logo
Meet The Women's Tennis Player Turning Heads At Wimbledon This Year

Meet The Women's Tennis Player Turning Heads At Wimbledon This Year

Yahooa day ago
Meet The Women's Tennis Player Turning Heads At Wimbledon This Year originally appeared on The Spun.
Wimbledon 2025 is officially underway on Monday morning.
The first round for the Men's and Women's Singles is underway on this Monday, June 30. Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to take home the title on the men's side after winning the French Open, while No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka will be looking to take home the trophy on the women's side.
Advertisement
ESPN will have full coverage of Wimbledon this year.
Sabalenka, 27, is currently taking on unseeded Carson Branstine. The Canadian tennis star has made headlines coming into Wimbledon this year. Branstine is a former collegiate tennis star turned professional model turned Wimbledon contender.
ROSMALEN, NETHERLANDS - JUNE 9: Carson Branstine of Canada during Day One of 2025 Libema Open Grass Court Championships at Autotron on June 9, 2025 in Rosmalen, Netherlands. (Photo by Marleen Fouchier/)Branstine, 24, played college tennis for the Texas A&M Aggies. She helped lead the SEC program to a national championship during her redshirt senior season in 2024.
The Canadian tennis star has since turned pro. She has a career record of 133–71 and had a career-high world ranking of No. 190 set in May of 2025.
Advertisement
Branstine has been trending on social media, too. She has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram.
"Nice to meet you Wimbledon," she wrote coming into the 2025 tournament.
Branstine admitted that she is very grateful for everything that tennis has given her over the years.
'This sport has given me everything,' she told Wimbledon. 'It gave me a free college education. My best friends play tennis. I've gotten to see the world and travel the world, not just as a tourist, but with a purpose. And that's something I take to heart, a lot.
"I really enjoy this game. It's giving me everything and I think that's why in some of these big moments, I was able to pull through in the last few weeks because I really enjoy being out there. It's so much fun.'
Advertisement
Branstine has been doing some modeling on the side, too. It's helped pay for her tennis career.
'A cool little side hustle," she admitted.
Branstine is all about tennis this week, though.
Of course, she has her work cut out for her as she attempts to take down the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.
Meet The Women's Tennis Player Turning Heads At Wimbledon This Year first appeared on The Spun on Jun 30, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

David John Phillips on Writing OH! I MISS THE WAR and Its Hopeful Message for the Queer Community
David John Phillips on Writing OH! I MISS THE WAR and Its Hopeful Message for the Queer Community

Geek Girl Authority

timean hour ago

  • Geek Girl Authority

David John Phillips on Writing OH! I MISS THE WAR and Its Hopeful Message for the Queer Community

Sometimes, all it takes is one monologue to awaken the muse. Actor and playwright David John Phillips, whose acclaimed new play Oh! I Miss the War is poised to take the Toronto Fringe Festival by storm, penned his latest work after finding inspiration from a monologue by Matthew Baldwin that features an older gay man. Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with David about bringing Oh! I Miss the War to life, the impetus behind writing it, how it's a love letter to queer elders and more. RELATED: Agape Mngomezulu Talks Bryon and Bracia's Relationship in Ginny & Georgia Season 3 This interview is condensed for length and clarity. David John Phillips Pictured: David John Phillips Melody McCune: We at GGA love a good origin story. How did you get into the arts? David John Phillips: I have always been an actor, actually, since childhood. I did my undergraduate degree at NYU Tisch School back in the '70s. Getting into the arts was pretty organic. Then, I fell out of the arts. After my undergraduate degree, I spent a few years as a professional actor, but found it impossible. I left acting and went into a career in academia. About 15 years ago, I thought that I needed to have fun. So, I started acting again, and it was fun. That's briefly how I went in and how I came out and how I went back again. Of course, there's a lot more detail there. That's the general outline. Oh! I Miss the War MM: Let's talk about Oh! I Miss the War . Can you tell me what it's about and the impetus behind writing it? DJP: Let me go with the impetus behind writing it first. Let me give you a bit of an origin story. That's a fascinating origin story. I was in the library of the National Theatre in London. I saw a volume entitled Queers and thought, 'I have to buy that one,' so I bought it and discovered it was a collection of eight monologues commissioned by the BBC to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of sodomy in the UK. One of the monologues was for an older gay man. Good monologues for older gay men are not common. RELATED: Revival 's Romy Weltman on Becoming Em and Working With Melanie Scrofano At that point, it became my COVID project to work on the monologue. That monologue features an old queen in a bar in London in 1967, during the week that sodomy was decriminalized. He's watching all the youngsters celebrate this, and thinking, 'What do they want to do? Get married next?' He laments the loss of the outlaw pleasures he had. He doesn't put it this way, of course, but he's concerned about creeping heteronormativity. He speaks Polari, an underground argot common in most of the first half of the 20th century among the gay subculture. Embracing the History That's the first part. I performed it and really loved the monologue, but it was 20 minutes. I thought I would like to make an evening out of this. So, I wrote a companion piece set more or less in the current day, but with a similar structure to the older queen. This time, a leather queen sits in a leather bar in the current day, looking at the youngsters and wondering where he fits in. Why doesn't he understand what they're saying? Both of them come back to really embracing the history they're looking at — the past they have been a part of and the future they're uncertain of. But there's a real sense of hope and love and compassion for the people in front of them now. That's where the piece came from and what it's about. RELATED: 5 Horror Movies With Queer Representation A Sense of Hope and Reassurance MM: What can audiences expect when they watch the show? DJP: They can expect to be moved. It's very funny. Jack, the queen from 1967, is an entertainer and is very funny. Matt, the leather queen of today, has a more wry sense of humor, but is also very funny. They each enjoy finding the humor in the situation. People can certainly expect to laugh. People can expect to appreciate the past, present and continuation of the project of queer world-building we've been engaged in for hundreds of years. Jack remembers back to 1932, and Matt talks about life today. People can expect to enjoy a sense of hope and reassurance that we've been doing this and we're still doing it. Life sucks, but that's fine. MM: Describe Oh! I Miss the War using three words. DJP: Queer. Sexy. Compassionate. RELATED: Sapphics With Swords: 6 Books Featuring Queer Lady Warriors Multitasking MM: I love that. What was it like for you getting to wear multiple hats as a writer and actor, from the inception of this show to getting it on its feet? DJP: I have really enjoyed the writing part. It was difficult, but the most difficult part of writing was done for me because I knew what I wanted to write about. I knew I wanted to write in response to Matthew Baldwin's piece. Matthew Baldwin is the playwright of I Miss the War . It was a lot of fun, very evocative and very moving to write the companion piece, called Oh! . That's the title of the second monologue. It was fun to perform a piece that I had written. I had to be careful to say, 'No, David, say the lines as you wrote them. There is a text here, and you can't make it up just because you wrote it. You decided with good care how this line would read, so read the line you wrote.' That was interesting. For the first several iterations, I directed it myself, which felt a bit like it was not directed. Now, for this iteration, I have hired a director. Very glad for that. It just looks more professional, more together. It's a much tighter and more theatrical show than it had been. I do not enjoy producing. I know that. The payoff from the producing, though, is that I get to do the show I want. RELATED: 10 Books With Queer Protagonists to Read All Year Round We're Doing Fine Pictured: David John Phillips MM: What have you taken away from this experience? DJP: I'll give you an anecdote. As I said, in Jack's piece, I Miss the War , a significant part is his concern that the subculture will die. That with this greater acceptance, with this openness, people are going to get married and move to the suburbs. What's the point of being queer if you're going to do that? I was performing in Toronto at Glad Day Bookshop, the oldest surviving gay bookstore in the world. As I was doing the show, I was looking around at the staff of this bookstore, looking around at the people frequenting the bookstore, and thinking, 'We're doing fine. We are plenty queer.' That's the main thing I have taken away from it. More prosaically, the other thing I'm taking away from it is a good show. A good show that is in my back pocket and that will travel. Influences and What's on the Horizon MM: Who are your influences as a playwright? DJP: Joni Mitchell is the first that pops into my head. The second piece, the piece I wrote, is pretty autobiographical. Looking at Joni Mitchell's work and her ability to take a very precise moment in life, explore that reverberation into history — into the cosmos — and then bring it back to that moment. It is the structure of many Joni Mitchell songs. That was really helpful to me in terms of the structure of the play. I often said, 'Look, if Joni can be this honest, I can be this honest. If Joni can talk about her life like this, I can talk about my life like this.' RELATED: Max Parker Gets Musical as Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo That courage in self-disclosure was really valuable to me. Matthew Baldwin, the playwright, said, 'Sure, write about yourself. The more specific and honest you can make it, the more universal it will be, the more people will resonate with it.' Those were really valuable precepts that I came back to again and again in writing it. MM: What else is on the horizon for you, career-wise? DJP: I will continue to shop this play around festivals. Also, I have this fantasy, which I don't think is completely unrealistic, but we're pursuing it. I think that universities and colleges with queer student groups, theater departments, queer studies or just queer student groups with a bit of a budget would love to bring me in for a weekend and perform this show and talk about it. I would like to try to do that. Oh! I Miss the War premieres at Native Earth's Aki Studio as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival on July 2, 2025, and will conclude its run on July 13. To keep up with David, check out his site. 5 Queer YA Retellings of CINDERELLA Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.

Dodgers Make Mookie Betts Decision Before White Sox Game
Dodgers Make Mookie Betts Decision Before White Sox Game

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Dodgers Make Mookie Betts Decision Before White Sox Game

Dodgers Make Mookie Betts Decision Before White Sox Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shortstop Mookie Betts is playing in his 12th major league season, his sixth as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Advertisement Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, Betts quickly rose to stardom. In 2018 he captured American League MVP honors and led Boston to a World Series title in what many consider one of the game's greatest single-season performances. With free agency looming, the Red Sox traded Betts to Los Angeles in February 2020. The Dodgers immediately locked him up with a 12-year, $365 million extension, the richest deal in franchise history at the time. Since joining L.A., Betts has added two more World Series rings (2020, 2024) and piled up two Gold Gloves and four All-Star selections. In March 2024, he officially switched to shortstop, to provide the team with lineup versatility. Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50)Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The Dodgers are fresh off a 2–1 series win in Kansas City—their sixth straight series victory—though Mookie Betts went just 1-for-12 with three strikeouts in the three-game set. Advertisement Ahead of Tuesday's opener against the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles gave Betts the day off, slotting Hyeseong Kim at shortstop. Betts has dipped to a .249 average and .707 OPS this season—both well below his career averages. The drop in production may be partially attributed to a stomach virus that saw him lose 20–25 pounds just before Opening Day and struggle to keep food down. With Los Angeles sitting at 53–32—tied with Detroit for MLB's best record—the club will be counting on Betts to rebound down the stretch as they chase back-to-back World Series titles. Related: Mookie Betts Sends Clear Message After Dodgers' Loss to Padres Related: Dodgers Make Unexpected Announcement Before Padres Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.

Train Like Chris Bumstead With These 2 Classic Moves
Train Like Chris Bumstead With These 2 Classic Moves

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Train Like Chris Bumstead With These 2 Classic Moves

Have you ever seen six-time Classic Physique Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead? The man's an absolute unit. Standing 6'1" and tipping the scales at around 240 pounds on stage, he's brought that iconic 'golden era' aesthetic back into the spotlight—again and again. His long legs and full six-pack give him the statuesque look associated with some of the greatest legends of our time, like Frank Zane and Arnold Schwarzenegger. And even though he's technically retired, the guy's still in peak form. If you're going to steal a page from anyone's playbook, his isn't a bad place to start. Sure, not everyone's job is to be an Olympian, but that doesn't mean you can't train like one. Below, Bumstead shares the two moves he swears by for building a bigger, leaner physique. No, doing just two exercises won't make you look like him, but it certainly won't hurt."It's tough to pick just two, because honestly, there's no one-size-fits-all," he says. "Everyone's built differently and needs different tools at different times. But two exercises I personally love are the incline dumbbell press and the hack squat." Set an adjustable bench to a 30°-45° angle and lie back on it with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder-level. Press the weights over your chest before lowering back to the starting position. That's 1 rep. "The incline dumbbell press lets you move heavy weights with a full range of motion and hits both chest and shoulders without putting your body in a risky position," Bumstead says. Stand on a hack squat platform with your back against the pad and shoulders under the supports. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, unlock the safety handles, and lower into a squat. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. That's 1 rep. "The hack squat, especially the 45-degree version, is amazing for loading your legs while still staying safe and controlled," Bumstead says. "If you're able to get a deep range of motion with it, where your hamstrings touch your calves, it's one of the best tools out there for quad development."When you watch top athletes train, it's easy to assume you need to spend hours in the gym to see results. Sure, some of that time goes to mobility work—and let's be honest, some socializing—but the workouts themselves can be long too. According to Bumstead, that doesn't have to be the case for the average lifter. If you train with purpose and intensity, you can get a solid workout done in under an hour. Take a chest workout for example. "Start with a quick warm-up, then go right into incline dumbbell press, three sets [of] eight or so reps," Bumstead adds. "The aim here is to have a descending load, which means if you are pushing yourself hard enough, you will not be able to use the same weight for each set in order to hit the rep range. Then move to a flat machine chest press, do two working sets here, aim for 12 reps, on the first six reps do a slow controlled five-second eccentric, and then for the last six speed it up slightly but still controlled with a two-second eccentric." If your chest is on fire at this point, good, that means the workout's working. When you're finished with the first two exercises, move on to a chest fly and pushup superset. "Do four sets of flys for 12 reps with a slow five- to six-second eccentric, on the last rep hold the stretch for 15 seconds, and try to do a few quarter reps," Bumstead suggests. "Then go straight into pushups to failure. Keep rest under 60 seconds and don't slack on intensity."If you're new to lifting, you've probably heard the word hypertrophy tossed around like everyone's supposed to know what it means. In simple terms, it's just the process of your muscles getting bigger. And according to Bumstead, building muscle isn't nearly as complicated as most people make it out to be. "It comes down to time under tension, progressive overload, and a full range of motion," he explains. "The lifts I mentioned work because they check all the boxes: good tempo, large range of motion, heavy enough to push you. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Most people just need to train hard, be consistent, and keep showing up." Train Like Chris Bumstead With These 2 Classic Moves first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 1, 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store