Why would he do that?
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
It’s the first Friday in September!
The new NFL season kicked off with last night’s chaotic and spit-filled 24–20 Philadelphia Eagles win over the Dallas Cowboys, just the beginning of a “cancel all your plans” sports weekend ahead. Have a pal you want to watch the action with over brunch? Forward this email their way as we lay out a full spread with all the latest.
— USWNT legend Alex Morgan, on the long-lasting impacts of U.S. Soccer’s landmark pay equality achievement ahead of her San Diego Wave jersey retirement match Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET. She’s the San Diegoat.
US Open
🎾 NY’s hottest club is Arthur Ashe Stadium
The GIST: In a New York minute, US Open finals weekend has arrived, serving up some stacked showdowns. First up, the women’s doubles championship, pitting top-seeded duo Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková against No. 3 Erin Routliffe and Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski today at 12 p.m. ET.
- Then tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 9 Amanda Anisimova will face off for the women’s singles title, which we’ll preview in full tomorrow morning. So this section is all about the dudes, with two blockbuster semis on the schedule today at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET.
🔥 No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz hungry for revenge against No. 7 Novak Djokovic: Sporting a new ’do, Alcaraz has been practically perfect, not dropping a single set. But Djokovic has had the young Spaniard’s number, knocking him out of the Australian Open in January and defeating him to win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Plus, the Joker has never lost to Alcaraz on hard court.
- That said, in order to secure that record-setting 25th Grand Slam, Djokovic will need to keep up with one of the fittest players on the ATP Tour, a feat that isn’t lost on the 38-year-old.
📈 Can No. 1 Jannik Sinner stay efficient vs. underdog No. 27 Félix Auger-Aliassime?: Defending champ Sinner is known for his clinical tennis — no fuss, no mess, all results — and with 26 consecutive hard-court major wins, “tough to beat” is an understatement. However, you can’t deny momentum, and Canadian Auger-Alliassime has it in spades, with three upsets already this tourney. Buckle up.
🏀 Golden State Valkyries become first WNBA expansion team to clinch playoff berth in debut season
It’s the final weekend of regular-season hoops, but the Valks are already postseason-bound thanks to last night’s 84–80 win over the Dallas Wings — a historic victory in front of more than 18K adoring fans at Ballhalla. And what a debut campaign it’s been for Golden State, who’ve sold out every regular-season home game in their inaugural season.
- With the sixth postseason ticket officially punched, there are just two spots left and three teams in contention: the seventh-place Seattle Storm, eighth-place Indiana Fever (who’ll be without Caitlin Clark for the rest of the season), and ninth-place LA Sparks. The drama.
⚽ Kansas City Current clinch first NWSL playoff spot
KC’s dominant season continues, with the NWSL’s top squad clinching the first of eight postseason spots with eight games to go in the regular season. As for the rest of the table? It’s tight.
- For example, Angel City sit one spot outside the playoff line, but are only one point (three for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss) behind Gotham FC, whom they face Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN2 in Canada. So seated.
🎓🏐 Reigning NCAA champ Penn State faces first top-five matchup of women’s volleyball season
College football’s Week 2 slate may be snoozy, but the early-season volleyball action is always searing hot. The No. 5 Nittany Lions’ title defense is off to a rough start with two stunning losses to underdog teams, but the best way to get their mojo back would be with a home-court dub over the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
🏎️ McLaren’s Oscar Piastri takes 34-point championship lead into Sunday’s 9 a.m. ET Italian Grand Prix
Last weekend’s top-of-the-podium Dutch Grand Prix finish paired with a mechanical Did Not Finish (DNF) for Piastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, has pushed the Australian’s World Driver’s Championship (WDC) lead to a season-high 34 points with just nine races remaining. Piastri’s been the best driver on the grid, and he’ll have some extra motivation this weekend.
- The WDC is far from over though. Yes, 34 points is a big gap, but it isn’t insurmountable: Race wins are worth 25 points apiece, but for Norris to surpass Piastri, he’ll likely need some race wins and a dip in performance from his teammate.
Together With Gainbridge
🙌 Gainbridge® Assists is shaping the future of women’s sports
The results are in and the checks are cut: 32 organizations that support women and girls through sport were awarded a $5K Gainbridge® Assists grant, awarded to folks with game-changing ideas to push the women’s game to the next level, including…
🏀 and the Caitlin Clark Foundation.
The Gainbridge® Assists program is just one of the many ways Gainbridge® supports women’s sports. In fact, more than 40% of their sports sponsorships are invested in women’s sports. Learn more about Gainbridge®, the financial platform that supports women athletes and your financial future alike, and check out the 32 Gainbridge® Assists organizations making an impact today.
Together With Merit Beauty
✈️ Wedding and vacation season are nearing their ends, but all that traveling can be disruptive — especially when you can’t pack all your skincare products. That’s why you need a simple, three-step kit to easily slip in your carry-on. Enter: the Merit Beauty Great Skin Trio.
- The Merit Beauty cleanser, serum, and moisturizer are all under 100ml (aka TSA–safe) and perfect for day and night, saving you crucial packing space. Grab yours now and thank us later.
☀️ Tampa Bay Sun FC vs. 🌄 Carolina Ascent FC — Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET — Peacock
- Reigning champ Tampa Bay is off to a slow start and looking for their first win of the season, a tall task on Carolina’s home turf — especially after Ascent midfielder Maddie Mercado scored the fastest goal in league history last week.
🤠 Dallas Trinity FC vs. 🌴 Sporting JAX — Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET — Peacock
- Dallas is the Gainbridge Super League’s only two-win team so far, but league debutante Sporting JAX has been on a roll, highlighted by Ashlyn Puerta recording the club’s first brace in their inaugural win over Tampa Bay.
😎 Fort Lauderdale United FC vs. 🎐 Spokane Zephyr FC — Tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET — Peacock
- Spokane enters on limited rest following Wednesday’s 1–1 draw with Brooklyn FC, giving Fort Lauderdale a shot at their first clean sheet of the season, anchored by defender Ella Simpson.
Recs from our roster!
🎧 What to listen to
Wednesday’s episode of the popular Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, where the journalist spills the tea on a secret $28M deal LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard signed in 2022, allegedly to circumvent the league’s salary cap. Piping hot.
🏟️ What to check out
This list of the 10 best college football towns in America. The Washington Post created a guide to the best college football experiences in the country, noting that a great football town has to have a picturesque campus, a tradition of on-field success, a massive stadium, not to mention timeless bars and restaurants.
⚽ What to queue up
This episode of The RE—CAP Show. Join hosts Christen Press and Tobin Heath as they chat with musician and podcaster E.R. Fightmaster about their love for women’s sports and queer spaces.
Question of the Day
As we enter the final weekend of group stage play at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, do you think No. 10 USA will punch a ticket to the quarter-finals when they take on No. 15 Samoa tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET?
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Grace DePaull, Charlotte Mackenzie, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Katie Kehoe Foster. Fact-checking by Marga Sison and Mikaela Perez. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.