New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney returned to the court Saturday after being out with a knee injury since May.

The 28-year-old contributed seven points, four rebounds and one block in 21 minutes during the Liberty’s 76-62 loss to the Phoenix Mercury.

Welcome back, @BetnijahLaney! 🗽 pic.twitter.com/ONI7Yc117q

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) August 6, 2022

Laney, a 2021 WNBA All-Star, rejoins New York in time for a final playoff push after undergoing surgery on her right knee in June. With four games left in the regular season, the Liberty (13-19) are currently 1/2 game back of the eighth-place Mercury and a spot in the WNBA playoffs.

“Hopefully, she can help us a lot,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said Saturday. “Just with her toughness and her ability to open the floor up and also penetrate and post up. But she hasn’t played for a while, so I try not to put any big, high expectations on her. I just want her to have patience. All the hard work she’s put in, it’s going to pay off.”

The Liberty conclude the regular season with two games against the sixth-place Dallas Wings and two against the seventh-place Atlanta Dream, giving them a chance to make up ground and advance to the postseason for the second consecutive year.

“I’m trying to continue to find my rhythm and get my legs back under me,” Laney said after Saturday’s game. “Just trying to go out there and play hard.”

Sabrina Ionescu contributed 20 points, five assists and five rebounds for New York, making WNBA single-season history with her performance, but the team’s offense struggled to gel. Phoenix, without Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith, forged ahead thanks to Diamond DeShields’ team-high 25 points.

The Liberty next travel to Dallas to face the Wings on Monday.

Alpine skiing champion Lindsey Vonn has officially partnered with medical apparel brand FIGS as both an investor and a brand ambassador this week, as the US icon prepares for her fifth Olympic Games next month.

The collaboration centers on a "Healthcare Athlete" campaign, highlighting the physical and mental stamina required by medical professionals.

Lindsey Vonn cited her own medical history as motivation for the partnership. Over her 19-year alpine skiing career, Vonn underwent more than 10 surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. The experiences subsequently provided her with a unique perspective on issues faced by her healthcare team.

"I’ve spent as much time in hospitals as I have on the mountains," Vonn stated in Monday’s press release.

"I have seen firsthand how hard healthcare professionals work and the physical toll it takes. They are athletes in every sense of the word, and they deserve apparel that is built for performance."

FIGS has modernized the medical uniform industry via high-performance scrubs designed for long shifts. The Lindsey Vonn collaboration aims to emphasize the gear’s technical aspects and while celebrating healthcare workers’ resilience.

Vonn’s FIGS investment adds to her growing portfolio of business ventures, a lineup that spans health, wellness, and entrepreneurship as she prepares to become the oldest downhill skier in Winter Olympics history.

"When I retired in 2019, I didn’t think I’d ever race again," she said.

"My Mako partial knee replacement changed everything, and my medical team was there every step of the way, from when I started to casually ski again, and then deciding to come back to ski racing. Having a medical team that supported my goals was crucial. Every record and podium is built on years of unseen effort, and healthcare professionals are the ones who help create that foundation."

Arsenal delivered a season-defining performance on Saturday, defeating Chelsea 2-0 to blow the WSL title race wide open.

The London Derby victory marks the Gunners' first away win against Chelsea since 2018, ending the Blues' 10-match unbeaten streak.

After a scoreless first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. Alessia Russo drove through the midfield to find Beth Mead, who clinically slotted a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Arsenal doubled their advantage six minutes later. Mead claimed the assist, threading a pass to Spain international Mariona Caldentey inside the penalty area. The 2023 World Cup winner took one touch to set herself, before drilling the ball past Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to make it 2-0.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor's team struggled to find their usual rhythm. Despite introducing Lauren James and Keira Walsh as second-half subs, Arsenal limited the hosts to long-range efforts and just one shot on target.

Anchored by Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy, the Arsenal defense remained disciplined, securing the clean sheet.

“We figured out where we could hurt them and we did that in the second half especially,” Mead told BBC Sport. “We put our chances away.”

The result has serious implications for the WSL standings.

Afterwards, Bompastor admitted Chelsea's "title race is probably gone," as the defending champions now sit six points behind league-leaders Manchester City. Meanwhile, Arsenal moved within a single point of Chelsea, bolstering their chances for a ticket to the 2026/27 Champions League.

How to watch Arsenal this week

Arsenal now prepares for Wednesday's Women's Champions Cup semifinal, going up against Moroccan powerhouse ASFAR in London at 1 PM ET, live on DAZN.

Sunday's Iowa vs Ohio State showdown ended in a blowout, as the No. 10 Hawkeyes defeated the No. 12 Buckeyes 91-70 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The victory moved surging Iowa to 18-2 overall and 9-0 in Big Ten play, marking the program's best start to the conference season since 1995-96. It also comes on the heels of Iowa claiming its first Top 10 AP Poll ranking since the Caitlin Clark era in 2024.

The matchup began with a setback for the Hawkeyes when starting guard Taylor McCabe suffered a non-contact knee injury just 23 seconds into the game. Despite losing their leading three-point shooter, Iowa responded with a 12-0 run late in the first quarter to overcome an early deficit.

Freshman Addie Deal led the Hawkeyes with a career-high 20 points and five assists. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke recorded her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Center Ava Heiden contributed 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while rising star Chit-Chat Wright added 14 points of her own.

Iowa's interior presence was the deciding factor in the contest. The Hawkeyes out-rebounded the Buckeyes 48-30 and held a 42-14 advantage in points in the paint. Iowa’s bench also impacted the game, outscoring Ohio State's reserves 33-3.

Star guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State in scoring, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. But despite Chance Gray's 16 points, the Buckeyes were unable to overcome Iowa's 57.8% shooting from the field.

The Iowa vs Ohio State win marks the Hawkeye's third consecutive victory over a Top 15 opponent.

How to watch Iowa and Ohio State in Big Ten matchups this week

Ohio State will have a few days to reflect, as the Buckeyes host unranked Wisconsin on Thursday at 8 PM ET, live on Big Ten Network.

The Hawkeyes now prepare for a West Coast road trip, as Iowa tips off against unranked USC on Thursday at 9 PM ET, live on Peacock.

Tennis star Alexandra Eala delivered a masterclass in her professional home debut today, defeating Russia’s Alina Charaeva 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the second round of the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open.

In front of a packed crowd at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, the 20-year-old Filipina star — currently world No. 49 in the WTA rankings — showed why she is the tournament's second seed. Eala needed just over an hour to dismantle Charaeva, avenging her 2020 W15 Melilla Open loss to the Russian.

The match began with Eala using her signature aggressive forehand to dictate rallies and secure the first set 6-1. Shortly afterwards, Charaeva went on to jump to a 2-0 lead in the second set, as Eala appeared to struggle with movement, eventually calling for a medical timeout to treat cramping in her right thigh.

Returning with her leg taped, Eala roared back to win six consecutive games. She subsequently closed out the match with a powerful down-the-line winner. (See full highlights)

"I just want to thank everyone for being here," Eala told fans during her post-match interview. "I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time. Playing at home is a highlight of my career."

The Philippine Women’s Open marks the first time the country has hosted a WTA 125 event, a milestone largely attributed to Eala’s recent international success. Her victory in Manilla provides a boost to the growing local tennis community.

Eala now moves into the Round of 16, where she will face either Japan’s Nao Hibino or Himeno Sakatsume. The Filipina ace remains the favorite to contend for the historic title on her home court.

How to watch Alexandra Eala at the Philippine Women's Open

The WTA 125 tournament continues through the week, streaming live on WTA Unlocked’s 125Live.