Elphaba-Glinda coded
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Welcome to Monday!
Here’s to a Las Vegas Aces–inspired week ahead. The squad has notched 10 straight wins, the longest streak in the W this season and the second-longest in franchise history. Manifesting similar dubs for you and yours as we scroll through today’s news.
— Twenty-three time Grand Slam winner and tennis legend Serena Williams, making a surprise appearance to introduce her rival-turned-friend, Maria Sharapova, at the latter’s induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. So Elphaba-Glinda coded.
Women’s sports records
🎉 Women —
The GIST: The Summer I Turned Pretty, meet the summer women’s sports continued to thrive. Whether you’re Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah, everyone can enjoy this round-up of historic women’s sports moments from over the weekend.
🏉 Women’s Rugby World Cup opener draws its biggest crowd: A record-breaking 42,723 fans took in Friday’s tournament opener between England and the U.S., which host nation England won 69–7. And it’s (literally) just the beginning for this sport on the rise as group stage action continues next weekend with more records expected to fall throughout the tourney.
⚽ More than 40K fans pack Oracle Park for NWSL’s Bay FC: Count ’em — 40,091 fans filled San Francisco’s MLB stadium to see Bay FC fall 3–2 to the Washington Spirit on Saturday, not only setting a new NWSL attendance record but making it the most-attended women’s pro sports league event in the U.S. Next on the list? Perhaps filling NFL stadiums. Sky’s the limit.
🏀 Triple-double queen Alyssa Thomas ties her own single-season record: The WNBA's all-time triple-double leader has done it again, notching her sixth of the season with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists in her Phoenix Mercury’s 81–72 Friday win over the Golden State Valkyries.
- Then just 24 hours later, 2012 MVP Tina Charles made history of her own with the Connecticut Sun, recording her 200th career double-double to become the first W player ever to reach the milestone. Buckets on buckets.
Question of the Day
Want even more historic moments in your life? Look no further than the fourth and final tennis Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, which began over the weekend. With Canadian breakout star No. 22 Victoria Mboko taking the court this morning and American No. 3 Coco Gauff playing tomorrow, how will you be tuning into all the hardcourt action?
Gainbridge Super League
⚽ It’s a bird, it’s a plane
The GIST: As you read, women’s sports are so hot right now — and the Gainbridge Super League (GSL) is keeping the party going, kicking off their second season over the weekend. Here’s what you need to know about the Division I pro women’s soccer league shaking up the pitch.
📋 The background: There are nine teams in the GSL (up from eight in their inaugural season) spanning coast to coast, from NY’s Brooklyn FC to Washington’s Spokane Zephyr FC. Unlike their fellow top-flight American league, the NWSL, the GSL plays on a fall-to-summer calendar in line with international leagues like England’s Women’s Super League and Spain’s Liga F.
🪨 DC Power FC rocks opening day: Saturday’s four-game slate brought three wins and one draw, and no victory was more impressive than the DC Power’s 3–1 thrashing of newcomer Sporting JAX behind a brace from forward Gianna Gourley. No warm welcomes here.
- The debut champion Tampa Bay Sun FC started their season on the wrong foot, however, falling 2–1 to Brooklyn — a team that failed to make the playoffs last season, but is kicking off their 2025–26 campaign with a bang. Buckle up.
Together With Simple App
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🏌️ World No. 10 Tommy Fleetwood wins FedEx Cup, his first PGA Tour victory
Fleetwood has finally done it — the Englishman finished 18-under-par at yesterday’s Tour Championship to clinch his first title in 164 attempts. Fleetwood outlasted the competition at the three-tourney event — which saw the field shrank from 70 to 50 to 30 over the last three weekends — and notably thwarted No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s back-to-back Cup title quest.
⛳ World No. 58 Brooke Henderson claims CPKC Women’s Open
Home is where the wins are for Canadian Henderson, who defeated No. 4 Minjee Lee by one stroke to clinch the Canadian Open yesterday, her first victory in over two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, her countrywoman, 15-year-old Aphrodite Deng, finished in a tie for 20th after ascending as high as second on the first day of the tourney. Eh-mazing.
⚾ Chinese Taipei wins 18th Little League World Series title
The kids from Chinese Taipei topped Nevada 7–0 in yesterday’s championship game to win their first trophy since 1996 and 18th overall, good for second on the all-time wins list. The triumphant dub put a bow on the summer staple tourney featuring the best players aged 10 to 12 from around the world. What did you do on your middle school summer vacation?
- Meanwhile in the majors, Seattle Mariners star and reigning Home Run Derby champ Cal Raleigh belted his 48th and 49th homers of the year yesterday, breaking the single-season record for dingers by a catcher. “Big Dumper” is absolutely bopping.
Together With USTA
🪣 Is attending a US Open Final on your bucket list? Same — and this year, you can check it off at the US Open Finals Fan Fest on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
- With a Grounds Pass, you have access to fun viewing parties and fan activities on September 6th and 7th right outside Arthur Ashe Stadium, where both championship matches will be played. Secure your spot now.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🛹 Who to know
Brooke Johnson. The 29-year-old recently made history as the first woman to skateboard across the U.S., traveling 3,266 miles in 119 days. So gnarly.
🏓 What to watch
The trailer for "Marty Supreme." A24 and Josh Safdie's new film stars Timothée Chalamet as a young man with dreams of ping pong perfection and is slated for a Christmas Day release.
🎧 What to listen to
Aubrey Plaza on Amy Poehler's podcast. The former "Parks & Recreation" co-stars catch up on the Good Hang podcast, where Plaza discusses everything from getting run out of her NYU dorm by mice and her love for the WNBA.
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lauren Tuiskula, Rachel Fuenzalida, Grace DePaull, Monica Schrock, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Molly Potter. 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.