⚽️ WATCH: Goalkeeper in Turkey saves penalty, gets a yellow for coming off his line, saves the re-take, gets a second yellow, is sent off and defender saves third (YouTube)

⚽️ Barcelona and Valencia ultras throw chairs as riot police close in on violent street battles outside Mestalla (TheSun)

Local authorities believe the fight to have taken place between Barcelona's Boixos and Valencia's Yomus ultra groups.

Footage filmed by locals hiding in cafes and apartments opposite the stadium showed the vast number of people involved.

🚴🏼‍♂️ Tour Down Under

Porte takes Tour Down Under crown from Impey on Willunga Hill

Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) took his second Tour Down Under crown at the top of Willunga Hill at the end of a stage marked by a tense showdown with a large breakaway that stayed away late into the final climb.

British rider Matt Holmes was the only breakaway rider Porte couldn't drop when the Australian attacked from the field the second time up Willunga Hill, and the Lotto Soudal rider was able to out-kick Porte ahead of the line to take his first-ever professional win in what was his first WorldTour race.

Overnight leader Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) couldn't hold Porte's pace on the final climb and lost more than 30 seconds, ending his hopes for a third-consecutive victory. (cyclingnews)

🇺🇸 USA

The King: LeBron James passes Kobe Bryant for third on NBA’s all-time scoring list

The four-time MVP needed just 18 points in the Lakers’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers in order to jump to third on the all-time list.

Bryant, who played the entirety of his career with the Lakers, retired on 33,643 points, with James’ layup putting him at 33,644 and counting.

Utah Jazz legend, Karl Malone, is second on the list with 36,928 points, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads the way with 38,387 points.

🏀 Ben Simmons is a ‘franchise cornerstone’

Ben Simmons did a few things on Sunday (AEDT).

He stole the show during LeBron James’ milestone night, led the Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the best team in the Western Conference, and showed why it’s reasonable to think a team built around him could contend for a title.

In the nine games Joel Embiid has been out with a hand injury, Simmons has been averaging 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, with Brett Brown able to see what his 76ers look like when it’s built around his point guard. (Bleacherreport)

🏉 Super Rugby

It all starts again on Friday. The guys at theroar.com have previewed the conferences, picking out likely winners and stand out player.

It may be called the South African conference, but all the evidence is pointing towards a certain Argentinian side finishing the season on top.

With several key Springboks leaving Super Rugby after the World Cup, as well as three coaching changes, 2020 looks ripe for the picking for the Jaguares as they launch a bid to make history with their maiden Super Rugby title. (continue reading preview)

With a World Cup year in the rearview mirror, plenty of All Blacks moving on and a high-profile player move, the New Zealand conference will again make for compelling viewing this Super Rugby season. (continue reading preview)

📺 Today's sport

🏈 NFL Pro Bowl (7am)

🚴🏼‍♂️ Track World Cup, Day 1 (8am)

🏀 NBA Regular Season matched (from 10am)

🎾 Australian Open, Round 4 (11am)

🏃🏽‍♀️🚲🏊🏼‍♀️ IronMan / IronWoman Series, Iron X (Mooloolaba, 2pm)

🏏 Big Bash - Renegades v Heat (2:45pm)

🐴 Hong Kong Classic Mile (6:30pm)

🎾 Kyrgios v Nadal (around 7pm)

Back on Wednesday!

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