General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: July 3, 2026, 5:31 PM ET

WNBA & Basketball

Caitlin Clark condemned the hatred directed toward her, the Indiana Fever, and opposing WNBA players, addressing the increasing negativity surrounding her rookie season. The discourse follows closely on the heels of Angel Reese voicing her own frustrations, stating that the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Dream's lack of All-Star starters was "a slap in the face" and "disrespectful" Reese called snubs disrespectful. Meanwhile, the WNBA's top talent is being dissected, with a new ranking identifying the league's 50 best players eight weeks into the season, featuring a mix of veteran MVPs and promising rookies WNBA's top 50 ranked. In college basketball draft analysis, ESPN's experts are debating potential redrafts, examining how current prospects like Skenes and Kurtz compare to previous draft classes and weighing the impact of top picks like Wetherholt and Griffin Redrafting MLB prospects.

Tennis

Novak Djokovic matched Roger Federer's record of 105 men's singles match wins at Wimbledon, battling through a tough match to advance. Djokovic also weighed in on the public's reaction to Serena Williams' return, urging critics to "cool off a little bit" regarding their judgment of her performance Djokovic defends Serena. At Wimbledon, Taylor Fritz advanced with a strong showing, while Arthur Fery carried British hopes as the sole home player to reach the third round Fery leads British hopes. Grigor Dimitrov also extended his emotional comeback at the Grand Slam, reaching the third round after a difficult exit the previous year Dimitrov continues run. Iga Swiatek's mental approach to her dominant performances, including her ability to "bagel" opponents, was explained by her sports psychologist Swiatek's mental strategy. The tournament also saw an unexpected development for Filipino player Alex Eala, who became the first from her country to reach the third round of a Grand Slam in the Open Era, thrilling fans back home Eala's historic run.

Cycling

Tadej Pogacar is aiming for a fifth Tour de France title as the race kicks off in Barcelona, with his new look drawing comparisons to rapper Eminem Pogacar eyes fifth title. The peloton also bids farewell to a legend, as four-time winner Chris Froome announced his retirement. Biniam Girmay, backed by a new team, is looking to recapture past glories and compete for the green jersey Girmay seeks past glories. The Tour de France also presents a quiz challenging fans to name every winner since World War II Tour de France winner quiz.

Rugby Union

Wales opens its Nations Championship campaign against Fiji in Cardiff amidst a turbulent week for the team, aiming for greater control on the field Wales aim control. Fiji, seeking to make Cardiff feel like home, is eager to replicate their familiar atmosphere for the match Fiji aims for home feel. The fixture evokes memories of past intense encounters, with BBC Sport looking back at six unforgettable clashes between the two nations Six Wales v Fiji games. Meanwhile, Scotland faces a demanding summer schedule, playing Argentina and South Africa away before hosting Fiji in the inaugural Nations Championship Scotland's arduous summer. England's captain, Jamie George, has expressed confidence in his inexperienced replacement forwards to make an impact against South Africa in Johannesburg England backs bench against Boks. Head coach Andy Farrell is not entirely ruling out a World Cup return for James Lowe, though his current playing commitments in Japan make it unlikely Farrell on Lowe's return.

Soccer

The U.S. women's national team's victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina set a domestic ratings record, with over 24.4 million viewers tuning in, making it the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in history US World Cup win breaks records. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has logged an extensive amount of travel, accumulating 39,000 miles on his private jet visiting World Cup host nations Infantino's World Cup travel. Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal is emerging as an under-the-radar hero for his World Cup squad, having shone brightly thus far Spain's under-the-radar hero.

Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton led the way in practice at the British Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap ahead of sprint qualifying. Tragically, Irish rider James Walsh died following a crash at the Tandragee 100 road race on Saturday.

Cricket

Glamorgan women have reached the T20 Blast League Two final after an emphatic 78-run victory over Middlesex on their home ground Glamorgan women reach final. England's fielding, once a weakness, has seen significant improvement, attributed to hard work and even a "sparkly jacket," propelling them to the final England turns fielding around. Sam Curran is eager for an opportunity to fill the void left by Ben Stokes in the Test team but is managing his own expectations Curran wants Test chance.

Boxing

The state of heavyweight boxing in the UK is experiencing a boom, with a number of elite-level fighters emerging from Britain UK's heavyweight boom. ESPN's analysts have identified their picks for the best in boxing through the first half of 2026, covering categories from best fighter to best prospect Boxing's best of 2026.

Other Sports

Joey Chestnut is preparing for his 18th attempt at winning the annual hot dog eating contest, an event marked by his remarkable eating prowess and a staggering number of victories and calories consumed Chestnut's hot dog dominance. The World Series of Poker main event is underway in Las Vegas, with Mota currently leading in chips and Phil Hellmuth making a notable entrance WSOP updates underway. The Welsh men's hockey team is launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise £40,000 for their Hockey World Cup bid. In rugby league, coaches from Wigan and St Helens have praised the Magic Weekend's move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, suggesting it has re-energized the event Magic Weekend praised. The GAA is expected to scale back redevelopment plans for Casement Park, resulting in a lower capacity than initially proposed Casement Park plans scaled. A group of leading doubles players on the men's ATP Tour are expressing concerns about potential cutbacks, fearing they could threaten the viability of doubles as a profession Doubles players fear cutbacks. The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame is set to honor former Wales and Lions center Ray Gravell Gravell to be honored. The Miami Dolphins have high expectations for Chop Robinson in 2026, following a down year for the player Dolphins expect more from Robinson. ESPN's college football staff have debated and ranked the best player ever to wear each jersey number Best player by jersey number. A panel of experts has selected what they believe are the most impactful sports photos in American history Experts select impactful photos. The concept of what constitutes an "American sport" is being explored, with fans offering clues at various events and locations What makes a sport American?. In NHL free agency, teams are actively signing veteran additions as the tracker provides contract details for new acquisitions NHL free agency tracker. The future of LeBron James' career is being analyzed, with pros and cons discussed for potential landing spots in his 24th season, including the Cavaliers and Warriors LeBron's potential fits.