The GIST: The women’s and men’s semifinals are officially set Down Under, highlighted by two defending champs eager to retain their crown. And you thought Break Point was dramatic.

Women’s: No. 4 Coco Gauff is through to her first-ever Aussie Open semi, where she’ll face a familiar foe: reigning champion No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka — a rematch of the 2023 US Open, which Gauff won in three sets to claim her first major title.

• Undefeated in 2024, the American fan-favorite is approaching today’s tomorrow’s 3:30 a.m. ET battle with excitement and caution, hoping she “got the bad match out of the way” in the quarter-finals, where she made an uncharacteristic 51 unforced errors. Sabalenka, on the other hand, has yet to drop a set this tourney and is eager for revenge against the 19-year-old.
• Over on the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Iga Świątek’s (pronounced sh-fee-ON-tek) early exit has left a clear path for others to make their best Grand Slam runs yet. Today’s second semis match will be a battle of first-time major semifinalists, as Dayana Yastremska faces No. 12 Qinwen Zheng.

Men’s: After defeating America’s last male hope, No. 12 Taylor Fritz, in the quarter-finals yesterday, No. 1 Novak Djokovic advanced to his 11th Australian Open semi — tomorrow’s battle with No. 4 Jannik Sinner. Twenty-two-year-old Sinner is coming in hot: not only has he won every match of the tourney in straight sets, he also beat Djokovic at the Davis Cup in November 2023.

• But this semis showdown is Djokovic’s to lose: Every time he’s won his Aussie Open quarter-final match, he’s gone on to win the title. Sheesh.
• The other men’s semifinal will see No. 3 Daniil Medvedev take on the winner of No. 6 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, who are playing as we send this.

There’s no time like January to set a lofty goal — how about running a marathon? Milk is hosting the first-ever Every Woman’s Marathon in November, a female-first race designed for runners of every skill level. Creating a safe space to try new things? HYFR.

• But this is more than a marathon: it’s a self-care weekend. Fuel up with milk, the original performance drink, with electrolytes, protein, B vitamins, and more, before heading to complimentary yoga and cooking classes, and tackling your race.

Best of all, Team Milk will support you every step of the way with special training guides designed by five expert marathoners, including friend of The GIST, Kathrine Switzer. Sign up today to lock in discounted early bird pricing and kick off 2024 on the right…foot.

🏒 PWHL: Boston vs. Ottawa — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — YouTube

• Yes, this is a battle of inconsistent contenders, but these two squads have also played the fewest games in the league. Maybe tonight’s the night they find their footing.

🥅 PWHL: Montréal vs. Minnesota — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — YouTube

• On the flip side, the two standings leaders meet in the state of hockey for what’s sure to be a high-scoring matchup between league-leading scorers Marie-Philip Poulin of Montréal and Grace Zumwinkle of Minnesota. Spicy.

⛳ LPGA: Drive On Championship — Tomorrow through Sunday — Golf Channel

• After last weekend’s exciting season opener, the fun swings on from Bradenton, Florida, where world No. 4 and Bradenton’s own Nelly Korda will be looking to improve her season-opening 16th-place finish. Tee-riffic.

🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 LSU — Tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET — ESPN

• The top-ranked Gamecocks are the only undefeated team remaining in all of college hoops, but they’ll face their toughest test yet in the defending champs. Can’t miss is an understatement.

Relaxing yoga classes, stimulating panels…and 26.2 miles — the Every Woman’s Marathon in Savannah, Georgia is the perfect weekend for sporty spices searching for a supportive community of ambitious gals. Our pals at Milk are planning it all on a beginner-friendly course, great for first-time striders and seasoned vets alike.

• And when you’re training for the race, consider powering up with nutritious dairy milk in your morning oats or kickstarting your post-run recovery with chocolate milk, the ultimate treat that repairs and rebuilds your muscles and helps prevent soreness. Moo-re of that, please.

Women were banned from running marathons until 1972, and even today, most races are created with men in mind — but not the Every Woman’s Marathon. From the course to the private nursing pods, every aspect of this weekend was designed with women at the forefront. A welcome change of pace.

The inaugural Every Woman’s Marathon, a 26.2-mile female-first race created by women, for women, and sponsored by our friends at Milk. Grab a glass of the protein-rich cold stuff and register today for a special early bird discount. You got this.*

New sports fans. Swifties are adding to the NFL community and making the whole league shimmer.

At the airport. The newly installed court at the Indianapolis Airport is an internet hit, generating buzz ahead of the upcoming NBA All-Star Game. Hey now.

*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Born to run.