A'ja Wilson injury threatens Aces' Commissioner's Cup hopes

No matter the surface, Naomi Osaka is a true tennis style icon.

Liberty & Aces tip off Commissioner’s Cup final

The winner-takes-all Commissioner’s Cup final is here, as New York battles Las Vegas to become the in-season tournament’s first-ever two-time winner.

• With forward Satou Sabally (concussion) sidelined, the Liberty enters on a two-game losing streak, rattling off defeats to Seattle and Golden State after besting Las Vegas last week.

• The Aces bounced back from Tuesday’s loss with confident wins over Dallas and Chicago — though they could be facing a major blow, after listing superstar A’ja Wilson (right leg) as “questionable” this morning. (See injury report)

Familiar foes: Las Vegas won the inaugural 2022 Commissioner’s Cup, one year before New York beat the Aces to lift the 2023 trophy.

• The winning team splits a $500,000 purse — about $30,000 per player — while the Liberty already raised $18,000 for the African American Policy Forum and Las Vegas earned $19,000 for the Public Education Foundation. 

• “It’s going to be a great battle,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “I know Barclays is going to be rocking.” (See full preview)

Tune in: The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final tips off at 7 PM ET, live on Prime.

Sam Kerr & Gotham make it official

Sam Kerr’s NWSL return is official, as Gotham FC signed the Australian striker to a deal that keeps her in the US through 2030.

• The 32-year-old will join New York/New Jersey next month, reuniting the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer with the team she played for from 2015 to 2017 under its previous Sky Blue FC identity.

• “This club was an important part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special,” Kerr said. (Watch athlete profile)

Taking stock: Kerr exited as Chelsea’s top WSL scorer with 116 goals in 158 appearances, leading the UK club to 11 trophies across six seasons in London.

• The 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up returned to the pitch in September after an 18-month ACL recovery, going on to net the game-winner in her final WSL start. 

• “Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels,” said Gotham President of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West. (See full release)

Stay tuned: Kerr will reportedly make her Gotham debut at July 15th’s Queens Classic, taking on Washington at MLB’s Citi Field.

Mercury defends suspended Alyssa Thomas

The Fever-Mercury drama rolls on, as Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts voiced strong support for suspended Mercury star Alyssa Thomas on Sunday.

• The WNBA benched Thomas in Saturday’s 89-80 win over Toronto, issuing a Flagrant 2 foul after reviewing a no-call play where Thomas fell on top of Fever star Caitlin Clark and appeared to push into her throat.

• Tibbetts called out Indiana coach Stephanie White’s assertion that Thomas took “cheap shots,” saying, “The people in this league know who AT is. She’s a competitor, she’s a winner, and she’s tough. The one thing she is not is cheap.” (See full clip)

Drawing the line: Tibbetts also blasted league officials, calling the investigation “incomplete” and claiming that neither Thomas nor Phoenix’s staff were consulted before the ruling.

• The 34-year-old’s teammates rallied behind her, with guard Kahleah Copper addressing the media before dropping a game-high 27 points on the Tempo.

• “We’re with AT,” she said. “We just wish it would have been handled the right way... I don’t think it played out how it should have professionally.” (See full report)

Up next: The Mercury and Fever meet again on July 9th, entering the regular-season series finale tied at one win apiece.

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WTA stars cancel Wimbledon protest

The WTA’s best and brightest called it off, as Wimbledon’s top stars confirmed they’ll conduct normal media duties in London after threatening to repeat last month’s French Open boycott.

• The decision came after the All England Club agreed to review proposals calling for increased revenue sharing, improved benefits, and more transparency in an effort to level the field for lower-ranked competitors.

• “It’s not about me,” US standout Coco Gauff said last month. “It’s about the future of our sport and the current players who aren’t getting as much benefits.” (See full clip) 

Stay tuned: Wimbledon returns today, as seven-time champion Serena Williams kicks off her comeback run against Maya Joint at 11:20 AM ET, live on ESPN.

Gretchen Walsh shatters freestyle record

Gretchen Walsh is making a splash, as the US swimmer broke the 50-meter freestyle world record with a 23.55 finish at this week’s Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.

• The record comes just 10 days after Walsh’s training partner Kate Douglass set the previous mark, making the former UVA teammates two fastest women’s 50-meter freestylers in history. 

• “I’m here,” Walsh said afterward. “I’m going to try to keep breaking world records in everything.” (See full report)

Bright future: The 23-year-old already holds the world record in the 100-meter butterfly alongside the event’s 16 fastest times on record, tallying four Olympic medals in 2024 while continuing to dominate post-collegiate competition.

Quote of the day

Olympic gold medalist Laila Edwards
after San Jose selected her No. 4 overall in last week’s 2026 PWHL Draft.