Jonquel Jones thanked the Connecticut Sun and their fan base in a tweet Monday, after the three-team trade sending her to the New York Liberty was officially announced.

Since Connecticut traded for her rights on draft night in 2016, Jones had spent her entire career with the Sun. She led the team to two WNBA Finals appearances in 2019 and 2022 while winning the 2021 WNBA MVP award and being named to four All-Star teams.

Jones, who had one year left on her contract with the Sun, acknowledged the reports that she requested the trade to the Liberty after meeting with multiple teams.

“I have done amazing things in my career, all while proudly wearing Connecticut across my chest. Now, like all things, our journey together must come to an end,” she wrote.

“After careful thought and consideration I have decided to move on and begin the next chapter of my W career.”

🧡🧡 Thank You Connecticut 🧡🧡 pic.twitter.com/NlTjM6J6Dx

— Jonquel Jones (@jus242) January 16, 2023

As part of the trade, Connecticut received New York’s No. 6 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, veteran guard Rebecca Allen and fourth-year guard Tyasha Harris. The Dallas Wings received three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard and the contract rights to guard Crystal Dangerfield, while the Liberty also picked up forward Kayla Thornton from the Wings.

Jones led the Sun in 2022 with 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The 6-foot-6 forward had spent her entire tenure in Connecticut playing for coach Curt Miller, who left in October to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sun hired Stephanie White to replace him.

In New York, Jones joins a promising contender led by WNBA champion head coach Sandy Brondello and former No. 1 draft pick Sabrina Ionescu. Free agent and New York native Breanna Stewart has also been linked to the Liberty after she met with the team last offseason. Players can officially begin negotiating with teams on Jan. 21.

The Sun weren’t done this week, trading veteran guard Jasmine Thomas and the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft to the Sparks on Monday in exchange for Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Jasmine Walker and the contract rights to Kianna Smith. In L.A., Thomas will reunite with Miller, while Jones embarks on a fresh start with the Liberty.

“Please know that Connecticut will always have a special place in my heart and that I am forever grateful for my time as a member of such a great organization,” Jones concluded her post.

Wimbledon is leveling up, as the annual London-based Grand Slam announced Thursday that it's increasing its purse by 7% across the board in 2025, pushing the total prize money to £53.5 million ($72.59 million) ahead of tennis tournament's June 30th kick-off.

Both the 2025 women's and men's singles champions will earn winner's checks in the amount of £3 million ($4.07 million) — an 11.1% increase over the amount won by 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková.

With increases across all Slam events, from singles and doubles to wheelchair competitions, even athletes who stumble early will see a raise over last year's competition.

For example, singles players ousted in this year's first round will take home 10% more than in 2024, earning deposits of £66,000 ($89,530).

The 2025 total purse now doubles the prize money offered by the tournament a decade ago, and makes Wimbledon the biggest potential payday across all four of the sport's Grand Slams.

"We're immensely proud of the fact that, if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year," said All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club chair Deborah Jevans. "And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players."

Teen swimmer Summer McIntosh made a major splash at the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials, shattering three world records in just five days of competition in Victoria, BC.

First on Saturday, the Toronto swimmer shaved 1.2 seconds off the Australian Ariarne Titmus's 400-meter freestyle mark to set a new world record time of 3:54.18.

Then on Monday, McIntosh took down a decade-old record in the 200-meter individual medley (IM), becoming the first woman swimmer to complete the race in less than 2:06.00.

Just two days later, the 18-year-old McIntosh broke her own 400-meter IM world record, besting her 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials time by 0.73 seconds with a 4:23.65 race Wednesday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

With her unstoppable week-long performance, McIntosh became the first swimmer to set three new world records in different individual events at one meet since US legend Michael Phelps's historic run at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Going into tonight, I knew I could do something really special because this has probably been the best meet of my career," McIntosh told reporters after Wednesday's race.

That said, the young star is already eyeing new times — and new records.

"Overall, [I'm] happy with the time, but I know I can go faster," said McIntosh following her 400-meter IM performance. "The faster I swim, the happier I am."

The NWSL Championship is on its way back West, with the league announcing on Friday morning that the 2025 title match will kick off from PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Hosted at the home pitch of 2024 expansion team Bay FC, the game will take place on Saturday, November 22nd.

In addition to the championship match, the 2025 NWSL season's final weekend will include a variety of supporting events like Fan Fest and the annual Skills Challenge competition.

"We're thrilled to bring the NWSL Championship back to the West Coast and to a region with as rich a history in women's soccer as the Bay Area," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a league statement.

Citing a long list of former USWNT stars with local ties, including Julie Foudy, Kelley O'Hara, and Alex Morgan, Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain — a US legend herself — called the Bay Area "the place women's soccer calls home."

"Our community's fabric is woven with the greatest the game has to offer," explained Chastain.

"This community's passion for the game, combined with the excitement surrounding one of our newest teams in Bay FC, makes it the perfect setting to celebrate the league's top talent and crown our next champion," said Berman.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

How to attend and watch the 2025 NWSL Championship

Like last year, the 2025 NWSL Championship will air in primetime, with CBS set to broadcast the match live at 8 PM ET on November 22nd.

Tickets to the game will be available for purchase beginning in August, though interested fans can sign up for presale access online now.

The NWSL and WNBA Players Associations teamed up to release a joint statement on Thursday, with the unions expressing their solidarity with "all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity" after the recent ICE raids and ensuing protests in Los Angeles.

The move comes after Angel City published their own social media post addressing the ICE raids last Saturday, with the Los Angeles NWSL club noting "We know that our city is stronger because of its diversity and the people and families who shape it, love it, and call it home."

ACFC also directed immigrants in need of assistance in the wake of the ICE raids to two community organizations: the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights and the LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Calling the WNBA Players Association "leaders in this space," NWSL Players Association executive director Meghann Burke told The Athletic that the basketball union initiated their joint statement.

"It's important to stand together as workers' unions," she noted.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

NWSL and WNBA unions speak to families impacted by ICE raids

"It's not lost on us that this country and the world are in turmoil right now," wrote the NWSLPA and WNBPA. "Across the country, families are facing fear, hardship, and uncertainty tied to immigration."

The athlete unions then crystallized their position, saying, "We stand with all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity, no matter where they come from or where they hope to go."

"Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," they continued. "We know not every situation is simple. But offering compassion should never be up for debate."