The No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes treated their fans to a bit of a doozy when an in-state rival, the Northern Iowa Panthers, came to town on Friday night.
The Hawkeyes led by as many as 18 points, seemingly well on their way to an expected dominant victory. They were scoring in bunches, moving the ball around and getting productive minutes out of their bench.
Senior guard Lucy Olsen was carrying the team with her patent midrange jumper and playmaking. Junior forward Hannah Stuelke and senior forward Addison O’Grady were working wonders in the paint. Senior guard Sydney Affolter was crashing the boards at will. Coming off the bench, junior guard Taylor McCabe was lights out from beyond the arc, while freshman guard Teegan Mallengi was perfect at the free throw line.
However, the Panthers came storming back from the brink, putting the Hawkeyes on their heels in the final quarter as they got within one possession a number of times. Northern Iowa threatened in large part to the scoring exploits of grad guards Maya McDermott and Kayba Laube, as well as Iowa’s struggling defense.
A strong feeling of anxiousness began to reverberate through the packed crowd of over 14,000 at Carver Hawkeye Arena.
Then, the Hawkeyes found their spark at just the right moment.
With 4:19 remaining and clinging to a 78-77 lead, McCabe converted on a huge 3-pointer to increase the lead to four, boosting Iowa’s confidence. Three minutes later, after a fierce back-and-forth scoring battle, Stuelke came through in one, heroic sequence. With 36 seconds left, she made a layup to give the Hawkeyes an 87-83 lead. Then, with 25 seconds left, she blocked a shot attempt by McDermott, drawing a thunderous applause from the crowd and leading the Hawkeyes down the path towards the 92-86 victory.
Stuelke finished with 15 points, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line, while dishing out seven assists and grabbing six rebounds. Olsen led the team with 21 points, adding seven assists and six rebounds. O’Grady came away with 18 points, going 8-for-10 from the field, and collected six rebounds. McCabe had 15 points, all of which came from five 3-pointers. She spoke to her behind-the-arc proficiency after the game, sharing:
I feel like, for people that know me, know that’s gonna be my strength and that’s where I’m gonna do my thing. Not to say that’s not the only thing I can do, because my teammates and coaches know that isn’t the case. It’s just always been a strength of mine and that’s definitely where I’m comfortable at and that’s why I’m in the gym so much getting reps in and it’s what gonna continue to work for me.
For Northern Iowa, McDermott finished with 30 points, while Laube scored 20 points.
Adding Friday night’s win to their recent 75-69 victory over Iowa State and their 89-73 win over Drake on Nov. 17, the Hawkeyes completed a sweep of in-state matchups. After the game, head coach Jan Jensen, who both played and served as an assistant at Drake, spoke about the increased fan appreciation for women’s basketball across the state:
I think women do it because we appreciated the fanbases so much I think. The women’s game, I think people have appreciated it over the years because I think women play with a tenacity and a joy and they compete really hard. All my years, I was always trying to get fans to watch us, whether it was at Drake or here. What I was trying to sell…if you really appreciate someone pushing towards a goal and being so passionate and working with their heart and soul, you could appreciate the women’s game. And so when we got fans who were like, “Hey, you know, they are working pretty hard.”….So the fans, they really have been enjoying women’s basketball for the spirit, in my opinion, of which the game has always been played.
Iowa (10-2, 0-1) will take on Purdue (6-5, 0-1) in their Big Ten home opener on Dec. 29 at 3 p.m. ET.
Back in August, I visited Canada for the first time. It was the last of my 2020 COVID cancelled trips so it was a long time in the making! The highlight was ticking off a childhood dream to visit Niagara Falls 🥰. Of course with any trip, I like to tie it in with some live tennis. While we stayed in Toronto, we were fortunate to have a day at the National Bank Open which hosted the ATP tournament in 2023. I really enjoy writing these posts and I hope they might be of use to anyone considering a trip to Toronto in the future.
Buying tickets
In 2023, packages started to come on sale in January with single tickets available around February/March. We bought our tickets in early March. It seems that 2024 might be a little different as tickets appear to be on sale at the time of writing. The 2024 tournament will be a Tuesday to Monday tournament due to the Olympics. We didn’t buy tickets immediately and there were plenty of seats available for the first few days. If you are buying later in the tournament towards finals weekend then this might not be the case.
The main stadium in Toronto has three tiers: 100 (lower bowl), 200 (boxes) and 300 (upper tier). Within the 100s, there are a variety of pricing options depending on how close you are to the court. We searched all the different options to find the best trade-off between price and proximity to the court.
When we purchased tickets, it re-directed us to the Ticketmaster Canada site but it looks like it is now done on the tournament website via Ticketmaster. We had no issues purchasing tickets online. We paid $170 CAD for a pair of tickets (roughly £105) for seats towards the back of the 100s.
We opted for a day session. I always think day is much better value than night because there is more going on around the grounds. The venue in Toronto is located well outside of the city so this is something to take into account. Personally, we didn’t fancy the long journey back into the city late at night.
Getting to and from the venue
The Sobeys Stadium is situated on the campus of York University. We were surprised how far out from downtown Toronto the venue was. To get to the tennis, we took the Toronto Transit Commission subway using Yellow Line 1 from Union (downtown) to Pioneer Village station. This was a total of 18 stops (!) and took about 40 minutes. A single fare is $3.30 CAD and it was straightforward to purchase a ticket. I remember a random kind person came up to us while we were at a ticket machine and asked if we needed help. Obviously we looked like tourists! It was eerily quiet when we travelled on the subway in the morning and we wondered if there was in fact a tennis tournament going on! We were practically the only people to get off at Pioneer Village, which was a lovely station.
When we came out of the station, it took us a while to find our bearings. We managed to figure out the general direction of the venue and then we spotted our first tennis fans (you can spot us folk a mile off) so we knew we were going in the right direction. There are a lot of busy roads in the area. We wandered down the verge of NW Gate road which didn’t feel right. Soon a footpath emerged and we could see the Sobeys Stadium come into sight.
The tournament offers a free subway ride back from Pioneer Village. All you need to do is show your tennis tickets on your phone at the ticket gate. You don’t need a ticket when exiting the metro so that’s why you only need to show it when entering the Pioneer Village station. Unsurprisingly, the subway was much busier heading back into the city in the late afternoon/early evening.
There is one entrance to the grounds on Shoreham Drive. The gates opened at 10am and we pretty much strolled into the grounds at about 10:15am. I imagine it gets much busier after this. Tickets are now all on phones and you can store them in your “Wallet” which is handy if you are going for multiple days. Personally I miss the paper tickets as they are always a nice memento.
You are allowed to take in a small rucksack to the venue. Cameras were fine and mine wasn’t checked. We took in some snacks which were also fine. The only restriction was about drinks so we took an empty drinks bottle and then filled it up in the grounds.
The courts
A map of the grounds and location of all the courts can be found here on the NBO website.
Sobeys Stadium
The Sobeys Stadium seats 12,500 people. It’s an impressive stadium and one of the bigger ones on tour. As we headed to the stadium for the first time, we were a bit confused about which block our seats were located in. We realised you can take any staircase into the stadium and then walk around the central concourse to find the correct block.
The view from our seats (block 116, row P) was decent although slightly obstructed by the bars that run down the centre of the staircase heading down to the court. The actual seats were comfortable although there was very little legroom. There are no designated seats in the shade so bring a sun hat and sun cream! On our particular day it was blowing a gale and I had dressed like a fool so spent the first half of the day shivering.
We watched the entirety of our first match between Andy Murray and Lorenzo Sonego. It was a good match with a decent atmosphere and the majority of the crowd pulling for Murray. The 88 minute first set must be one of the longest sets that i’ve ever watched live. It is a shame that there are now only two matches in a session (i’m sure the day session used to have three matches?) and they don’t start play until 12:30pm. There was no way I was going to sit through a match with Zverev so we only watched the one match on the Sobeys Stadium.
Grandstand
A Centre Court ticket allows you access to every court on the grounds which is great (please take note, Eastbourne!) The second biggest court is Grandstand at the far southern end of the grounds. I got the impression that the covered stand behind the baseline was ticketed. All the other stands were definitely unreserved. While we were on the Grandstand court, there was an issue with the roof on the covered stand as a gust of wind knocked something and it began to deflate. Thankfully no one was hurt and they managed to fix it. One of the lines of the day from umpire, Fergus Murphy to the crowd under the dodgy roof – “it may be in your best interest to move!”.
Other than that it was unreserved, I didn’t enjoy watching tennis on the Grandstand court. It was pretty uninspiring to be honest. We just couldn’t get a decent view as there was always some kind of obstruction. There are no back rests so it’s uncomfortable to sit there for more than a set or two.
We sat behind the baseline with the TV view for the first set of Sebastian Korda against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. We sat in one corner for the first set of Alex de Minaur against Cameron Norrie which was a different view and better as we sat high enough to be mostly unobstructed and didn’t have any humans sat in front. Norrie-de Minaur was dire and we couldn’t believe de Minaur went onto reach the final!
I thought the MC for Grandstand was excellent and engaging. He tried to get the crowd going but it was pretty flat for our time on Grandstand, not helped out by the weather and quality of tennis.
Court 1
Our only experience of Court 3 was a few minutes of watching Mackenzie McDonald practice. It is tucked in behind the practice courts with seating on either side. No back rests. Good access. Nothing more to add really.
Court 2
This was our favourite court around the grounds as it’s rather hidden at the southern end. There’s just one side for viewing by Grandstand. We had an unobstructed view two times during the day. In the morning, we watched a sleepy, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina practice together. The pair were supposed to play doubles but withdrew later that day. Tsitsipas didn’t look with it at all and turned up almost ten minutes late.
We enjoyed watching Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof practice later in the day and they were playing a really intense practice set. It was fun to watch. These are often the highlights of attending a tournament as it’s something that you don’t get to see from watching on TV.
Courts 3 to 5
We didn’t watch any matches on these courts but they were pretty standard outside courts. Court 3 is right at the far southern end behind the Grandstand court and has a stand of seats.
Cynamon Family practice courts
The practice court set-up in Toronto was very similar to the US Open. In the centre of the grounds were four practice courts side-by-side. Adjacent to the four courts, there was a seating stand and space to stand and watch, as well as a spectator stand that spanned behind all four courts (see picture below). We saw the likes of Joe Salisbury, Matt Ebden, Milos Raonic and Ben Shelton. Carlos Alcaraz was practising with Gael Monfils later in the day on the far court. We obviously wanted to watch but the stand behind the courts was busy well before they came out onto court so we didn’t bother in the end.
Grounds and facilities
The courts are nicely spaced out around the grounds leading off from the central concourse so it never felt too busy. One big plus was that the tournament had its own Wi-Fi which was excellent! It’s pretty much non-existent at the UK tournaments so this was a big plus. The connection was pretty stable although you had to re-connect frequently. It seemed to work well in most locations around the grounds.
There are water fill-up stations dotted around the grounds. We used the ones by the practice courts where we never had to wait long to fill up our bottles. There are toilets dotted around the grounds and they were pretty grim by the end of the day. As is the case at all venues, there were often long queues for the women’s toilets.
Food and drink
In the centre of the grounds, next to the Sobeys Stadium, is the Courtyard with a selection of food stalls. Even by 11:45am, it was beginning to get busy. We queued for food for about ten minutes. I bought a chicken sandwich from Harvey’s which cost about $10 CAD. The queue took longer because you had the opportunity to choose your own toppings and sauces. The bro had a pizza from Pizzaville which he said was standard, did the job! There was a stand for The Keg which we didn’t go to at the tournament but we did try the restaurant later on in our trip which we liked.
There was an ice cream stall quite near the Sobeys Stadium where we queued up for ice cream with the umpire, Carlos Bernandes, as you do. I had a maple walnut ice cream which was delicious! Expensive at $7.50 CAD but worth it.
The tournament offers food deliveries directly to your seat via the tournament App. We didn’t try it but we saw the deliveries in the main stadium. It looked liked a good idea. It was annoying with staff running up and down the staircase in the Sobeys Stadium during the matches!
Shopping
The main store is located next to the practice courts. It was mostly tennis gear with only a few pieces of merchandise for the tournament. No purchases made!
Final thoughts
It was great to tick off a new tournament and new country to watch tennis in! To be honest, I doubt i’ll be back in Toronto though and I don’t have any strong desires to go to the tournament again. The highlight was watching Murray’s match on the main stadium. We got cornered by Blair Henley and the social media team at one point when we were heading to the Centre Court. We ended up appearing on the tournament’s Instagram and Facebook stories – I’m still mortified about it 😂. Thankfully they picked one of the bits with my brother.
I think we were unlucky with our order of play which was disappointing. A lot of the matches we wanted to watch were scheduled on the Monday and some of the doubles (Tiafoe-Korda) we had circled were cancelled. Normally I find the schedule for the second day of first round action at the one week Masters 1000 tournaments is better but that was definitely not the case this year. There was only one second round match scheduled on the Tuesday which was at night and there wasn’t much of note going on on the outside courts.
If you have any questions about the National Bank Open in Toronto then i’d be more than happy to help. Please leave a comment or e-mail MooTennisBlog@gmail.com
😎 The GIST: Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, our betting guide is here to help you make informed wagers. The only hard part will be keeping your cool when your bet hits.
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During the long college basketball season, there are certain games that are marquee matchups. Saturday’s contest between No. 4 UConn and No. 7 USC certainly qualifies.
Both teams are considered to be Final Four-level talents, and with Paige Bueckers representing UConn and JuJu Watkins playing for USC, there will be plenty of star power as the two go head-to-head on FOX at 8 p.m. ET.
How UConn can win
The Huskies are at home and are ranked higher nationally, but this will not be a walk in the park. UConn suffered a tough loss versus Notre Dame just over a week ago, and if they don’t want another defeat on their record, they’ll have to bring their A-game on Saturday.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, the Trojans present challenges similar to those they struggled with against the Fighting Irish. USC has elite players on the perimeter who can overwhelm UConn. Containing Watkins will be priority one, two and three. Kiki Iriafen is also a problem, presenting a challenge for UConn down low.
As far as what they can control on their own, UConn needs Bueckers to remain aggressive. She is averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
They’ll also need a big game from their freshman star, Sarah Strong. She’s been as good as advertised, scoring 17.3 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per game. If both players produce, while the team defense can force Watkins and Iriafen into inefficient shooting games, they’ll be in a position to win.
How USC can win
It will be an uphill battle for the Trojans to win in Connecticut, but they have the talent to pull off the upset.
These are the kind of games that can turn a legend like Watkins into a god. She’s averaging 24.7 points per game, which is the third-highest point total in the nation. If she takes things to another level, she’s good enough to single-handedly get things done. Luckily for Watkins, she’s not alone and has teammates like Iriafen who can lighten her load. The transfer from Stanford is averaging nearly a double-double, with 18.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Some x-factor players for USC who can step up include guards Talia von Oelhoffen and Kayleigh Heckel. Both average under 10 points a game, but if they can find some rhythm, they can tilt things in USC’s favor, especially if the game is tight late.
Overall, this is a must-watch game. There is a lot of talent on both sides, and this is as close to a guarantee of an instant classic as one can get. Make time in your schedule to watch this one.
I’m backkk for the annual countdown of my favourite matches of the year. I am still keen to keep some of my season ending posts going! This is by no means a complete list and any omissions are not intentional. I don’t include matches that I haven’t watched. It’s more difficult to watch back matches these days due to the lack of catch-up options. I am still mourning the loss of Amazon Prime’s tennis coverage in the UK 😭. All previous countdowns of my favourite matches since 2011 can be found on MTB here.
10. Iga Swiatek d. Elena Rybakina, 7-6(8) 6-2 (Doha, Final)
Considering it was blowing an absolute gale in Doha, this was a great final. Swiatek and Rybakina were both crunching the ball. I adore the sound of the ball off Rybakina’s racquet – her groundstrokes are so pure 😍. This final was all about the first set as Swiatek managed to recover a double break against a peaking Rybakina and then edge it on the tiebreak. Swiatek would go onto win the final in straights and claim a third consecutive title in Doha.
9. Elina Svitolina d. Emma Raducanu, 6-7(5) 7-6(3) 6-1 (Auckland, R2)
I love the first few weeks of the tennis season when everything feels new and exciting. Svitolina said in her press conference that this was one of the best matches she has a been a part of. The second set was fantastic and so many of the points were ended on winners. Despite running out of steam in the third set, it was an encouraging display from Raducanu who showed promise in pockets during the 2024 season.
8. Anna Blinkova d. Elena Rybakina, 6-4 4-6 7-6(20) (Australian Open, R2)
I debated whether to include this match in my countdown because for two and a half sets it was a pretty average match. The deciding set tiebreak alone, a record-breaking longest in Slam singles history, elevated this match to one of the most memorable of the entire season. It was captivating, edge-of-your-seat stuff as the pair traded match points and both played fearlessly when their back was against the wall.
Rybakina had six match points. Blinkova had two serving for the match at *6-5 and another seven (!) in the deciding set tiebreak before finally converting on her 10th match point. All the way along, I thought Blinkova would, well, blink. But she proved me wrong and showed remarkable resilience to keep plugging away and going after her shots when it felt like the opportunity may have passed her by.
7. Danielle Collins d. Elena Rybakina, 7-5 6-3 (Miami, Final)
One of my favourite tennis stories of the year was when Danielle Collins went on an absolute tear in the Spring. The American player won 15 consecutive matches including back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston. The Miami final was one of those rare hard-hitting clashes where the balls were mostly landing in and both were playing really well at the same time. Buoyed by the home crowd, Collins managed to drag herself across the finish line in a nailbiting final game. It was such a clutch display against one of the in-form players on tour.
I’m thrilled to see that Collins, who announced in January that she would retire at the end of the season, has decided to continue playing in 2025. Collins has become one of my favourite players – I admire how she is unapologetically herself and doesn’t give two hoots what anyone thinks about her. She was a great watch throughout the entirety of 2024. I’m hoping I might get to watch her live in 2025 having narrowly missed the opportunity on multiple occasions this year.
An indicator of a good match is one that I will stay up for. I’m old and sleep beats tennis 95% of the time. The US Open final was one of those rare late night matches that I couldn’t switch off. This was my favourite Slam final of 2024 although in truth there wasn’t much competition!
Considering it was Pegula’s first Slam final she really came out swinging. Pegula rallied from deficits in both sets to give herself a fighting chance to win them both. On both occasions, Sabalenka reset. I think one of Sabalenka’s greatest attributes is her ability to overcome setbacks. There have been countless moments where Sabalenka must have developed scar tissue, such as the 2023 US Open, but she just keeps on coming back and I really admire that. It was a superbly contested final and I would have been happy with any outcome.
5. Aryna Sabalenka d. Elena Rybakina, 1-6 7-5 7-6(5) (Madrid, SF)
Rybakina was a few points away from a 100% record against Sabalenka in 2024. Rybakina had crushed Sabalenka in the Brisbane final at the start of the year and was dominating again in Madrid before Sabalenka mounted a stirring comeback. Rybakina had her chances to close this match out in straight sets but showed some uncharacteristic nerves with a bad miss late in the second set when she was close to victory. Like the US Open final, I just had to stay up and see the end!
4. Jasmine Paolini d. Madison Keys, 6-3 6-7(6) 5-5 ret. (Wimbledon, R4)
This was another match that I debated about its inclusion. It ended in heartbreaking fashion with Keys having to retire due to a hamstring injury. However, it was a fantastic match up until that point and I enjoyed it immensely if you remove the last 10 minutes from memory.
The pocket rocket Paolini captured the imagination of the crowds this year at Wimbledon with her powerful game. It was fascinating to see Paolini go toe-to-toe with Keys, one of the biggest ball strikers on tour, and actually outhit her in the first set. And this was a decent version of Keys. The roof was on and the sound of the balls being struck was beautiful. Chuck in some rain and thunder and it was absolute theatre!
It was a well contested match between two players who I would generally root for. The end of the second set was absolute PEAK. The ending still scars me though and I tortured myself by watching it back again – why did I go and do that?! Keys was just two points away from the win and a first ever Wimbledon quarter-final. I really hope Keys can break that Wimby barricade one day. Who knows, when she does it, the flood gates might open and she’ll go and win the whole caboodle.
3. Iga Swiatek d. Naomi Osaka, 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 (French Open, R2)
The highest profile match of the 2024 Slam year was undoubtedly Swiatek-Osaka from a miserably wet Rolly G. Some matches I remember more than the others for the setting. I was on holiday with the family. I remember racing back to the hotel in the evening with my brother and niece to watch the final set on a glitchy screen with commentary that we could not comprehend. Good times.
Swiatek hadn’t lost at the French Open since 2021 and Osaka had only shown glimpses of her Slam-winning brilliance during the first half of 2024. Osaka brought her best level to this match and had Swiatek well and truly on the ropes. There is such a pureness to Osaka’s ballstriking when she is in the zone. The second set was one of best individual set performances of the entire season. Osaka landed 85% of first serves in play and hit 10 winners to 2 unforced errors as she dished out a breadstick to Swiatek.
Osaka really should have won all three sets, having had a set point in the first set and then a match point in the third set. It was only a sprinkling of errors when the finish line came into sight that was ultimately her undoing. It was a really gritty display from Swiatek to hang in the third set. If Swiatek had lost the game down 1-4 in the third set then I think it was curtains for her. The resilience in a tight match is not something I always associate with Swiatek who, unsurprisingly, didn’t drop another set en route to her third consecutive French Open title.
An outstanding match. Everything crossed that, not only do we see this match-up again, but Osaka can find this level on a more consistent basis.
2. Jasmine Paolini d. Donna Vekic, 2-6 6-4 7-6(8)(Wimbledon, SF)
A monologue incoming. I don’t blog anymore so bear with… I always like to include a match in the countdown that I have watched live. It’s been slim pickings from my recent tennis trips. That is until 2024 as this is the highest ranked live match in my countdown since 2013 (Hantuchova-Schiavone from Birmingham 😍).
My Mum managed to get semi-final tickets for Wimbledon this year. I don’t know how Mum did it but they were probably the best seats we’ve ever had on Centre Court in decades of trying. I was too self conscious to eat crisps because we were so close to the court. We spent the months running up to the day shouting our seat numbers (G11 and G12!) at each other. We were excited and spent the two weeks prior predicting who we might see and wanted to see. Coco Gauff? Ons Jabeur? Aryna Sabalenka? Emma Raducanu? Danielle Collins? Of course all of our predictions and hopes went flying out the window.
It was an unexpected semi-final line-up and to be honest, not one that captured my imagination on paper (yes, i’m an ungrateful dick). It’s often the case though that some of the best matches are the ones that you weren’t hyped for and go in with low expectations. The first semi-final between Paolini and Vekic was an absolute cracker. It was also a record breaker as it narrowly eclipsed Serena Williams vs. Elena Dementieva as the longest women’s Wimbledon semi-final in history at two hours and 51 minutes. I spent the last half an hour of the match shaking and annoying my mum by constantly telling her that we were witnessing history right in front of our eyes.
Vekic was fearless in the beginning and dominated the early exchanges, either with her forehand or the crafty little drop shot. Paolini was second best for much of the match and by her own admissions, didn’t serve very well. Yet Paolini would would not budge as she fought to stay in contention with a performance of tenacity and guile that was adored by the crowd.
I think the turning point of the match was at 4-4 in the second set when Paolini somehow managed to salvage the ball from a Vekic drop shot-lob combo which the Croatian player then sent wide with her smash. Paolini, with a spring in her step, forced a deciding set.
The final set was a wild ride. Vekic, who had twice led by a break in the decider, saved match points (one at 4-5 and another one at 5-6) to force a deciding set tiebreak. Both players deserved to win. It was Paolini who won the final three points of the match to secure her place in a first Wimbledon final. I felt so bad for Vekic who played her heart out and produced some sensational tennis with her back against the wall while clearly bothered by a forearm injury and wrought with tension. I’ll never forget Vekic’s second match point and struggling to breathe. The tension was palpable and I was in awe of both players and how they handled the occasion.
We had such a wonderful time at Wimbledon and it was one of my favourite days of 2024. If you fancy watching back the entire match then you can do so here. I’ve watched back twice and loved listening to the commentary from Nick Mullins, Ash Barty (😍) and Tracy Austin.
1. Iga Swiatek d. Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) (Madrid, Final)
So, I hate the Madrid tournament with a passion 😂. I’ve always loathed it with their blatant disrespect to the WTA and appalling scheduling. I have no interest in ever visiting to the tournament. Begrudgingly, I have to admit that the Madrid tournament this year was an absolute banger. I’ve featured four matches in this post but it could have been more.
I tend to deliberate endlessly on my match of the year. This year was as clear cut as it gets. I think this was the best match of the decade so far. I don’t have a great deal to add because it felt pretty close to a perfect match. Both were playing their best tennis at the same time for large chunks of the match. It also had a fitting crescendo as the pair went back-and-forth in the third set tiebreak. Swiatek eventually prevailed after saving three match points.
Last year’s Madrid final between Swiatek and Sabalenka was brilliant (#8 on my countdown) and this was even better. On my tennis wishlist for 2025 is a Swiatek-Sabalenka Slam final. We’re in for a treat if it’s half as good as this match.
Best of the rest:
Aryna Sabalenka d. Coco Gauff, 7-6(2) 6-4 (Australian Open, SF): The best quality match from a rather underwhelming Australian Open.
Daria Kasatkina d. Beatriz Haddad Maia, 6-3 4-6 7-6(2) (Abu Dhabi, SF): An excellent contest with an exciting finish. Both their matches went the distance in 2024.
Jessica Pegula d. Victoria Azarenka, 6-4 3-6 7-6(7)(Charleston, QF): Charleston is the best and had some great matches this year. This one could have gone either way with both players having match points.
Iga Swiatek d. Emma Raducanu, 7-6(2) 6-3 (Stuttgart, QF): A high quality match and so many exciting points. Underrated.
Aryna Sabalenka d. Robin Montgomery, 6-1 6-7(5) 6-4 (Madrid, R2): One of those matches that I didn’t have high expectations for that turned out to be really entertaining. Montgomery is one to watch.
Aryna Sabalenka d. Danielle Collins, 6-4 4-6 6-3 (Madrid, R3): This was a good time.
Bianca Andreescu d. Naomi Osaka, 6-4 3-6 7-6(3) (Rosmalen, QF): We’ve only seen this match-up twice but both times it’s been a cracker.
Karolina Pliskova d. Ons Jabeur, 7-6(8) 6-7(3) 7-5 (Nottingham, QF): A classic grass court match – high quality tennis and dominated by serve.
Katie Boulter d. Emma Raducanu, 6-7(13) 6-3 6-4 (Nottingham, SF): The first set was a great watch. Tempted to try out Nottingham next year.
Karolina Muchova d. Aryna Sabalenka, 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4 (Beijing, SF): One of my favourite match-ups on tour. Their last three meetings have all gone the distance and Muchova has come out on top!
Andy Towers stepping down as the Carolina Chaos head coach is one of the most polarizing headlines to come out of the PLL in recent years. Towers has become a household name among PLL coaches thanks to his energetic personality and passion for the game. With the league’s deep dive into social media content, Towers quickly became a fan favorite, regularly featured in viral clips showcasing his fiery enthusiasm. Week after week, fans eagerly consumed new Andy Towers content, drawn to his infectious energy and unwavering commitment to Chaos lacrosse.
So, when Dan Arestia of Sticks In Lacrosse reported two weeks ago that Towers was stepping down, speculation ran rampant. What exactly was happening behind the scenes to prompt such a momentous decision? Thankfully, Inside Lacrosse released a detailed breakdown of the story on Tuesday, shedding light on the chain of events that led to Towers’ resignation. A big shoutout to Dan Arestia and Inside Lacrosse for not only breaking the news but also digging into the behind-the-scenes drama—something notoriously hard to access in the lacrosse world. Let’s take a look at what led to Coach Towers stepping down as head coach of the Carolina Chaos.
November 18, 2024
The PLL front office of Seth Tierney and Rachael DeCecco shared with Andy Towers that they were hearing consistent negative feedback about offensive coordinator Matt Panetta via their annual player surveys. Those surveys indicated concerns over offensive strategies that led to Chaos finishing last in scoring offense this season. Yet, it would appear Towers largely ignored what the data had said and moved forward with support for Panetta, citing the historical success of the coaching staff. Towers mentioned how his teams have appeared three times in PLL title games, culminating in a championship in 2021. Towers questioned the legitimacy of those survey results and doubled down with whole-hearted devotion to his staff.
Late November 2024
Discussions between Towers and the PLL continued to escalate with the league further pushing for Panetta’s replacement. Towers resisted strongly citing his own player surveys which reflected very little dissatisfaction among his team. He said taking out Panetta would be unfair and not right based on some league anonymous data. During these exchanges, tensions were raised, and Paul Rabil suggested a pause for reflection over the Thanksgiving holiday to try and de-escalate the situation.
Post-Thanksgiving-Late November 2024
The final straw was a Zoom meeting between Towers and the PLL front office after the holiday. Towers-repeated the notion that he wouldn’t budge on his stance on Panetta as he felt it was over the line to have the league telling him who he could and couldn’t have on his coaching staff. Neither side budged in that virtual meeting, and Towers decided he would resign as Chaos head coach. In a show of solidarity, the entire Chaos coaching staff resigned following Towers’ departure, aligning with his decision to step down after the league’s pressure to replace Panetta.”
December 5, 2024
Dan Arestia with Sticks In Lacrosse reported that Towers resigned under pressure from the league to replace Panetta. The report shocked many to wondering why one of the league’s cornerstone coaches was stepping down along with his entire staff.
Rest of December 2024
More details came to light about the PLL’s system of surveys (Inside Lacrosse) and how it weighs player input on the performance of their coaching staff. Towers then publicly decried the process of surveying players as nontransparent and one that didn’t actually represent the dynamics of what was going on inside the Chaos locker room. He maintained his opinion that Panetta was being made a scapegoat for the team’s offense, which he said had underperformed due to offseason roster moves and the transition to a new offensive philosophy in 2024. The Chaos overhaul of their offense from a more box-style scheme to a predominantly two-handed approach had some major growing pains, culminating in finishing last in offensive production.
Conclusion
It has been one of the biggest, most publicized feuds in PLL history, and the argument about a league being so centralized has really started to take a hit with many questioning whether it’s hurting the team dynamics. Towers repeated his loyalty to Panetta and his staff while he has blamed the league for overreach and mishandling. Despite the ugly ending, Towers wished the PLL and Chaos continued success as he rides off into the sunset, leaving behind a legacy of loyalty, passion, and steadfast devotion to his coaching principles.
The new-look New York Sirens continue to impress in the early stages of the 2024/25 PWHL season, most recently notching a big 4-2 win over Toronto in the the team home opener on Wednesday.
All four of New York’s goals came in the second period — the most in a single period all season — and all were the first goals of the season by each scorer.
Finland international Noora Tulus opened the game’s scoring with her first PWHL goal, with teammates Emmy Fecteau, Micah Zandee-Hart, and Jaime Bourbonnais following suit. Both Fecteau’s goal and team captain Zandee-Hart’s were the first of their PWHL careers.
Sirens rookie Sarah Fillier and teammate Alex Carpenter both assisted on Tulus’s game-opening goal, with each booking a point in their fourth straight contest. Fillier remains in the PWHL’s lead with two goals and five assists for a total of seven points, while Carpenter is just behind with six points — though her three goals make her the league’s scoring leader.
As for the Sceptres, forwards Hannah Miller and former Siren Emma Woods each made a dent in the scoresheet with goals of their own in the third period, but it wasn’t quite enough as Toronto failed to complete the comeback.
Last-place Toronto has now allowed their opponents to breach the scoresheet first in each of their 2024/25 matchups, ultimately losing their last three games in regulation.
PWHL rookie Sarah Fillier will try to lead New York past reigning champs Minnesota on Sunday. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
New York Sirens to face Minnesota Frost in top matchup
New York’s shifting fortune highlights the second-season league’s rapidly growing parity. With only one loss through their first four games, the Sirens sit in second place to stake an early season claim on “most improved” after finishing last in the PWHL’s inaugural season.
Just above New York on the league’s table are the Minnesota Frost. The reigning Walter Cup champions are holding strong as the team to beat, but New York has already proved that it’s possible after handing Minnesota an overtime 4-3 season-opening loss on December 1st.
The Sirens’ will officially take aim at the top of the PWHL table on Sunday, when New York will try to gift Minnesota a second season loss in the league’s pre-Christmas closer. This time, the Sirens will have the crowd on their side as the Frost visit New York’s home ice.
How to watch New York Sirens vs. Minnesota Frost in PWHL action
The puck is set to drop on New York vs. Minnesota at 12 PM ET on Sunday, with live streaming coverage on YouTube.
The last week of EuroLeague Women games in 2024 was a perfect summary of this season: The favorites won and big names delivered big performances.
As expected, Emma Meesseman was again unstoppable for Fenerbahçe (21 points, eight boards, five dimes), Brionna Jones dependable as ever for Praha (19 points, six boards) and Stephanie Mavunga (19 points, 11 rebounds) provided the spark from the bench for Valencia. These performances all came in wins, but in this round, we also had some standout performances in losses.
Shining in defeats
Venezia may have lost to Fenerbahçe by eight points, 79-71, but they wouldn’t have been in that position if it wasn’t for Awak Kuier, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds, causing serious trouble for the Turkish defenders in the closing minutes of the game by either driving to the basket or scoring from long distance. The No. 2 pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings has been one of the best bigs this season, as proven by her averages of 17.9 points and 6.4 boards.
Zaragoza fell to Valencia 90-82, but Tanaya Atkinson, in her second year at Zaragoza, didn’t disappoint. She had 16 points, 10 boards and five dimes, delivering her typical all-around performance. Luisa Geiselsöder had 23 points and seven rebounds for Basket Landes in their defeat to Žabiny.
ÇBK Mersin are officially championship challengers
ÇBK Mersin will be celebrating 10 years of existence next year, and what better way to do it than by winning the EuroLeague Women. It might seem like a lofty goal, considering how great Fenerbahçe has been this season, but if their defense continues to be on the same level as yesterday, their chances of winning it all may increase substantially. Mersin held Beretta Famila Schio to a total of 17 points in the first half!
Natasha Howard delivered another MVP-worthy performance, scoring 28 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking two shots. Marine Fauthoux had 10 points and eight dimes, while new Golden State Valkyrie Iliana Rupert had 20 points and nine boards. More importantly though, they limited Schio to 52 points on 29 percent shooting from the floor. Schio outrebounded Mersin 43-39, but 31 of Mersin’s boards were grabbed on the defensive end.
The PLL Top 50 players list is out and like always, there is room for conversation across the board. From dominant attackers to lockdown defenders and game-changing goalies, every player on this list is easily one of the best at their position. Here’s a breakdown of how each team stacks up, with insights into their top-ranked players and standout contributors.
Review: The Atlas dominate the top 50 with an impressive 9 players, showcasing a well-rounded team with talent across all positions. Their lineup includes three attackmen, the best FOGO in the world, an up-and-coming goalie, and several others. Jeff Teat leads the pack as the top-ranked player, while the addition of emerging young stars like Connor Shellenberger and Gavin Adler showcases just how good this team will be for years to come. Expect Jeff Teat to stay at the PLL Top 50 number one slot for years to come.
Review: The champion Archers are well-represented in the rankings with 9 players, spanning nearly every position. They feature elite midfielders like Tom Schreiber, strong attacking talent with Connor Fields and Mac O’Keefe, and defensive stalwarts like Graeme Hossack. Along with Brett Dobson at goalie and Mason Woodward at LSM the future looks bright on both sides of the ball. Those two along with Matt Moore could quickly move up the PLL Top 50 down the line with more experience.
Review: The Cannons are represented by 7 players in the rankings, with a balanced mix of attackmen, midfielders, and defenders. Asher Nolting and Marcus Holman lead the offensive charge, while Colin Kirst anchors the team in between the pipes. Key defensive players like Garrett Epple and Ethan Rall provide stability on the defensive side of the ball. Asher Nolting at 10 feels a bit disrespectful considering his production last year.
Review: The Chaos land 6 players in the top 50 with defense leading the way. With Blaze Riorden ranked third overall as the consistent standout goalie he is. Josh Byrne carried most the offensive weight this year with the departure of Dhane Smith. The defensive depth is solidified by players like Jack Rowlett, Jarrod Neumann, and Troy Reh, while Zach Geddes represents the SSDM position. It will be interesting to see how this team looks in the future without Andy Towers.
Review: The Waterdogs bring 6 players to the rankings, with standout attackers Michael Sowers and Kieran McArdle leading the way. Their midfield depth is bolstered by Zach Currier and Jack Hannah, while Ben Randall represents the team’s defensive talent. Zed Williams technically is a Waterdog now, but feels too early to credit him on the team.
Whipsnakes
11. Matthew Dunn – Defense – Whipsnakes 14. TJ Malone – Attack – Whipsnakes 23. Joseph Nardella – Faceoff – Whipsnakes 31. Matt Rambo – Attack – Whipsnakes 49. Ajax Zappitello – Defense – Whipsnakes
Review: The Whipsnakes feature 5 players in the top 50, with a solid mix of positions. Matthew Dunn and Ajax Zappitello anchor the defense, while Matt Rambo and TJ Malone provide offensive power. Joseph Nardella adds value as a key faceoff specialist. This team certainly made the most with the least last year and it will be exciting to see how Malone develops even more down the road.
Review: The Redwoods secure 5 players in the top 50 despite the lackluster year, with talent spread across multiple positions. Ryder Garnsey and Rob Pannell provide offensive firepower, while TD Ierlan stands out in faceoffs. Defensive depth is highlighted by Jared Conners and Brian Tevlin. The Redwoods did not have a player crack the top 30 this year.
Review: The Outlaws place 3 players in the rankings as Brennan O’Neill stands out as a promising attackman for the future. While JT Giles-Harris bolsters the defense and Ryan Terefenko brings versatility and skill to the SSDM role. Hopefully the team can develop more next year and bring more guys to the PLL Top 50.
If 2023 marked the rise of the women’s sports movement, 2024 was the year of its revolution. From increased opportunities to bigger and better facilities to expansion teams, our fave trend of the year was the power, drive, and success of women’s sports.
Here are some of the highlights from a banner year:
🏀 Women’s basketball sees unprecedented growth: Fueled by the league’s 2024 rookie class, the WNBA broke records left and right in its 28th season. Attendance and viewership numbers skyrocketed as the league’s popularity ballooned, culminating in a thrilling five-game Finals series where one of the league’s original franchises, the NY Liberty, won its first-ever championship.
The sport’s traction extends beyond the W though: League superstars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier announced the creation of Unrivaled this year, an offseason 3v3 league set to debut in January — and presale tickets are already sold out as investments pour in.
🏒 The PWHL makes hockey dreams come true: Pro women’s hockey returned to North America in 2024, and it was everything. Record-breaking crowds enjoyed the action all season as Minnesota took home the inaugural title.
🏉 The women’s rugby boom has arrived: It’s no secret that the aforementioned Maher was a headline mainstay in 2024, whether she was winning medals, gracing our TikToks, or dancing with the stars.
💅 Women athletes take center stage: Five of the 10 most marketable athletes of the year were women, another trend we can get behind. Be it Simone Biles’ continued dominance or the Caitlin Clark Effect, women are not only receiving deserved recognition, but the money’s finally starting to follow suit. For the people in the back, investing in women’s sports is just good business.
🏅 Summer Olympics recap
Source: Kevin Voigt/GettyImages
Nineteen days, 329 events, and countless memes (and chocolate muffins) later, the 2024 Paris Summer Games were iconic. Even before Céline brought the world to tears, this Olympics made history as the closest the Games have come to achieving gender parity with almost an equal number of men and women athletes. Progress.
Now onto some of the unforgettable performances:
🤸 American gymnast Simone Biles silenced the doubters by becoming the first woman to win two Olympic all-around golds in over five decades. She added three additional medals to bring her lifetime total to 11, while also being the architect behind one of the most legendary sportsmanship moments of all time.
🥊 Algerian boxer Imane Khelif overcame misogynistic hate and misinformation questioning her gender identity to snag gold in the women’s welterweight category.Khelif returned to a hero’s welcome in Algeria and later showed off her strength and beauty on the cover of Vogue Arabia.
⛳ With a silver and bronze medal already in her collection, New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko completed her set by taking gold in women’s individual stroke play. The win also provided the final point Ko needed to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame. A real par-tee in Paris.
🏃 Over on the track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record, becoming the first woman to defend their Olympic gold in the 400-meter hurdles. Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson won a gold and silver in her Olympic debut while Cole Hocker shocked the world with his dramatic win in the men’s 1500m final.
🇨🇦 Not to be outdone, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh also made a serious splash, swimming to a golden hat trick, with victories in the 200- and 400-metre individual medleys and 200m butterfly to go along with a silver in the 400-metre freestyle. At only 17 years old, McIntosh tied Penny Oleksiak’s Canadian record of four medals at one Summer Olympics. Yeesh.
🏀 Team USA’s basketball squads lived up to the hype, taking home gold medals despite some close calls along the way. The men overcame a 17-point deficit to narrowly beat Serbia in the semifinals thanks to a vintage Steph Curry shooting performance before topping France for gold.
The women also fought off a tough test from the French in the finals to help veteran Diana Taurasi become the only six-time gold medalist in the history of Olympic basketball.
The women’s gold, in the last event of the games, also meant the USA equaled China in the overall medal race. A tie never felt so good.
🏅 Summer Olympics recap
Source: Kevin Voigt/GettyImages
Nineteen days, 329 events, and countless memes (and chocolate muffins) later, the 2024 Paris Summer Games were iconic. Even before Céline brought the world to tears, this Olympics made history as the closest the Games have come to achieving gender parity with almost an equal number of men and women athletes. Progress.
Now onto some of the unforgettable performances:
🤸 American gymnast Simone Biles silenced the doubters by becoming the first woman to win two Olympic all-around golds in over five decades. She added three additional medals to bring her lifetime total to 11, while also being the architect behind one of the most legendary sportsmanship moments of all time.
🥊 Algerian boxer Imane Khelif overcame misogynistic hate and misinformation questioning her gender identity to snag gold in the women’s welterweight category.Khelif returned to a hero’s welcome in Algeria and later showed off her strength and beauty on the cover of Vogue Arabia.
⛳ With a silver and bronze medal already in her collection, New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko completed her set by taking gold in women’s individual stroke play. The win also provided the final point Ko needed to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame. A real par-tee in Paris.
🏃 Over on the track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record, becoming the first woman to defend their Olympic gold in the 400-meter hurdles. Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson won a gold and silver in her Olympic debut while Cole Hocker shocked the world with his dramatic win in the men’s 1500m final.
🇨🇦 Not to be outdone, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh also made a serious splash, swimming to a golden hat trick, with victories in the 200- and 400-metre individual medleys and 200m butterfly to go along with a silver in the 400-metre freestyle. At only 17 years old, McIntosh tied Penny Oleksiak’s Canadian record of four medals at one Summer Olympics. Yeesh.
And no Paris recap would be complete without mention of the men’s 4×100-metre relay, where Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, and Andre De Grasse qualified for the final with the slowest time before shocking the world with their improbable first-place finish.
👀 2024’s best and brightest moments
Source: Peter Fox – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
There were too many exceptional moments to count after a year jam-packed with memorable sports action, but we did our best to narrow them down.
Here are a handful of important stories from 2024:
🏈 The Kansas City Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl in February, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25–22 in overtime and igniting discussions about their burgeoning dynasty in the process. They love the game.
🎓🏀 The South Carolina Gamecocks completed their undefeated season in style, topping Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in April’s NCAA women’s basketball championship game despite losing all five starters from the previous season.
⚽ The iconic Marta and the Orlando Pride hoisted the franchise’s first-ever NWSL championship trophy thanks to a beauty from game MVP Barbra Banda.
🏎️ McLaren took home their first World Constructors’ Championship in 26 years, dethroning two-time defending champion Red Bull and signaling yet another power shift in Formula 1.
⚾ World Series champ and LA Dodger, the inimitable Shohei Ohtani, made history by becoming the first player with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, reaching the mark in what’s widely considered to be the greatest MLB single-game performance ever. Casual.
🏃 Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich smashed the women’s marathon world record at this year’s Chicago Marathon, eclipsing the previous mark by nearly two minutes. Blink and you’ll miss her.
🚴 Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma claimed her first Tour de France Femmes title, narrowly defeating defending champion Demi Vollering by just four seconds — the closest margin in Tour history.
⛳ Pro golfers Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler dominated the greens this year with Korda taking home a remarkable seven LPGA wins, including a major title, while Scheffler took home an Olympic gold, a major that highlighted his seven PGA Tour wins, and a bonus mugshot.
👀 Your favorite moments from 2024
Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Now that we’ve shared our favorite sports moments of the year, let’s take a peek at some of yours:
Note: Some responses have been lightly edited for space and clarity.
“The U.S. women’s rugby team winning the Olympic bronze medal in the final seconds! I’ve never watched rugby before, but these women made me a fan of the game! “
— Lindsey O.
“Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc winning in Monaco (his home race), Monza (Ferrari’s home race), and Austin (my home race — or at least my first in-person race)!”
— Katlyn B.
“Pete Alonso’s home run in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers to send the NY Mets to the National League Division Series. Also, any moments with the Mets’ playoff pumpkin and Grimace fandom. It was just a fun season all around!”
— Amy B.
“My favorite sports moment this year, without question, is the Paris 2024 Olympics. It was the opportunity of a lifetime — to join fellow Canadian women’s sports and Olympic superfans in experiencing everything the Olympics represents…This fairy-tale experience didn’t just create memories — it changed lives.”
— Jay A.
“Alright, favorite sports moment of the year, hands down, SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE! She owned the Olympics and every meet leading up to and after. She’s the undisputed queen of the track!”
— Melissa L.
“My favourite sports moment from the past year is Team Canada’s success at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the first-year success of the PWHL.”
