G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." - Beverly Sills

🗞 In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🎾 Williams sisters pull out of US Open.

⚽️ The Socceroos and Matildas will need to wear tracking devices to get games on.

🏉 Rugby League World Cup set for November 2022

🌍 World Sport

🎾 A two-week bio-secure bubble is set to replace hotel quarantine at next year's Australian Open, say tournament bosses.

Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said the bubble would allow players "to move freely between the hotel and courts".

⚽️ Man City are cautiously optimistic that they can secure Cristiano Ronaldo, in the coming days. Transfer fee AU$45m. Wages, a lot.

🏏 England captain Joe Root continued his fine form with yet another century to flatten India on day two of the third Test at Headingley. Close - England lead India by 345 runs with 2 wickets remaining.

🏓 Egyptian Para table tennis Champion, Ibrahim Hamadtou lost his arms in an accident aged 10...but that hasn't stopped him.

🎾 Venus Williams joined sister Serena in withdrawing from the US Open as the final Grand Slam of the year lost more high-profile players.

Serena, 39, wrote in a social media post on Tuesday that she needed time to allow her body to "heal completely" from a torn hamstring. 

The 41-year-old Venus then withdrew hours later with a leg injury.

🏆 Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho has been named Uefa men's Player of the Year 2020-21.

Jorginho, 29, beat Blues team-mate N'Golo Kante and Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne to the top award.

• Coach of the year - Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea)

• Goalkeeper of the year - Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)

• Defender of the year - Ruben Dias (Manchester City)

• Midfielder of the year - N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)

• Forward of the year - Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)

⚽️ UEFA Champions League Group stage draw in full: 

• Group A: Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, RB Leipzig, Club Bruges

• Group B: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, AC Milan

• Group C: Sporting Lisbon, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas

• Group D: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff Tiraspol

• Group E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv

• Group F: Villarreal, Manchester United, Atalanta, Young Boys

• Group G: Lille, Sevilla, FC Salzburg, Wolfsburg

• Group H: Chelsea, Juventus, Zenit St Petersburg, Malmo

This year's Champions League final takes place at the St Petersburg Stadium in Russia on Sunday, 29 May.

⚽️ The Socceroos and Matildas will need to wear tracking devices as part of Football Australia's cunning plan to convince state and federal governments to approve international matches to be played at home this year. (nine)

🇦🇺 AFL

With the top eight now decided, we officially set our sights on September for the first weekend of finals footy.

Port has the added advantage of home-field advantage tonight when they take on Geelong in a rematch of last year’s Qualifying Final, followed by another edition of the Sydney Derby between Sydney and GWS on Saturday from Tassie.

The Dees and the Lions have been regarded as two of the top teams to beat this year, setting up a mouth-watering blockbuster on Saturday night from the Adelaide Oval.

Last but not least, the Bombers are looking to snap a 17-year hoodoo when they take on the battling Bulldogs on Sunday in Launceston in the second Elimination Final.

Nothing tops the magic of finals footy.

🏉 NRL

Rugby League World Cup bosses have announced new dates for the postponed 2021 tournament.

The five-week competition will now take place between Saturday, 15 October and Sunday, 19 November 2022, in between the Commonwealth Games and the Fifa Football World Cup.

This year's planned event was postponed following team withdrawals due to Covid-19 concerns.

Jon Dutton, Rugby League World Cup 2021 chief executive, said: "I am delighted that we have been able to announce the revised dates today and can now look forward to the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup ever in the autumn of 2022."

League legend Paul Vautin has expressed disappointment at the output of Gold Coast Titans star David Fifita. (nine)

Cronulla Sharks great Paul Gallen has accused players of "laying down for penalties" after Jayden Brailey was put on report for a questionable crusher tackle on Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.

The seemingly innocuous challenge came midway through the first half of the Knights' 15-14 win over the Titans, as Mitchell Pearce booted his troops into the post-season seconds before the final siren. (nine)

🐴 Racing

A field of 12 has accepted for the first Group 1 of the 2021 Melbourne Spring Carnival at Caulfield on Saturday, the $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m). 

With the prize-money bumped up from last year’s $750,000, it is no surprise to find several Group 1 winners lining up in the weight-for-age feature, the headliners being defending champion Behemoth, Stradbroke Handicap winner Tofane, and returning W.A superstar Inspirational Girl. 

Last start PB Lawrence Stakes winner Sierra Sue is hoping to breakthrough and claim her first Group 1, while the lightly-raced Aegon is looking to add to his unbeaten first-up record. 

Dual Group 1 winner Behemoth is looking to defend his crown after taking out last year’s Memsie Stakes by a comfortable margin over Mr Quickie.

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