Kelsey Plum sinks Chicago in Phoenix debut

Life is but a Dream for Atlanta forward Angel Reese.

Kelsey Plum sinks Chicago in Phoenix debut

Phoenix’s latest addition wasted no time, as Kelsey Plum put up 20 points in just 21 minutes to lift the No. 10 Mercury over No. 11 Chicago — going on to sink the game-winner in Monday’s 106-101 win.

• Plum saw her first on-court action since June 21st, after the recently recovered vet departed No. 9 LA in a headline-making midseason trade.

• “It’s a cocktail for success, as far as I’m concerned,” Plum said of her fresh start in Phoenix. (Watch full highlights)

Scouting report: Last night’s late comeback spoke to Plum’s value, as the 12-19 Mercury make a last-ditch playoff push with just 13 regular-season games remaining.

• “We coveted her for a long time,” Phoenix GM Nick U’Ren said of the 31-year-old. “Because of her skill, because of her toughness, because of her character, because of her work ethic.”

• Plum teams up with All-Stars Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, after Thomas notched a 19-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double on Monday. (See full report)

Up next: The Mercury is back at it tomorrow, facing No. 6 Atlanta at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass).

Golden State takes on new-look Toronto

The Valkyries are nearing a sweep, as No. 3 Golden State looks to finish off No. 13 Toronto in tonight’s regular-season series closer after squashing the Tempo 96-79 on Sunday.

• Forward Janelle Salaün led a balanced Valkyries scoring effort with 24 points, backed by veteran Tiffany Hayes’s 15 points off the bench.

• “They maximized their energy — I thought they emptied the tank,” Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said of the duo. “[Hayes] will go until she’s completely about to faint.” (Watch full highlights)

Scouting report: With just one win in its last 10 games, Toronto is fighting to end a second-half skid behind reinforcements brought in at the trade deadline.

• The Tempo has been managing a significant injury load, playing without top scorer Marina Mabrey on Sunday due to neck soreness.

• Mabrey is questionable for tonight’s rematch, but Toronto should have new signing Aneesah Morrow available after she joined the 2026 expansion squad from Connecticut this week. (See full report)

Tune in: Golden State faces Toronto tonight at 10 PM ET (WNBA League Pass).

Alexandra Eala earns 1st WTA title at DC Open

World No. 20 Alexandra Eala has arrived, lifting her first-ever WTA trophy after taking down No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a rain-delayed three-set DC Open marathon.

• Eala took down a gauntlet of talent en route to the 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 hard-court victory, defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, No. 9 Elina Svitolina, former No. 1 Naomi Osaka, and defending DC champion Leylah Fernandez.

• With the win, she also became the first Filipino player to earn a WTA singles title. (Watch full highlights)

Looking ahead: With the US Open rapidly approaching, the rest of the WTA is busy tuning up in Toronto before landing in Cincinnati — the final tournaments before the season’s last Grand Slam.

• The Williams sisters might have US Open doubles on their minds after officially accepting wildcard entry to the Cincinnati Open, as Serena continues to recover from an injury suffered at Wimbledon.

• Eala now joins a stacked Toronto Open field that includes No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 4 Coco Gauff, and other big-name stars. (See full draw)

Tune in: Toronto Open coverage continues today at 11 AM ET (Tennis Channel).

Take a page out of the JWS playbook, as The Playbook presented by Justworks showcases JWS founder Haley Rosen in conversation with the founders, athletes, and operators shaping the future of women’s sports.

• In the latest episode, Angel City FC co-founder Julie Uhrman joins Haley to break down how the 2022 NWSL expansion team became one of the world’s most valuable women’s soccer clubs — from buzzy activations and celebrity ownership to on-pitch growing pains and plans for the future.

• “We know what great sporting events feel like,” Uhrman said. “We wanted to create Angel city to be an experience that we wanted to go to, that people would talk about when they left. And if you weren’t there, you had an insane amount of FOMO.”

Tune in: Don’t miss The Playbook on YouTube.

Tour de France Femmes turns up the heat

The Tour de France is coming in hot, already delivering surprises after Norwegian cyclist Sigrid Haugset took an unexpected early lead in Monday’s Stage 3.

• A 68-kilometer solo breakaway saw Haugset hold off two-time world champion Lotte Kopecky to lead by two minutes and two seconds overall — good for her first Tour de France Femmes stage-winner yellow jersey.

• “I can’t believe she didn’t catch me. I was so dizzy at the end — I couldn’t lift my arms off the bike,” Haugset told reporters. (Watch full highlights)

Looking ahead: With six stages to go, Kopecky alongside fellow favorites Demi Vollering and defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot are expected to make gains. (See full updates)

Tune in: Tour de France Femmes coverage continues through Sunday (Peacock).

Coach Marc Skinner departs Manchester United

Man United needs a new manager, after coach Marc Skinner mutually terminated his contract with the WSL club just one month before 2026/27 season kickoff.

• Skinner led Manchester United for five years, overseeing both its Champions League debut and 2024 FA Cup win.

• However, last season’s fourth-place finish saw United fail to qualify for a second UWCL run, giving way to a quiet transfer window ahead of next month’s opener. (See full report)

Big picture: Skinner’s departure adds to concerns about the club’s finances, after former coach Casey Stoney resigned in 2021 over internal investment frustrations.

• United is now reportedly focused on homegrown talent, having recently transferred forward Melvine Malard to Chelsea for £850,000. (See full report)

Quote of the day

Dalls Wings CEO Greg Bibb
announcing plans to move the Wings to the 20,000-seat American Airlines Center next year.