Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk won the ATX Open in Austin on Sunday and then refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent. 

Kosytuk defeated Varvara Gracheva in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, to win her WTA first title. But her refusal to acknowledge Gracheva after the match should not come as a surprise: She said at the Australian Open in January that she would not shake hands with any Russian or Belarusian opponent as the war continues in her home country.

Marta Kostyuk said she won't shake hands with Russians & she did that exactly even after winning her first title 👌 pic.twitter.com/7W23wNp1JG

— Kostyuk Fan 🇺🇦 (@KostyukFan) March 5, 2023

At the US Open last September, she did not shake hands with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. The country is being used as a staging ground for Russia in support of that country’s invasion of Ukraine. 

During the trophy presentation, Kostyuk dedicated her first WTA singles title to her country. She did not acknowledge Gracheva in her speech.

“Being in the position that I am in right now, it’s extremely special to win this title,” Kostyuk said. “And I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine and to all the people that are fighting and dying right now.”

A full 19 months removed from their back-to-back Final Four runs, No. 11 Iowa basketball refuses to go away, with the Hawkeyes already notching one Top-25 win in the young 2025/26 NCAA campaign so far.

The still-unbeaten Hawkeyes took down No. 15 Baylor 57-52 last Thursday, with Iowa starting post players Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden combining for 28 points while guard Taylor Stremlow added another 12 off the bench in the marquee win.

"We have nice pieces," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen this week. "But it's knowing when to play which pieces and with whom, and we're six games in."

The Hawkeyes have been finding their new identity under Jensen after a transformative period saw Iowa's longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retire while superstar guard Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA.

"Jan's been amazing," Stuelke told JWS at the Big Ten Media Day in October. "She stepped up like she needed to, and she's been growing every day since she's been the head coach, which it's really cool to see she cares. And it's a great environment for all of us."

"I have a year under my belt," Jensen echoed. "I know what this chair feels like now, and I have a little better of understanding of what that first road trip feels like, what that first big win feels like, or the tough loss feels like."

How to watch Iowa basketball in the 2025/26 NCAA season

Though there are a few lopsided matchups on the Hawkeyes' more immediate schedule, Iowa's season heats up with a ranked rivalry matchup against No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday, December 10th.

The state rivals will tip off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

The USWNT has reconvened in Florida ahead of the world No. 2 team's final two 2025 friendlies, with more than a few NWSL standouts aiming to impress against No. 12 Italy on Friday.

Seven athletes on this week's 26-player US roster featured in last weekend's 2025 NWSL Championship match, with USWNT manager Emma Hayes on hand to watch some of her training camp players in action last Saturday.

"There's always analysis," Hayes said before attending the NWSL final. "I'll just have to view it as a coach. But I know both teams really well, so it'll be interesting to see how they match up in different areas."

The NWSL runners-up Washington Spirit have midfielder Croix Bethune and defender Kate Wiesner on this week's USWNT roster, with Gotham FC adding five players to the mix following Monday's championship celebration in New York: attacker Jaedyn Shaw, midfielders Jaelin Howell and Rose Lavelle, plus defenders Lilly Reale and Emily Sonnett.

View this post on Instagram

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

Howell, in particular, faces a big opportunity this week after receiving her first senior team call-up in more than three years with last week's training camp roster drop.

"Obviously, it's a huge blessing," said Howell. "[An NWSL Championship and returning to the USWNT] were two of my main goals this year. I'm very excited, but huge credit to Gotham and what they've invested in me and my amazing teammates — I love them so much."

How to watch the USWNT vs. Italy on Friday

The Gotham and Spirit players will join other NWSL and European club standouts when the No. 2 USWNT takes on No. 12 Italy in the first of two friendlies on Friday.

The action kicks off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on TNT and HBO Max.

The early 2025/26 NCAA basketball season will heat up over the long holiday weekend, with No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 UCLA, and Duke tipping off the high-stakes action in the 2025 Players Era Championship in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

The non-conference mini tournament will initially see the Longhorns take on the Bruins in the season's first Top-5 matchup, with the Gamecocks playing the Blue Devils in Wednesday's second semifinal.

The four teams will then rotate opponents on Thursday evening, when Wednesday's two winners battle for the championship prior to a second tilt to determine the third-place team — a switch that guarantees a Top-5 matchup for the Gamecocks before the week is over.

While there were hopes that preseason-No. 7 Duke would also be in the Top 10 this week, upset losses to No. 15 Baylor, No. 21 West Virginia, and unranked South Florida have seen the Blue Devils fall out of the AP Top 25 entirely.

"We just need to be more consistent," said Duke head coach Kara Lawson. "It's supposed to be hard, and our schedule is unrelenting…. You have to handle it, and you have to take your licks, and you have to keep fighting."

How to watch the 2025 Players Era Championship this week

The four NCAA titans will take the 2025 Players Era Championship court on Wednesday, with No. 3 Texas facing No. 4 UCLA at 2 PM ET before Duke takes on No. 2 South Carolina at 4:30 PM ET.

Thursday's title game will tip off at 8 PM ET, followed by the third-place matchup at 10:30 PM ET.

All tilts will air live on truTV and HBO Max.

USA Basketball dropped its 18-player December roster on Monday, selecting both standout vets and fresh faces for the national team's final training camp of 2025.

Taking place at Duke University from December 12th until the 14th, five 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalists — Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young — will anchor the Team USA lineup.

Notably, a full 10 players will join the senior team for the first time next month, as young WNBA superstars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Cameron Brink earn their first call-ups.

A pair of NCAA stars will also attend the December camp, with the national governing body tapping both UCLA senior center Lauren Betts and USC junior guard JuJu Watkins on the roster — though Watkins will not participate in on-court activities as she continues to rehab an ACL tear.

Along with the full camp roster, USA Basketball also dropped its December sideline leaders, with current WNBA head coaches Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury), Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever) comprising the assistant coaching staff for the previously announced senior national team head coach Kara Lawson.

December's camp is the team's first step toward the World Cup qualifiers in March, when the US will compete despite having already qualified for the 2026 FIBA World Cup by winning the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup in July.

Overall, the clock starts now for USA women's basketball managing director Sue Bird, who is in charge of cultivating the best team for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The USA Basketball December Training Camp Roster