Received

A Sydney man is the latest to be nabbed in the "sting of the century" after he was allegedly caught orchestrating the import of $64 million in cocaine via a fruit juice tanker ship.

The 41-year-old was arrested as part of Operation Ironside, which has uncovered murder plots, weapon purchases and mass drug trafficking thanks to an encrypted online platform secretly overseen by the US FBI.

The surveillance of the "ANoM" communication platform has resulted in the arrest of more than 220 Australian organised crime figures since 2018, with the Australian Federal Police calling it the "sting of the century".

Police say the Bondi man planned to smuggle the 216kg of cocaine into NSW by hiding it in the hull of a fruit juice tanker ship destined for the state from Brazil.

He was making arrangements for a team of divers to retrieve the drugs from the bottom of the ship upon its arrival in Australia, they say, when it was intercepted in Belgium on June 21.

"Our highly skilled Australian Border Force officers were able to identify the vessel, its projected movements and the probable location of the drug concealment based on scant information," ABF Superintendent Alex O'Brien said on Saturday.

Authorities found three bags packed with cocaine inside the sea chest of the ship.

The man was arrested on Friday morning and charged with directing a criminal group, conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and possessing a prohibited weapon.

He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The man was refused bail and next appear before court on June 30.

A second man, currently in custody awaiting trial on unrelated charges, will face additional charges over the cocaine bust.

© AAP 2021

Top seed Ash Barty has been drawn in an emotional first-round encounter at Wimbledon against inspirational cancer survivor Carla Suarez Navarro.

Friday's draw at the All England Club was overshadowed by the dramatic late news that reigning ladies' champion Simona Halep has withdrawn from the grand slam tournament due to injury.

Romanian Halep was unable to recover sufficiently from a calf injury and will not be fit to defend the title she won when The Championships were last held in 2019.

So a new champion will be crowned with Australia's world No.1 Barty still the favourite to lift the title, according to British bookmakers, despite the recent hip injury woe which forced her to withdraw during the French Open.

The 32-year-old Spaniard Suarez Navarro, who retired last year and was diagnosed with early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma, announced in April she'd been cured after treatment and her comeback has been one of the tour's most heartwarming stories.

If Barty wins, Suarez Navarro will have played her last match at Wimbledon, where she's reached the last-16 at Wimbledon three times.

It's a tricky draw for Barty, scheduled to play Russian Anna Blinkova or Hungarian Timea Babos in the second round, with a potentially dangerous outing against Sydney-born Brit Jo Konta, the 27th seed, in the third.

According to seedings, Barty would then play the new surprise French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in the last-16, No.5 seed Bianca Andreescu in the quarters, Serena Williams in the semis and Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Men's champion Novak Djokovic will launch his defence when the tournament opens on Monday against British teenage wildcard Jack Draper.

The Serbian, on course for a calendar grand slam after his recent French Open win, will be spared the prospect of a potential quarter-final meeting with Roger Federer as they're on opposite sides of the draw.

It means the pair could meet in a repeat of their epic 2019 final but it will be a long road for 39-year-old Federer, who'll open up with a tough one against Adrian Mannarino.

It's an absolute minefield of a draw for the leading Australian men, though.

Alex de Minaur admits he hasn't been given much protection with his 15th seeding, with a potentially treacherous opener against one of the game's rising stars, 20-year-old American Sebastian Korda, son of former Australian Open champ Petr Korda.

"Obviously, Sebby's playing some unbelievable tennis, one of the guys of the future, and he's been playing great on grass," de Minaur told AAP.

"So, obviously it's not an ideal draw - but it works both ways," added the Sydneysider who knows he himself is a man to be avoided at the moment after he made it into his first grass-court final at the Eastbourne International on Friday.

One of the best contests of the round is a rematch between Nick Kyrgios, returning to action for the first time since February's Australian Open, and young French 21st seed Ugo Humbert.

The pair had a thrilling five-setter at Melbourne Park before Kyrgios prevailed 6-4 in the decider.

John Millman, the Aussie No.2, faces Spain's eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, a semi-finalist in 2019, while Sydney's rising Alexei Popyrin faces evergreen Japanese star Kei Nishikori.

Jordan Thompson has his work cut out against Norwegian talent Casper Ruud, the 12th seed, while Chris O'Connell's reward for battling through qualifying is a meeting with the flamboyant 13th seed Gael Monfils.

WHO THE AUSSIES FACE IN THE FIRST ROUND AT WIMBLEDON (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):

Men's singles

Marc Polmans (qualifier) v Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)

Chris O'Connell (qualifier) v 13-Gael Monfils (FRA)

15-Alex de Minaur v Sebastian Korda (USA)

James Duckworth v Radu Albot (MOL)

John Millman v 8-Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)

Alex Bolt (wildcard) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)

Alexei Popyrin v Kei Nishikori (JPN)

Jordan Thompson v 12-Casper Ruud (NOR)

Nick Kyrgios v 21-Ugo Humbert (FRA)

Women's singles

1-Ash Barty v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

Ajla Tomljanovic v Greet Minnen (BEL)

Samantha Stosur v Shelby Rogers (USA)

Ellen Perez (qualifier) v Clara Burel (FRA)

© AAP 2021

Only seven months ago, Kylie Hilder answered a game day SOS and came out of retirement to play for the NSW Women's State of Origin team at the age of 44.

That may have been tough but Hilder reckoned that playing was easier than coaching after Queensland claimed a controversial 8-6 win to spoil her debut as NSW mentor on Friday night.

Hilder completed a remarkable journey when she sat in the Sky Blues coach's box at Sunshine Coast Stadium alongside assistant, NSW's former Origin series-winning captain Geoff Toovey.

She took over the reins in 2021 from Andy Patmore after playing a surprise swansong Origin in last November's 24-18 loss to the Maroons at the same venue.

Hilder was initially part of the Sky Blues support staff after retiring two months earlier but earned a game day call-up last year when hooker Keeley Davis pulled out with a back injury.

Hilder enjoyed her coaching debut on Friday but admitted it was tougher than being on the field after watching helplessly as Queensland iced the victory with a penalty goal in the final minute.

NSW captain Kezie Apps accused Chelsea Lenarduzzi of "milking" the penalty when Filomina Hanisi pulled her leg as the Maroons prop tried to play the ball right in front of the posts.

The hard-fought clash held in miserable weather looked headed for golden point but NSW were left shattered when Queensland centre Lauren Brown slotted the match-winning penalty with just 20 seconds left.

"It is definitely a lot harder as coach," former Test and NSW No.9 Hilder said.

"You don't have any control once the girls are out on the field.

"As a player you can at least have some input, but I had full faith in the girls.

"It was just some silly mistakes. I think we bombed four tries.

"But I am super proud of the girls. My first coaching experience has been great."

Hilder was a part of history on Friday night after lining up against Queensland rookie coach and most capped Jillaroo Tahnee Norris, marking the first time both women's Origin teams boasted female mentors.

The game also had the first all-female on-field officials line-up after referee Belinda Sharpe ran out with touch judges Kailey Beattie and Karra-Lee Nolan.

But Hilder believes it may be some time yet before the women's game joins the men and adopts a best-of-three Origin series.

"After losing, definitely (want a three game Origin series)," Hilder said.

"Three games would be wonderful but until our athletes are full-time it is impossible for these girls to play three Origins and NRLW plus have a full-time job.

"Hopefully, we will get there one day."

Hilder also hopes the women's Origin clash will return to NSW next year after Queensland won the two games played on the Sunshine Coast since it was relocated from North Sydney Oval in 2019.

© AAP 2021