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USA Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Does Amanda Anisimova have a boyfriend? Here's what we know.
Amanda Anisimova has risen to be on the fringes of the top-10 in women's tennis, with the young star making it to the finals at Wimbledon 2025. The American star was born in New Jersey back in 2001 and has really moved up in recent years. And if you're here, you might be wondering: is she dating anybody? The answer is a bit unknown. Anisimova has kept things fairly quiet when it comes to her personal life, but we do know that there were rumors that she was dating Tyler Roos, an Australian model and son of Australian Football League player Paul Roos. This was back in 2020, and as you can see from a photo below, maybe that meant they were together. But that was nearly five years ago. So we're not sure at all if she's still dating him. So, yes: a lot of speculation over who she's dating, but no official word or anything about who it might be if it's anyone.
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Tennis pro Amanda Anisimova's reality TV star lover and 'unbearable' struggle
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova will face world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi finals at Wimbledon but the determined talent, thought to be dating a famous model, is accustomed to facing huge battles in her life US star Amanda Anisimova has reached the second grand slam semifinal of her career and will now face world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka after beating the Russian Anastasiya Pavlyuchenkova in the quarter finals at Wimbledon. The American was visibly overjoyed at her achievement and remarked on how much she was relishing the tournament. "It's been an extraordinary year for me," she said in her on-court interview after Tuesday's quarter final round. "So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way." She topped off the moment by bringing her four year old, achingly cute nephew, Jaxon, out onto the court to melt the hearts of the delighted crowd. Her next match will be her first semi final at Wimbledon but the 23 year old also reached the same stage at the French Open in 2019 when she was just 17. The achievement catapulted the then teenager onto the world stage. However that same year just before her 18th birthday and as her star was rising, she suffered a personal tragedy when her father and former coach, Konstantin, was found dead after suffering a heart attack. She withdrew from the US Open that year. "It was the worst thing that ever happened to me," Anisimova told the New York Post in 2020. "It was very tough." She immediately withdrew from the 2019 US Open and her performances on court were a mixture of successes and failures over the next few years. The year after her dad passed away it's thought she did manage to find some happiness in her personal life when she met and started dating the Australian, Tyler Roos. The son of Australian Football League legend Paul Roos, Tyler is an athlete who at the time played for the Southport Australian Football Club. Tyler is also a model and starred in Season 4 of the hit reality TV series The Amazing Race Australia. It's thought the couple are still together. Although Anisimova continued to play tennis, in May 2023 she announced she was retiring from the game due to mental health issues. "I've really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022," she announced at the time. "It's become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time," she said. She found a new hobby and turned to painting during her free time to help with relaxation and her mental state. She also launched a campaign Art for Hope, donating the funds raised from selling her paintings to mental health charities. Making her Wimbledon comeback in 2024, she lost in the qualifying round but spoke extensively to ESPN about the importance of taking care of every area of your health. "You can struggle with your mental health. It's just as important as your physical health," she said. When she was asked what made her decide to return to the sport she said she knew she would one day. "I always knew deep down that no matter how long I was gonna take off, I was gonna come back to the tour. "I still felt like there were so many things I wanted to achieve in the sport. Winning a Slam is definitely one of them, and I didn't wanna walk away so early after sacrificing so much of my life and working so hard," she revealed. "Once I came back, I found this new passion for it. I feel like it's a passion I didn't feel back then or maybe when I was a teenager. Every win is that much more special now." She also spoke about the importance of being "honest and vulnerable" about a topic which is often stigmatised. Explaining that a lot of tennis players struggle with loneliness due to the lifestyle and travel she emphasised the importance of finding a balance. "We've seen a lot of players struggle with that," she stated. "It's a super important thing. I think a lot of teams are starting to understand what it takes to create more happiness in the players' lives. I've seen a lot of teams doing a great job with their players. It's important to have fun on and off the court."
The Diplomat
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
After No-Confidence Vote, Tasmania Headed to the Polls July 19
The state of Tasmania will head to the polls on July 19, after the government lost a no-confidence vote in June. This will be the fourth election in the state in the last seven years. Tasmania is unique among Australian states in that it uses a voting system of proportional representation. The lower house – where government is formed – is elected from five constituencies, each with seven MPs. The Liberal Party had been governing since 2014, but in a minority since the election last year, with the support of smaller parties and independents. But this arrangement broke down due to a pair of issues that cut right into the direct interests of the island of 575,000 people. The first was the inept handling of the replacement of two aging ferries. The two massive ferries that shuttle between the northern Tasmanian city of Devonport and the Victorian city of Geelong are the only way to transport cars and trucks between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. They are vital for the island's tourist industry, but also essential for getting Tasmanian goods to Melbourne, the country's largest port. The Tasmanian economy is heavily dependent on them. Two new vessels were commissioned to be built in Finland in 2021. Both were expected to be operational by mid-2024. Yet there has been a significant oversight: the two new vessels are larger than those they are designed to replace, and the dock in Devonport is too small to accommodate them. The government had expected a new dock to be completed by mid-2024, but it's not ready yet and completion isn't expected for at least another year. With the first ferry completed, the Tasmanian government had nowhere to put it – with all potential sites in Tasmania or mainland Australia unwilling to accommodate an idle ship. Since December, the ferry has been docked in Scotland, with berthing costs around US$30,000 per week. With a parking spot finally having been found in Hobart, this past weekend the ferry began its journey across the world to the city where it will sit until the dock in Devonport is completed. The second ferry is still conducting sea trials in the Baltic Sea. The mismanagement of infrastructure so vital to the state has obviously led to the questioning of the government's competence. The second issue that precipitated the government's downfall is both cultural and financial. Despite being a state with a deep passion for Australian Rules football – and having bred some of the game's greats – the state has not had a team in the Australian Football League (AFL). Over the past 15-20 years the AFL has been spending extraordinary sums of money to try and make inroads into the rugby-playing states of New South Wales and Queensland. Two new teams have been created in Western Sydney and the Gold Coast, despite the sport having no cultural legitimacy in those regions. This has, in turn, irritated Tasmanians, who rightly feel they are a far more legitimate region for the league's expansion, and would be keen on attracting the AFL's buckets of money. This changed in 2023 when the AFL granted a new license for a Tasmanian team for the 2028 season. However, it came with the condition that the state build a new stadium: a huge financial burden for a small state. To many in Tasmania constructing a stadium with the same seating capacity as Hobart's current stadium seems unnecessary. However, the AFL is insistent on a stadium with a roof. While the sport used to be an all-weather game – played in rain, hail, and snow – in recent years the AFL has expected perfect playing conditions for the game as a television spectacle. Hobart's heavy winter dew is therefore considered a problem, and this has created great division between the people of Tasmania and the AFL – who think they can bully the state into submission. This is something the government has been unable to manage. Despite not entering the competition for another two and a half years, already over 200,000 people have signed up to be a member of the new football club. That's an extraordinary figure for such a small population. Yet Tasmanians don't feel their love of the game should have to submit itself to a bunch of suits from Melbourne intent on sterilizing it. And they've been willing to bring down their own government to prove it.
Daily Maverick
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Ultraviolence of viral games knocks sports safety back centuries
The dangerous new 'sport' called Run It Straight has already led to one known death. Created in Australia, Run It Straight is a new, ultraviolent combat sport. Across a 20m x 4m grassed 'battlefield', two players charge at full speed towards one another. Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner) and defending (tackler), victory is awarded via a knockout (a competitor cannot continue), or a judge's decision based on an athlete's dominance during the collisions. Despite neuroscientists issuing grave warnings about the brutal sport's risks, Run It Straight's viral popularity on social media, including its endorsement among high-profile athletes, is accelerating. Melbourne hosted the inaugural ' Runit Championship League ' event at the beginning of May. Footage showed some participants convulsing after their collisions as the winner celebrated, surrounded by children. Drawing hundreds of spectators and millions of online views, the full-speed collision challenge is already turning its violence and social media footprint into commercial success abroad, securing interest in the US. The sport held some events in New Zealand in the week of 19 May, but one was halted by the Auckland city council because of safety concerns and the failure to secure necessary permits. A history of sport and violence In ancient times, symbolic cultural displays of power and physical dominance featured in combat sports such as wrestling, boxing, pankration (a mixed martial art combining boxing and wrestling) and even armoured foot races. This brutal entertainment is reflected in contemporary collision sports such as the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia and New Zealand, and the Australian Football League (AFL). In recent decades, however, the danger of concussion has resulted in most contact sports changing rules and regulations to protect athletes from head injuries. Various measures have been implemented to mitigate, eliminate and treat head trauma. The Australian government has been exerting influence and committing material resources to support athletes living with brain issues such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Considering this multipronged effort to make contact sports safer, the violence of Run It Straight is jarring. Why are these new sports so popular? With its origins as a social media challenge, Run It Straight is perfect content for short-form social media platforms: an entire competition can be distilled into a 30-second highlight. Compared with many collision sports that have complex rules and strategies, which can be a barrier to interest, engagement and commercial returns, the accessible and minimalist format of Run It Straight also makes it attractive to fans. Run It Straight and other emerging violent sports such as Power Slap – a fight sport where contestants slap each other so hard they can be knocked unconscious – are simplistic and brutal. Athletes in most traditional collision sports use their physical ability and skill to evade contact. Similarly, boxing is not just about strikes to the head – it is also about evading punches, supreme physical fitness and scoring points. But the visual spectacle and shock of two people running towards one another for an inevitable collision is a form of violence that appeals to an increasing number of fans. Risks and possible remedies Run It Straight is a new sport, and to our knowledge there is no empirical peer-reviewed research focusing on it. But many neurologists have expressed concerns about its total disregard for scientific evidence showing that repeated head trauma damages brain health. With Run It Straight appearing to lack the medical resources and infrastructure of professional sports organisations, and the competition's expressed intent to have participants collide at high speed, the risk of significant injury is high. Power Slap, though, has been the subject of empirical research. A 2024 study reported that many of the sport's combatants showed visible signs of concussion (motor incoordination, slowness to get up and blank and vacant looks during bouts). Opportunity for 'traditional' sports? The rise of Run It Straight and Power Slap creates a unique opportunity for the governing bodies of contact codes such as the AFL, NRL and rugby union to highlight what sets them apart. Key to this is athlete safety. For years, governing bodies in these codes have invested time and resources to implement concussion management protocols at professional and community levels. The tournament-based format for individual adult participants allows Run It Straight to operate without the broader governance responsibilities of football codes. However, it is because of those governance responsibilities that the football codes can amplify their athlete wellbeing credentials to reassure participants and parents who may be nervous about concussion risks. Second, the football codes are organised team sports played with multiple players on a team, facilitating skill acquisition, teamwork, mental wellbeing and physical fitness. Although there appears to be a degree of camaraderie during Run It Straight events, it is evidently a one-on-one competition. Ultimately, the rise and evident popularity of Run It Straight and Power Slap provides a stark reminder there will always be a section of society that is drawn to high-risk behaviours. In turn, the football codes should look to highlight the value of balance and their athlete wellbeing credentials. DM First published by The Conversation. Christopher Yorke is a lecturer in sport management at Western Sydney University; Michelle O'Shea is a senior lecturer in the School of Business at Western Sydney University; Jeremy Sleiman is a lecturer in sport management at the Australian College of Physical Education and a research assistant at Western Sydney University. This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Lost $200m in startup bust to alcohol addiction: Ex-AFL Joel Macdonald star reflects upon his downfall and how he fought back
Joel Macdonald , former Australian Football League (AFL) star, has revealed the reason behind him turning to magic mushrooms after he lost $200million after the collapse of his global tech business. MacDonald, 40, who played for the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne Demons, retired in 2013 after which he turned his attention to GetSwift , his start-up in 2017. Following the launch of his startup, MacDonald enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle which was short-lived after everything fell apart following a ruling by a federal court judge. According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, the former AFL star was ordered to pay $1 million and was also disqualified from managing corporations for 12 years, as the Federal Court handed logistics provider GetSwift the largest-ever penalty for breaching continuous disclosure laws. The court stated that the defender turned entrepreneur was focused on his bank balance, not 'his legal obligations as a director.' 'A few years ago I lost 200 was f---ing brutal,' Macdonald said in a recent YouTube interview. Macdonald turns back pages of life Live Events Speaking about his downfall in the interview, MacDonald claimed that at the age of 30 he was at the top of the world. He also said that during that time he was one of Australia's youngest public company CEO's who was enjoying first class (flights), best restaurants. Macdonald, who claimed to be in the young rich list before everything vanished, was ultimately out of his depth in 2018 when Get Swift's downfall began. Macdonald's company's trade was suspended by the Australian Securities Exchange over allegations that he misled the market by overstating forecasts and failing to disclose the loss of major contracts. To make matters worse for him, a record penalty of $15million followed and Macdonald was also ordered to pay $1million in damages, according to media reports. He was also disqualified from managing corporations for 12 years. The court, at the time, described Macdonald's startup GetSwift as a company that 'became a market darling because it adopted an unlawful public-relations-driven approach to corporate disclosure. It further said that the company was instigated and driven by those wielding power within the company.' How Macdonald brought best out of him after downfall The NFL star admitted that his professional reputation was destroyed and he resorted to consuming alcohol and anti-anxiety drugs as a coping mechanism. 'The rage I felt inside of me that it was all over was insane,' he said. Macdonald also revealed that a magic mushroom retreat, daily journaling, meditation and therapy helped in becoming the best version of himself. Magic mushroom retreats are guided, multi-day experiences which are designed for healing and personal growth. As a part of the experience, participants consume psilocybin mushrooms in a safe, supportive setting with trained facilitators.
