Wimbledon has arrived, with plenty of action set to unfold in the coming week.

Just Women’s Sports will have a daily round-up of all the action as it happens.

Tuesday, June 28

Harmony Tan bests Serena Williams in three-hour thriller

Serena Williams and Harmony Tan gave everyone their money’s worth Tuesday with a three-hour match that went to a tie break.

Tan took the first set 7-5 before Williams won the second 6-1. Williams looked in control in the third before Tan fought back.

In the tie break, Williams went up 4-0 before Tan again battled back to tie it 4-4. From there, she took control to win 10-7 and take the first-round victory.

Iga Swiatek wins 36th straight match

Swiatek secured the longest winning streak of this century Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Jana Fett.

She admitted that she’s still learning how to play the grass courts at Wimbledon after battling back from down 1-3 in the second set. But she also admitted she wishes she could test herself against the now retired Ash Barty.

“I’m pretty sad Ash isn’t here because I would love to play against her on grass,” Swiatek said.

"I'm really motivated to play well here"

No.1 seed Iga Swiatek speaks after a record-breaking win on Centre Court#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/Sly0oXVAp0

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2022

Emma Raducanu takes Centre Court

British phenom Emma Raducanu easily took her first round match – and her first match on Centre Court – defeating Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-4. The win answered some big questions about Raducanu’s health. She next faces Caroline Garcia.

The debut. 🙌

Playing on Centre Court for the first time, @EmmaRaducanu defeated Alison Van Uytvanck in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/KzcrLcnn0B

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) June 28, 2022

Coco Gauff survives early test

Elena-Gabriela Ruse gave Coco Gauff a run for her money Tuesday, winning the first set before Gauff responded to take the match 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Gauff won the go-ahead tie break in the third set 5-5 when Ruse double-faulted to give Gauff her sixth break point of the game.

—-> Round 2 🦁 @Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/B1gpDG6lMF

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) June 28, 2022

Top plays

Simona Halep grabs a win:

Simona Halep returns in style 💫

The Romanian impresses in her first #Wimbledon appearance since lifting the title in 2019 @Simona_Halep pic.twitter.com/dkDASlO5nD

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2022

Serena Williams fights back:

What a rally by Serena Williams ‼️

She came back from being down 0-2 in the first set 👏 pic.twitter.com/JBTiElpT0l

— ESPN (@espn) June 28, 2022

Off the ball

• Venus Williams is poised to play in the mixed doubles tournament with Jamie Murray. It’ll be Williams’ first time hitting the professional court since August 2021, when she lost in Chicago. She had been spotted over the weekend on the practice courts at Wimbledon.

Hey tennis world, look who I spotted on the court 👀👑Queen Venus is out practicing today @Wimbledon - Can this mixed draw come out ASAP!? Welcome back @Venuseswilliams - you crushed it at practice today 🌱🌟 pic.twitter.com/UcKqxRxJeu

— Fantastic Tennis Podcast (@fantennispod) June 26, 2022

• Leylah Fernandez is missing Wimbledon this year with a foot fracture. But she gave an update on Twitter with a video of her hitting a ball against the wall with a boot on her foot, revealing that while she is “physically at home” she’s “mentally at Wimbledon.”

Physically home 💭 mentally at #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/7UOa9kE7iF

— leylahfernandez (@leylahfernandez) June 27, 2022

• Billie Jean King provided an update to the Wimbledon honors board, showcasing the recent update that removed “Miss” or “Mrs.” from players’ names on the board.

The #Wimbledon honor board for the women's competition is looking great, following the decision to stop listing women champions as "Miss" or "Mrs.”

Cheers to this! pic.twitter.com/VuFzWkAvZZ

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 28, 2022

In today’s episode, Claire ponders another Sun postseason exit, and the risks and rewards of blowing things up in the pursuit of playoff glory.

She then previews the finals between the Lynx and the Liberty, with one key element she believes will earn one of the teams a title. She closes with some of the NWSL news of the midweek, which feels destined to shape the postseason and beyond.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

With the 2024 NWSL Shield firmly in Orlando's hands, attention turns to the final three available playoff spots up for grabs as the regular season turns into the home stretch. The Chicago Red Stars, currently in sixth, could become the next team to clinch a postseason berth with a win against the surging Gotham on Saturday at 4pm ET (Paramount+).
 
Only Houston has been eliminated from postseason contention thus far, but Portland (7th) and Bay FC (8th) will try to hold off those below the playoff line to better their odds at a quarterfinal appearance. Racing Louisville appears poised to challenge for their own spot, sitting only three points below eighth place.

Both Portland and Bay FC will have their work cut out for them, as the Thorns take on first-place Orlando on Friday at 10pm ET (Prime), and Bay FC battles fourth-place Kansas City on Saturday at 10pm ET (ION). Amidst a losing skid, Portland is already looking toward the future after announcing this week that general manager Karina Leblanc will be transitioning out of her role at the end of the 2024 season.

Standings stragglers look to ward off elimination

With only three regular season matches left, Seattle, Angel City, San Diego, and Utah will all face elimination scenarios this weekend.

LA's playoff hopes hang by a thread after a three-point deduction due to a salary cap violation, but forward Alyssa Thompson is keeping the dream of the postseason alive. Thompson has scored five goals and registered two assists in her last seven NWSL games, including a crucial assist in a win against the Seattle Reign last weekend.

Six points off the playoff pace with three games to go in the regular season, Angel City will need Thompson at the height of her powers in their matchup against North Carolina on Saturday at 7:30pm ET (ION).

Andi Sullivan suffers season-ending ACL tear

The Washington Spirit announced on Wednesday that captain Andi Sullivan suffered an ACL tear in the team's loss to the Orlando Pride on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the 2024 season. A Spirit stalwart, Sullivan started all 21 regular season matches she appeared in for the club in 2024, tallying two goals.

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Sulivan joins a growing number of injured Spirit contributors, including Croix Bethune (out for the season), Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, and Ouleye Sarr. The Spirit will take on Racing Louisville on Sunday at 5pm ET.

The MVP race heats up

With KC Current forward Temwa Chawinga running away with the 2024 NWSL golden boot, is there still intrigue to be found in this year's MVP race? Chawinga won NWSL Player of the Month for September, while forward Barbra Banda continued to excel with the unbeaten, Shield-winning Orlando Pride.

Banda's goal contributions are slightly off Chawinga's pace, with 13 goals and six assists to Chawinga's 18 goals and six assists. Chawinga leads the league in goals per 90 minutes, but Banda holds the title in goals and assists per 90 minutes, while both players comfortably lead the league in xG and npxG per 90.

It's been a year for blazing offense in the NWSL, personified by Chawinga and Banda's excellence. But voters will have to decide if individual contributions, playmaking, and total team success are a bigger part of the picture when deciding who will walk away with 2024 NWSL MVP.

Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!

In today's episode, our hosts preview Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty, and how Liberty center Jonquel Jones could be the final piece to her team's title hopes.

"Jonquel Jones, for the Liberty to walk away holding that trophy, she's got to show up bigger and better," says Leslie. "She's got to be dominant in the paint, she's got to get those boards, and she's got to block some shots. She's got to play out of her mind."

In the world of soccer, Kelley discusses the special importance of winning an NWSL shield, and makes a few bold postseason predictions (sorry Orlando and Kansas City!)

Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

In a battle between the top two regular-season finishers, the Minnesota Lynx will travel to Brooklyn to play the New York Liberty in the first game of the best-of-five 2024 WNBA Finals on Thursday.

Former UConn teammates and 2024 Olympic gold medalists Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier headline the matchup. Stewart's top-seeded Liberty will look to earn their first-ever WNBA title in their sixth Finals appearance.

Collier and the new-look Lynx are bringing a former dynasty back to the biggest stage, in the team's first finals appearance since their 2017 championship.

The road to the 2024 WNBA Finals

After topping the league in the regular season with a 32-8 record, New York put the No. 8-seed Atlanta Dream's season to bed in the first playoff round. To reach the 2024 Finals, the Liberty avenged their 2023 championship series, ousting Las Vegas and ending the two-time defending champs' three-peat chase in four semifinal games.

As for the Lynx, Minnesota claimed second in the regular season standings, just two wins shy of matching New York's record. They sent the Phoenix Mercury packing by sweeping the first round, but needed all five semifinal games to outlast the Connecticut Sun and book their seventh trip to Finals.

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Liberty's title mission meets Lynx's underdogs

The Liberty and Lynx aren't just the league's top teams. They led the East and West Conferences, respectively, and boast the WNBA's top offense (New York) and second-best defense (Minnesota).

That said, the 2024 WNBA Finals will pit a superstar-laden Liberty squad against a Minnesota team that few thought would even make the postseason when play began this year.

Alongside two-time MVP Stewart, New York's squad includes 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones, sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, and a frighteningly deep bench.

On the other hand, only five players, including 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Collier, returned from Minnesota's 2023 team. Lynx boss Cheryl Reeve, the 2024 Coach of the Year, added key athletes to Minnesota's originally slim roster, including three — Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith — who were cut from various other WNBA teams in 2021 or 2022. All have made significant contributions as the Lynx proved early season expectations wrong.

"We didn't scare anybody," Reeve said after winning Tuesday's Game 5. "I'm not sure that anybody at any point in the season was like, 'Yeah, they have a real shot at winning a championship' other than the people that are in our corner. And I think we're continuing to have to make believers."

An historic WNBA Finals on deck

Entering the Finals, sports books heavily favor the Liberty, but the Lynx actually hold a 3-1 record against New York in 2024. That edge includes Minnesota's 94-89 victory over the Liberty in June 25th's Commissioners Cup final.

No matter who walks away with the 2024 championship, WNBA history will be made. Either the Liberty will claim their first title, or Minnesota will become the first franchise to win five championships. The Lynx are currently tied at four titles with the Seattle Storm and the folded Houston Comets.

How to watch the Lynx vs. the Liberty in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals

The Lynx and Liberty will tip off at Brooklyn's Barclays Center at 8 PM ET on Thursday, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN.