Caroline Ducharme is inching closer to a return for UConn women’s basketball, while Azzi Fudd likely has a longer wait ahead of her.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma addressed both players’ statuses in the lead-up to Sunday’s loss against No. 1 South Carolina. While Fudd’s rehab has been going “great,” he said, there is still no timetable for her return.

“We’ll see what happens in the next week or so,” he said Wednesday. “But right now there’s nothing you can point to and say, ‘Here’s the date.’”

That, of course, came before UConn hung around in a heavyweight battle with the undefeated Gamecocks, which left the team with “a lot to feel good about,” Auriemma said — especially given the fact that the team was playing with just eight available players, as they have been for the last five games.

“I told them I feel better at 3 o’clock today than I did at 12 o’clock,” he said. “Because at 12 o’clock, I didn’t know how we would respond,” he said. “I knew we would play hard. We’ve been playing hard all year long. I knew we would compete like hell.

“But I didn’t know who was going to make a big play, who was going to get a big rebound, who was going to make a big shot. I know more now than I did at noon, and I feel better about my team.”

Ducharme, who is still in concussion protocol, warmed up with the team Sunday. But she wore earplugs on the sidelines during the game. She participated in practice Friday, though she was limited to “light contact.” If she reacts well to multiple days of practice, she could be in line to return this week.

“It’s progressing to a point where if she can get through a couple of practices in a row now in one piece, then either Wednesday or maybe next Saturday at Georgetown could possibly be a return for her,” Auriemma said. “It’s all a matter of how she responds after the workouts.

“During the workouts, it goes pretty good and then afterward sometimes it’s not so good and sometimes it is good,” he continued. “So, we’re trying to monitor that, and it’s really frustrating because you watch her out there and her range is even better than it’s ever been, her release is even quicker than it’s ever been.”

Global seven-a-side soccer venture World Sevens Football (W7F) is on its way Stateside, announcing Tuesday that the second-ever W7F tournament will kick off in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, later this year.

After a successful debut in Portugal last May, the eight-team competition will put another $5 million purse on the line when it takes over Beyond Bancard Field, the home of the USL Super League's Fort Lauderdale United FC from December 5th through the 7th.

While European clubs — including eventual champions Bayern Munich — dominated the inaugural W7F field, the tournament is now looking to platform teams based in North and South America for its US edition.

Like the first iteration, W7F will again team up with media partner DAZN for live match coverage from Florida.

W7F boasts a Player Advisory Council that includes the USWNT's two-time World Cup champions Tobin Heath and Kelley O'Hara, plus a trio of former international stars — England defender Anita Asante, longtime Sweden captain and midfielder Caroline Seger, and France defender Laura Georges — all of whom are also shareholders in the upstart.

"We saw undeniable proof of concept [in Portugal]. Now, we're building on that momentum," W7F head of football Adrian Jacob said in Tuesday's press release. "This isn't just a tournament — it's a movement, this time in America, where women's soccer has unprecedented momentum."

As the 2025 WNBA regular season nears its end, fresh faces and league mainstays alike have risen to the top of a still-too-close-to-call Coach of the Year race.

Reigning WNBA Coach of the Year Cheryl Reeve is making the case for back-to-back honors after leading the Minnesota Lynx to the top of the WNBA standings on a 30-7 record.

That said, more than one squad has turned things around under new management following an offseason coaching carousel that reshaped the league's tactical landscape.

First-year coaches Natalie Nakase (No. 7 Golden State Valkyries) and Karl Smesko (No. 2 Atlanta Dream) as well as second-year boss Nate Tibbetts (No. 4 Phoenix Mercury) are also making their mark, with all three teams firmly on track to punch their tickets to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.

Nakase is on the brink of history as the Valkyries strive to become the first-ever expansion side to make the playoffs in their debut year, while Smesko's revamped roster has already earned the Dream nine more wins than last year.

Tibbetts has also struck gold, improving Phoenix's win record by over four games while reshaping their identity around star forward Alyssa Thomas.

As the WNBA booms in popularity and parity, the players aren't the only individuals becoming more competitive, the coaches are, too — though there might be no competing with experience when it comes to successfully making a championship run.

The No. 6 Indiana Fever are still in control of their playoff destiny, taking down the No. 8 Seattle Storm 95-75 behind star center Aliyah Boston's dominant 27-point performance on Tuesday night.

Also helping to offset Indiana's slate of high-profile injuries were guards Kelsey Mitchell and midseason hardship signee Odyssey Sims, who combined for 43 points in Tuesday's win.

"Every game at this point in the season is huge, and this one was a big one for us," said Fever head coach Stephanie White afterwards. "We knew that we had to come out and show some urgency."

"Going into this game, we talked about how this is a big game for us and an important game for us considering the standings," echoed Boston. "This is a great win for us before we head on the road."

After losing multiple guards to season-ending injuries this month, Indiana entered Tuesday's matchup having lost six of their last eight games as they await the return of sidelined superstar Caitlin Clark.

"[Boston] has been the one that's been most affected by all of our injuries, all of the point guards who can get her the ball," White continued. "She set the tone for us on both ends."

As for Seattle, Tuesday's loss dropped the Storm to eighth in the WNBA standings, sitting just above the postseason cutoff line with the No. 9 LA Sparks hot on their heels.

"There's no excuse for what happened today other than not matching the energy of the other team," said Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike, who led her squad's scoring with 17 points on Tuesday.

How to watch the Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm this week

No. 6 Indiana hits the road this weekend, taking on No. 9 LA at 10 PM ET on Friday on ION before facing the No. 7 Golden State Valkyries at 8:30 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on NBA TV.

An uphill battle is on deck for No. 8 Seattle as the Storm gear up for an 8 PM ET clash against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, airing live on WNBA League Pass.

Sportico released its 2025 tennis prize money tracker late last week, and three of the annual cross-tour rankings' Top-5 earners hail from the WTA.

With $8.21 million in total 2025 earnings so far, newly minted Wimbledon winner Iga Świątek came in third behind ATP Tour giants Carlos Alcaraz ($10.63 million) and Jannik Sinner ($9.04 million).

Just behind Świątek sit reigning US Open champ Aryna Sabalenka ($7.13 million) and 2025 French Open winner Coco Gauff ($5.95 million) in fourth- and fifth-place, respectively.

Even more, a total of six women's tour standouts occupy slots in the Top 10, with Mirra Andreeva ($4.15 million), Madison Keys ($3.96 million), and Jasmine Paolini ($3.79 million) joining the previously trio in that upper echelon.

The gender parity on the list is a direct result of the fact that all four of the sport's Grand Slams boast equal prize money between the men's and women's competitions — a shift that began with the 1973 US Open and saw full adoption across the quartet of tennis majors with the 2007 Wimbledon Championships.

Now approaching two decades of Grand Slam equal pay, pro tennis players enjoy one of the highest in-competition earning potentials across all women's sports.

This year's tennis prize money rankings are far from locked in, however, as the 2025 US Open steps into its second round on Wednesday — with a record-setting $90 million total purse on the line to boost players' spots on the list.

Should world No. 1 Sabalenka defend her title — or if No. 2 Świątek or No. 3 Gauff emerges victorious in the season's final Grand Slam — a WTA player could launch herself to the top of the 2025 earnings list.