G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: “I bounced a cricket ball off his cheek and waited for him to fall down. He just carried on chewing gum and hit my next ball for six, 24 rows back.” – Former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg talking about Viv Richards.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🎾 Barty progressing and insists there's no issue

⚽️ Copa America slipping away

📺 Guide to all of the weekend's live sport

Adam here, the guy that puts Sport Journal together; It may be hard to believe but I spend a lot of time each week putting Sport Journal together.

The only thing I ask of you is that you share it with a couple of friends.

Simply hit the green button below, and WhatsApp will open on your phone.

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🗒 Big Fat Sports Predictor 2021

With over 500 entries and the Australian Open underway, the results are in.

Here are your predictions for the biggest sporting events of 2021.

🎾 Men's Australian Open - Novak Djokovic (62%) of votes.

🎾 Women's Australian Open - Naomi Osaka (38%) of votes.

⛳️ Masters Golf - Brooks Koepka (19%), McIlroy, DJ, J.Thomas close behind.

🥇 Number of Gold Medals Australia will win at the Tokyo Olympics - between 6-10 (80%)

🏉 NRL Grand Final 2021 Winner - Sydney Roosters (24%), Panthers and Storm (20%)

🇦🇺 AFL Grand Final Winner 2021 - Richmond Tigers (30%), Cats (26%) and Lions (24%)

🏆 Rugby League World Cup Winner - Australia (91%)

🏏 T20 World Cup Winners - India (40%), Australia (35%)

🎾 Tennis

Thanasi Kokkinakis looked gone, then came back from the brink in the longest match of the Australian Open so far - but he fell just short against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Ash Barty has cruised into the third round of the Australian Open with a straight sets win over fellow Aussie Daria Gavrilova, 6 - 1, 7 - 6. [9-7].

Barty insisted post match she was “fit as a fiddle” despite the heavy strapping on her thigh.

Defending champion Sofia Kenin is out of the Australian Open, with the American world No.4 tearfully admitting the pressure to defend her title got to her in Melbourne.

The loss looms as a big positive for Ash Barty, who lost to Kenin in the semi-finals last year and is in the favourable half of the draw.

Aussie youngster Alexei Popyrin has been eliminated from the Australian Open, but not before another gallant effort that forced his opponent Lloyd Harris into a fifth set.

The 16th seed Fognini eventually prevailed in a four-hour epic 4-6 6-2 2-6 6-3 7-6 (12). To beat his compatriot Salvatore Caruso. Next the fiery Italians nearly came to blows in wild post-match stoush (Twitter)

Rafa Nadal made light work of Michael Mmoh (6-1,6-4,6-2). And even had time for some keepy uppies, while a member of the crowd got thrown out.

🏏 Cricket

Pattinson back as Vics name squads for domestic return: James Pattinson and Marcus Harris return for Victoria but Will Pucovski still uncertain to play Shield cricket with shoulder injury (Cricket)

Aussie T20 touring party get first all-clear in NZ quarantine: After four days of hard lockdown following their Sunday arrival, all Australia's T20 players and staff have returned negative COVID19 swabs and have been cleared to begin training (Cricket)

⚽️ Football

🌎 Football Australia chairman Chris Nikou reveals the Socceroos chances of playing at the prestigious tournament may be slipping away. (Twitter)

❌ ‘This is important to us’: Wanderers to shun gambling sponsorships, bucking global trend.

🇧🇷 Even Brazil's Blind Football team is unreal: Blind Brazilian footballer Jefinho is so good he’s actually nicknamed ‘The Paralympic Pele.’ 

🤕 Sydney FC's Chris Zuvela confirmed a ruptured ACL, and will be out for 12 months. Horrible injury, wish him a speedy recovery.

✍🏼 Alou Kuol is set to sign a deal that will keep him at Central Coast for at least another season and very possibly two. An agreement is likely to be announced before the end of the week. (SBS)

🤝 Melbourne Victory Bosses are happy to back under-fire Grant Brebner and Steve Keane “Change is the last thing we are thinking about. We want to be supporting to ensure we can turn things around and get some wins on the board and start developing some confidence in this group.” (AGE)

W-League: Brisbane Roar came from behind to beat Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 on Thursday night to move into second spot on the Westfield W-League ladder.

Thanks in part to this great save by Morgan Aquino in injury time.

🐴 Racing

Pippie going for three in Lightning Stakes

Meagher is convinced he has Pippie in the shape that delivered wins in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate and Moir Stakes last year but conceded taking on Bivouac and Nature Strip is a new challenge.

“We’re ready to go. It’s just a matter of whether we’re good enough,” Pippie said.

Pippie won the Moir Stakes at weight-for-age last September, beating Trekking and Bella Vella but Meagher said the mare would need to go to a new level to win Saturday’s $750,000 contest.

“It’s definitely the strongest Group 1 she’s run in,” Meagher said.

“It’s probably the best she’s come up against but if you take out Nature Strip and Bivouac, they’re a very even bunch I think.”

🙏🏼 We are wishing Apache Cat all the best as he undergoes treatment for eye cancer. You can do this Apache!

🙋🏻‍♀️ Riding legends Malcolm Johnston and Jim Cassidy believe Rachel King can do what was once considered unthinkable for a female jockey — win the Sydney premiership.

King is above champion jockeys like Nash Rawiller, Hugh Bowman and Kerrin McEvoy and trails only Tommy Berry (63 wins) and defend champ James McDonald (60 wins). (racenet)

🏀 NBL

Wednesday night: This Melbourne United team is going to take some beating. Missing three key pieces, they put on a first half offensive show, turned up the defence in the second and spoiled the Illawarra Hawks homecoming, winning 91-88.

Bryce Cotton couldn’t have done much more for his Perth Wildcats to start the NBL season but he needed help and he got that in spades as the Perth punished the South Melbourne Phoenix en route to a 106-75 win on Thursday. (match report)

Genius Sports Group, a global leader in digital sports content, has renewed its long-term data technology partnership.

The league has become become a legitimate pathway to the NBA through its innovative Next Stars program, which has produced players like LaMelo Ball, the number three pick in last year’s NBA Draft.

This long-term partnership renewal will see live team and player statistics captured by FIBA LiveStats, a premier live data collection tool in professional basketball, continue to power the NBL’s official website, live broadcasts, fantasy product and global fan engagement strategy.(NBL)

🌎 Around the Globe

🏈 There's no throw Tom Brady can't make: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated out on the water on Monday. Using your own 40-foot boat for the championship parade is a major flex.

📺 Watch highlights of an incredible FA Cup fifth-round tie at Goodison Park as Everton beat Tottenham 5-4 after extra-time to reach the quarter-finals. (Youtube)

🎶 Plenty of room at the Hotel Corona. Any time of year (Any time of year). You can find it here...Slovenian athletes at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Cortina D'ampezzo, Italy are staying at the Hotel Corona. Yep!

👴🏼 The head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee is set to resign after he was criticised for making "inappropriate" remarks about women.

Yoshiro Mori, 83, was the guy we mentioned last week who was quoted as saying women talk too much and that meetings with many female board directors would "take a lot of time". They didn't take too long in getting him out the door.

🏏 Usain Bolt took to social media to share a video of himself playing cricket with his friends. (Instagram)

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📺 Live sport 👇🏼

TODAY

⛳️ 07:00 - PGA Tour - AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 07:00 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Barnsley v Chelsea (ESPN 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Coupe de France Round of 64 - Angers SCO v Stade Rennais (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 09:00 - NCAA - Minnesota Golden Gophers v Purdue Boilermakers (ESPN 2)

🎾 11:00 - Australian Open, Round 3, Day 5 (GEM or Nine)

🚗 11:00 - NASCAR Daytona Duel 1 (Fox Sports)

🏀 11:30 - NBA Regular SeasonHouston Rockets v Miami Heat (ESPN 1)

🏃🏽‍♂️ 12:00 - Australia - IronMan / IronWoman Series, Round 1 (9Go!)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Portland Trail Blazers v Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN 1)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Orlando Magic (NBA League Pass)

🎾 18:00 - Australian Open, Round 3, Night 5 (GEM or Nine)

⚽️ 19:05 - A-League - Macarthur FC Bulls v Adelaide United (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 19:10 - AFLW - Geelong Cats Women v Western Bulldogs Women (Fox Footy)

🏀 19:30 - NBL - Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers (ESPN 1)

🐎 23:40 - 4YO Pacers G14YO Golden Nugget, 2,536m (Sky Racing 1)

SATURDAY

⚽️ 06:45 - English Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Preston North End (BeIN Sports 2)

🏉 06:45 - Premiership Rugby - Gloucester Rugby v Bristol Bears (Fox Sports)

🏉 07:00 - Premiership Rugby - Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby (Fox Sports)

⛳️ 07:00 - PGA Tour, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🎾 11:00 - Australian Open, Round 3 (GEM or Nine)

🏒 11:00 - NHL - New York Rangers v Boston Bruins (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - Dallas Mavericks v New Orleans Pelicans (ESPN 1)

🏃🏽‍♂️ 12:00 - Australian IronMan / IronWoman Series, Round 2 (9Go!)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Los Angeles Lakers v Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN 1)

⛵️ 14:00 - America's Cup, The Prada Cup Final, Races 1 & 2 (Fox Sports)

🏏 15:00 - Test Match - India v England (Fox Cricket)

🇦🇺 15:10 - AFLW - GWS Giants Women v Gold Coast Suns Women (Fox Footy

🐴 16:45 - Group 1, Black Caviar Lightning Stakes, 1,000m - SWFA (7, Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

⚽️ 17:05 - A-League - Western United FC v Sydney FC (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 17:05 - W-League - Melbourne City Women v Newcastle Jets Women (Fox Sports More)

🐴 17:05 - Group 2, Apollo Stakes (Sky Racing 1, Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7TWO)

🇦🇺 17:10 - AFLW - St Kilda Saints Women v Carlton Blues Women (Fox Footy)

🏀 17:30 - NBL - Melbourne United v Cairns Taipans (SBS Viceland)

🐴 17:40 - Group 2, Light Fingers Stakes (Sky Racing 1)

🎾 18:00 - Australian Open, Round 3 (GEM or Nine)

⚽️ 19:10 - A-League - Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 19:10 - AFLW - Melbourne Demons Women v North Melb. Kangaroos Women (Fox Footy)

🏀 20:00 - NBL - Brisbane Bullets v Adelaide 36ers (ESPN 1)

🐕 20:12 - Group 1, The Zoom Top, 725m (Sky Racing 1)

🐎 20:18 - Group 2 Pacers, Boden Projects Sibelia Stakes (Sky Racing 1)

🐕 20:34 - Group 1, The Rookie Rebel (Sky Racing 1)

🐎 20:37 - Open Trotters, The Knight Pistol (Sky Racing 1)

🐕 20:55 - Group 1, The Temlee (Sky Racing 1)

🐎 21:25 - Group 2 Pacers, Cordina Chicken Farms Paleface Adios Stakes (Sky Racing 1)

⚽️ 23:30 - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 23:30 - English Championship - Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth (BeIN Sports 2)

SUNDAY

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Spezia Calcio v MilanBeIN Sports 2

⚽️ 07:00 - France Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Montpellier HSCBeIN Sports 3

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Barcelona v Deportivo Alaves (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 07:00 - NBA - Phoenix Suns v Philadelphia 76ers (SBS Viceland or Sky Sports 2)

🏀 08:00 - NCAA - North Carolina State Wolfpack v Duke Blue Devils (ESPN 1)

🏀 10:00 - NCAA - Virginia Cavaliers v North Carolina Tar Heels (ESPN 1)

🎾 11:00 - Australian Open, Round 4 (GEM or Nine)

🥊 12:00 - Super Featherweight Title - Joseph Diaz v Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (DAZN)

🏃🏽‍♂️ 12:00 - Australian IronMan / IronWoman Series (9Go!)

🏀 12:30 - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Brooklyn Nets (ESPN 1)

🇦🇺 13:10 - AFLW - Adelaide Crows Women v Fremantle Dockers Women (Fox Footy)

⛵️ 14:00 - America's Cup, The Prada Cup Final (Fox Sports)

🏒 14:00 - NHL - Vancouver Canucks v Calgary Flames (ESPN 2)

🏏 15:00 - Test Match - India v England (Fox Cricket)

⚾️ 15:00 - ABL Championship (Fox Sports More)

🏀 15:00 - NBL - Sydney Kings v The Hawks (SBS Viceland)

🇦🇺 15:10 - AFLW - Brisbane Lions Women v Collingwood Magpies Women (Fox Footy)

⚽️ 16:05 - A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Central Coast Mariners (Fox Sports)

🏀 17:00 - NBL - South East Melbourne Phoenix v Perth Wildcats (SBS Viceland)

🇦🇺 17:10 - AFLW - Richmond Tigers Women v West Coast Eagles Women (Fox Footy)

🎾 18:00 - Australian Open, Round 4 (GEM or Nine)

⚽️ 18:10 - A-League - Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 22:30 - Italian Serie A - Roma v Udinese (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 22:30 - Indian Super League - NorthEast United v Odisha FC (Fox Sports More)

⚽️ 23:00 - Scottish Premiership - St. Johnstone v Celtic (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 23:00 - Premier League - Southampton v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Optus Sport 1)