General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 20, 2026, 10:22 PM ET

Golf

Rory McIlroy carded a bogey-free 6-under 64 to share the lead after the first round of the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club. Rickie Fowler is among the top names still looking to advance to the Tour Championship as the FedEx Cup playoffs continue in St. Louis. Scottie Scheffler should win the PGA Tour's top honor, according to McIlroy, despite his own lofty accomplishments this season.

Tennis

Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together since the 2022 U.S. Open, losing a thriller 2-6, 6-1 (10-8) to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns at the Cincinnati Open. Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprise defeat to Sara Bejlek, dealing a blow to her preparations for US Open title defense. Nick Kyrgios faces a provisional suspension after testing positive for cocaine, with the severity of any ban depending on whether he can prove he took the drug out of competition. Novak Djokovic discusses being his own biggest doubter in a new documentary, reflecting on his Belgrade childhood and future in the sport. Carlos Alcaraz is set to make his return at the US Open after missing four months with a wrist injury. Daniil Medvedev lost his cool after missing three match points in a surprise defeat at the Cincinnati Open. Venus Williams received a wildcard entry for the US Open singles, with sister Serena potentially joining her with one spot remaining.

Soccer

England's women's hockey team saw their World Cup hopes end at the group stage after a 0-0 draw with India. England underlined their credentials as potential Hockey World Cup winners by sealing top spot in Pool D with an 8-2 win over Wales. Ireland's women kept their World Cup hopes alive after a first pool win in eight years over New Zealand. Cardiff City has plenty of room for growth under Brian Barry-Murphy, according to Rubin Colwill, who has done everything to be fit for the new season.

College Basketball

UConn's Paige Bueckers and LSU's Olivia share the beginnings of their relationship in a new three-part docuseries available on Apple TV on Aug. 21. Azzi Fudd will undergo a procedure on her injured right knee and miss the remainder of the WNBA season, dealing a major blow to the Wings' rookie of the year campaign. Kaleena Smith is the best high school player in the country, leading the 2027, 2028, and 2029 prospects in the latest rankings.

WNBA

Minnesota Lynx got a milestone night from Olivia Miles, who tweaked her left ankle but still helped lift the team over Golden State. Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark set a mark for WNBA duos in the Fever's 101-95 win over the Tempo, with Mitchell scoring 29 points and Clark adding. Nneka Ogwumike's retirement shakes up WNBA union leadership, as her 15-year impact on the court is matched by her leadership off it. Sophie Cunningham says the WNBA needs a "bold" commissioner who wants the best for the players and not maybe for themselves. The Valkyries will host the 2027 WNBA All-Star Game, along with the shooting skills challenge and 3-point shootout. New York Liberty is back in the hunt for a top-four seed in the playoffs, climbing two spots in this week's Power Rankings. WNBA security was wrong to ask fans to cover shirts with messages about transgender women during Sunday's Fever-Dream game, according to the league.

Football

Oklahoma has agreed to a new six-year contract with coach Brent Venables through the 2031 season, with the deal worth more than $63 million. North Carolina has named veteran transfer Billy Edwards Jr. as the Tar Heels' starting quarterback for the opener against TCU in Ireland. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey asked a judge to uphold NCAA rules that prevent athletes from returning to play in college, arguing that pros returning to school "fuels disruption." Dante Moore is focusing on his mental health with a strategy of less social media and more golf, rather than becoming a top pick in this year's NFL draft. Ohio State opens the year as the top-ranked team in the AP preseason poll, trailed by another Big Ten team, Oregon. Texas leads all teams with four players named to the preseason Associated Press All-America team, while the SEC has 14 of the 27 first-team selections.

Baseball

Kinley Rasmus represents a family tree that includes current teammates and three former major leaguers at the Little League World Series.

Hockey

Rubin Colwill believes Cardiff City has plenty of room for growth under Brian Barry-Murphy heading into the new season.

Rugby

Joe Root took advice from Harry Brook and adopted a hands-off approach with his bowlers on his return as England Test skipper. England's Rugby will play Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Lahore and Rawalpindi in a one-day international tri-series in October. Wales' sports minister met with the Welsh Rugby Union to express fears of a split with fans over a three-team plan. Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur believes the team's two upcoming away games will provide the ideal tune-up for a potential League Leaders' Shield shootout with Wigan. Lisa Neumann is considering her options after leaving Harlequins this summer. Ruby Tui, the 34-year-old World Cup-winning New Zealand international, has signed a one-year deal with Trailfinders Women. Nick Knowles believes Cornish Pirates are capable of making the Prem after investing in the club. Cliftonville director Conor Devine says Champions League nights at Solitude are "not too far away" after the Toronto Investment Group's takeover of the club.

Boxing

Dina Thorslund is in talks to fight Briton Francesca Hennessy for the undisputed bantamweight world title, though Most Valuable Promotions has dismissed an offer from Boxxer. Dalton Smith dreams of fighting at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough next year, calling it the "cherry on the cake" after his recent unification clash. Claressa Shields retains the No. 1 spot in the women's pound-for-pound rankings, while Thorslund makes the top 10 after her impressive victory. Rhys McClenaghan expects to be more "measured and relaxed" as he chases a fourth European title after a disappointing Commonwealth Games. Rolando Romero faces Teofimo Lopez in a highly anticipated title fight, with two former champions and a boxing analyst offering their predictions.

Motorsports

Max Verstappen was "closer to retiring" from F1 than changing teams before signing a contract extension with Red Bull through 2030. Isack Hadjar will miss the Dutch Grand Prix after injuring his wrist during the summer break. Kimi Antonelli went from being a "garage boy" who started driving on his dad's lap at age three to leading the F1 drivers' championship at. Alex Albon will stay with Williams for the 2027 season after signing a one-year contract extension. F1's return from its summer break brings bold predictions for the rest of 2026 as the sport prepares for the home stretch. Ukraine has appealed to FIA to overturn the decision to welcome back Russian and Belarussian drivers. David Warner was fined for drink-driving and must fit an interlock device to his car following a random breath test in April. Kyle Busch's death has forced a look at NASCAR's culture of toughness and what it means for the sport's healthcare practices.

Cycling

Maeve Plouffe says she narrowly avoided being hit by a car during the first stage of the Tour of Britain Women. Finlay Tarling's death has prompted his parents to back Josh Tarling's participation in the Vuelta a España, a year after the tragic loss of his brother during the Volta a Portugal. Zoe Backstedt says women's cycling will be "unstoppable" if it gets full television coverage for races such as the recent Tour de France Femmes. Sam Naughton died in a crash at Doran's Bend during Wednesday afternoon's session at the Manx Grand Prix. A rider has also died after a crash involving two bikes in Ramsey during qualifying at the Manx Grand Prix. Jonathan Vaughters warns that riders are risking their lives in races where organizers battle huge costs, and cycling's governing body "cannot keep traffic off the roads."

Athletics

Mark Wood looks back on his performance in England's dismal Ashes campaign with "shame," reflecting on what went wrong for the fast bowler. Leon Baptiste was given a 10-month prison sentence in Morocco for sexually assaulting a minor. Five Australian rules footy players have been suspended amid a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault, with the suspensions related to drinking and inviting women to a hotel. The Edmonton Marathon admitted their course this year was more than half a kilometer too long, affecting runners' times and potentially their qualification efforts. Jack Whaley earned a Walker Cup spot after winning the US Amateur Championship, being named to the 10-man GB&I squad.

Tennis (Additional)

Arthur Okonkwo has joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan from Wrexham. Alex Eala arrives at the US Open looking to show how much further she can rise after a career milestone.

Olympics/Hockey

Team GB's women's hockey gold at the Rio Olympics is remembered 10 years later, with even the Queen unable to watch as the legacy of that historic win continues to inspire.

Fantasy Sports

Eric Moody lists his draft-day targets and values, with players like Murray and Gainwell among his top options for fantasy football drafts. Pamela Maldonado breaks down all the teams in the AP preseason poll with one bet for each of them, plus three that just missed the cut.

Miscellaneous

The Jonas Brothers are longtime New York sports fans with songs that speak to their favorite teams. Bill Rasmussen, co-founder of ESPN, has died at, leaving behind a legacy that fueled the 1979 launch of ESPN as the world's first 24-hour television network. Athlete supplements are a long list of items taken by elite athletes in pursuit of marginal gains, with questions about what they take and why. Cliftonville's takeover by the Toronto Investment Group brings new ambition to the club, with director Conor Devine eyeing European returns. The Pac-12 claims "tier of its own" status as Pac-12 After Dark returns, but questions remain about whether the rebuilt conference can balance its past with its future. The weekly sports quiz celebrates its first anniversary, marking exactly one year since its relaunch in 2025 with a collection of golds, photobombs, and Community Shield memories. The preseason Bottom 10 kicks off a new season of celebrating the best of the worst, on and off the field, with UMass topping the list pending Jayden Daniels' approval for No. 5. The 2026 college football season promises excitement and chaos ahead, with Kiffin vs. Ole Miss and Year 2 of Bill Belichick just scratching the surface. Georgia's women's soccer aims for records at Sanford Stadium, with the venerable 93,033-seat venue hosting a showdown against James Madison. The transfer portal has reopened for fifth-year players, with seven former college football players granted a temporary restraining order entering their names as of Thursday afternoon. QB transfer chaos sees players traveling thousands of miles in search of new homes, with struggles including finding yourself on a visit and another player taking your roster spot. Utah's lawsuit against Freddie Whittingham for breach of contract after he left the Utes to join his brother Kyle Whittingham at Michigan highlights the growing tensions in college football. The US Open prize fund will offer the biggest prize fund in Grand Slam history with a total of $108 million on offer, marking a 20% increase from last year. US Open singles champions will earn a record $5.5 million at this year's tournament, with overall player compensation increasing 20% from last year's event. The WNBA playoff race comes down to 12 key games still to be played, with seeding and five playoff spots still up for grabs. WNBA teams that have clinched a spot in the playoffs include Minnesota, Las Vegas, and Golden State, with several others still fighting for position.