Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese named WNBA All-Stars; Wimbledon’s top seed ousted; top 10 stories for rest of 2024

4 July 2024

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🌟 Good morning to everybody, however particularly to …

CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have already taken the WNBA by storm this season, and they are now officially All-Star teammates after the rosters had been introduced final evening.

Clark and Reese will each symbolize Group WNBA and can tackle Group USA (aka the U.S. Olympic workforce) over WNBA All-Star weekend, and their recognition was on full show within the fan vote. Clark acquired 80,000 extra votes than the subsequent participant on the record, whereas Reese additionally discovered herself within the high 5.

1. Caitlin Clark, Fever — 700,735 votes
2. Aliyah Boston, Fever — 618,680 votes
3. A’ja Wilson, Aces — 607,300 votes
4. Breanna Stewart, Liberty — 424,135 votes
5. Angel Reese, Sky — 381,518 votes

It was an enormous evening throughout for Reese, whose Sky picked up an 85-77 win over the Dream in extending her record-setting double-double streak to 11 video games with 12 factors and 19 rebounds. After that spectacular efficiency, Reese obtained emotional when speaking about her All-Star nod.

Reese: “I am simply so completely happy. I do know the work I put in. Coming into the league, so many individuals doubted me and did not assume my sport would translate and I would not be the participant that I used to be in school. … I am unable to thank my teammates and my coaches sufficient for believing in me and trusting me.”

Clark’s Fever did not fare fairly as properly. The misplaced to the Aces, 88-69, however Clark did document a double-double of her personal with 13 factors and 11 assists.

Make sure you try the full 2024 WNBA All-Star rosters right here.

👍 Honorable mentions

🎾 And never such a superb morning for …

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MARKETA VONDROUSOVA

Marketa Vondrousova got here into Wimbledon hoping to defend her title after turning into the primary unseeded girl to win the match final yr.

Sadly, she made some extra historical past for all of the improper causes this yr. Vondrousova misplaced to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, 6-4, 6-2, within the first spherical. That made Vondrousova the first defending champ to lose in the first round since 1994.

That yr, Steffi Graf fell to Lori McNeil after successful the prior yr. At the least Vondrousova has one thing in frequent with the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Famer.

Maybe essentially the most disappointing a part of this loss for Vondrousova is the truth that expectations had been comparatively excessive for her on the All England Garden Tennis & Croquet Membership this yr. Not solely was Vondrousova the reigning champion, however she was additionally the No. 6 seed.

To make her early exit much more irritating, Vondrousa fell sufferer to self-inflicted wounds within the type of three double-faults and 28 unforced errors.

With Vondrousova out of the combo, the remainder of the ladies’s area shall be attempting to assert her throne as the subsequent Wimbledon champion. No. 2 seed Coco Gauff is off to a superb begin in that regard after dismantling Caroline Dolehide within the first spherical.

On the lads’s facet, reigning Wimbledon champ and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz defeated Mark Lajal within the first spherical, and Novak Djokovic made fast work of Vit Kopriva.

Because the match continues this weekend, hold it locked on our updated schedule and results from Wimbledon.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

👀 High 10 tales to observe for the remainder of 2024

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As exhausting as it could be to imagine, 2024 is midway over. This yr has already supplied us with some nice moments in sports activities, however the perfect could be but to come back. We recognized the 10 biggest storylines to track in the second half of the year.

Practically each sport has one thing to stay up for within the second half of this yr, however the NFL has a number of large tales to observe. Not solely will Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs start their quest to turn into the primary workforce ever to win three straight Tremendous Bowls, however the Jets will attempt to shed their shedding methods.

CBS Sports activities’ personal Tyler Sullivan explains why the stakes are so excessive for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets this fall.

Sullivan: “In the event that they create a wall in entrance of Rodgers, the four-time MVP has weapons in place to choose aside defenses. And even when Rodgers is simply 80% of his former self, that is higher than any quarterback the Jets have had in many years. If he cannot recreate the magic, it is the newest chapter in what has been a tragic state of affairs for the franchise on the place.”

Wanting exterior the NFL, there may be lots to get enthusiastic about, together with the Rookie of the 12 months race within the WNBA. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who keep going back and forth atop the WNBA Rookie Rankings, shall be going backwards and forwards at some stage in the season.

Listed below are just a few extra of the notable tales to observe all through the again 9 of 2024:

Can Group USA dominate on the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Scottie Scheffler is attempting to equal Tiger Woods‘ iconic 2000 PGA Tour season.
How will JJ Redick work with LeBron James (and Bronny James) and the Lakers.
Will the Yankees finish their World Collection drought?
The Mike Tyson–Jake Paul bout, initially scheduled for July 20, is now Nov. 15.

🏀 Kemba Walker broadcasts his retirement

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Kemba Walker is riding off into the sunset after a memorable basketball career. Between his three seasons at UConn and his 12 seasons within the NBA, Walker piled up some spectacular accolades.

Within the 2010-11 season, Walker led the Huskies to a nationwide title whereas averaging 23.5 factors, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per sport. That yr, Walker was the Ultimate 4 Most Excellent Participant and a consensus All-American.

That summer season, Walker was chosen by the then Charlotte Bobcats with the No. 9 total choose within the NBA Draft. Walker spent the primary eight seasons of his NBA profession in Charlotte and earned three All-Star nods.

In 2019, Walker signed an enormous contract with the Celtics and instantly earned third-team All-NBA honors. Accidents derailed Walker’s profession from there, and his final NBA season was with the Mavericks in 2022-23.

Walker’s dominance at UConn won’t ever be forgotten, however he should still fall short of a shot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Our personal Cameron Salerno explains that the voters weigh NBA accomplishments extra closely than collegiate ones.

Salerno: “However Corridor of Fame voters hardly ever give school deserves the identical recognition as NBA accomplishments. For instance, Duke’s Christian Laettner — one of the vital embellished school basketball gamers within the fashionable period — nonetheless lacks a person spot within the Corridor of Fame (although he’s enshrined as a member of the 1992 Olympic Dream Group).”