The WNBA’s next generation isn’t afraid of a little smack talk.

Golden State surges up the WNBA table

Golden State is making a statement, after Sunday’s 76-67 win over No. 5 New York boosted the No. 3 Valkyries up the WNBA standings.

• Golden State held all but two Liberty starters to single-digit scoring, tallying a three-game winning streak behind a balanced defensive effort and guard Kaila Charles’s 13 points off the bench.

• “Our biggest thing coming into this three-game stretch was being on the same page,” said Charles. “When we are, we are a really, really great team.” (Watch full highlights)

Ups & downs: The result extended New York’s two-game skid, as the short-staffed Liberty struggle to keep up with gritty opponents.

• New York forward Satou Sabally is entering concussion protocol, after the Liberty stumbled to its lowest-scoring first half this year on Sunday.

• “It’s really the moments when you’re at the lowest,” said forward Breanna Stewart. “We’re obviously not a finished product, but this wasn’t a great showing.” (See full report)

Up next: New York next takes on Las Vegas in tomorrow’s 7 PM ET Commissioner’s Cup final (Prime), while Golden State aims to keep momentum rolling through Saturday’s 1 PM ET clash with Atlanta (CBS).

Gotham lifts the NWSL Challenge Cup trophy

No. 5 Gotham FC lifted another trophy on Friday, taking down No. 6 Kansas City 2-0 in Columbus, Ohio to win its first-ever NWSL Challenge Cup.

• In a sometimes chippy affair, Gotham forward Esthér opened the scoring from the penalty spot just before halftime, before rookie Jordynn Dudley called her own second-half shot to secure the title.

• “She’s such a winner, and she has the mentality,” Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros said of Dudley. “She does that from a humbling position to put the team first and produces on both sides of the ball.” (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: With the regular season resuming this weekend, the neutral-site match gave both mid-table teams a head start coming out of the midseason break.

• “It gives us a good bite,” said Current defender Izzy Rodriguez. “Coming off of a loss, you don’t like that feeling. So now to carry that into the rest of the season, I think it’ll only help us.”

• “A final lives its own life — you never know what to expect,” said Gotham defender Guro Reiten. “We punished them in two good moments, and that’s all we needed today.” (See full recap)

Up next: The NWSL returns Friday, as No. 4 Washington faces No. 11 Houston at 8 PM ET, live on Victory+.

Top WTA stars hit the grass in London

Titans and underdogs alike hit the grass today, as Wimbledon kicks off its first round with more than a few blockbuster matchups lurking just around the corner.

• Reigning champion world No. 3 Iga Świątek headlines the field, flanked by No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Elena Rybakina, and No. 4 Jessica Pegula.

• “I feel like I’m starting from a totally different position, and I’m really in a place that I’m keeping my expectations low,” said Świątek. “I need to play matches and I need to adjust.” (See full draw)

Big names: All eyes will be on 44-year-old tennis icon Serena Williams, as she opens her first singles campaign since 2022 against Australia’s Maya Joint tomorrow.

• Should the seven-time Wimbledon champion advance, she’ll likely face No. 32 Alexandra Eala in the second round — before a potential third-round date with Świątek.

• “Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again — this could be it,” Williams said this week. “People live to be an athlete. I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do best.” (See full report)

Tune in: Wimbledon coverage runs through July 11th, live on ESPN.

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WNBA legends enter Basketball Hall of Fame

The Class of 2026 got its flowers on Saturday, as retired WNBA forwards Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne and current Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve officially entered the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Two-time MVPs Parker and Delle Donne both enter with Olympic gold and WNBA titles to their names, as the pair gears up for another induction into the Naismith Basketball HOF later this summer.

• “I wouldn’t have won a championship if I didn’t play against Candace, and go through the headache of playing her,” said Delle Donne. (See full report)

Big shot: Reeve’s honor came alongside the Minnesota boss’s 379th career victory, tying ex-Mystics coach Mike Thibault for most regular-season WNBA wins.

• “This game has given me a fulfilling lifetime of joy,” Reeve said. “To share the Hall with so many women’s basketball greats makes me glad I never got a real job.” (See full clip)

Marie-Philip Poulin set for July knee surgery

Montréal will hit the ice captain-less this November, as 2026 Walter Cup champion Marie-Philip Poulin announced she’ll undergo knee surgery next month — sidelining her for the start of the 2026/27 PWHL season.

• Poulin revealed she tore her ACL and meniscus in Canada’s Olympic silver medal run, going on to lead the Victoire to its first-ever title despite the injury.

• “I wanted to be part of this journey that led us to hoist the Walter Cup,” she said. “It has become clear that if I want to continue playing at a high level, surgery is necessary.”

Tough calls: The Canada captain’s availability for November’s World Championships also remains in doubt, potentially ending a 17-year major tournament streak.

• “In the short term, it’s a difficult choice,” she continued. “But if I take a step back and think about the years ahead, the decision is obvious.” (See full report)

Number of the day 

3:35

Washington topped Portland 124-123 in 3 hours and 35 minutes on Sunday, marking just the second quadruple-overtime in WNBA history.