The backstory behind the best sports photo of the week

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17 hours ago

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🚨 Headlines
🏀 CP3 returns to Clippers: Chris Paul has signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Clippers ahead of his 21st (and likely final) NBA season, returning to the franchise he called home from 2011-17. Is this the best Clippers teams he's ever been on?
🏈 Jerry takes jabs: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opened training camp by taking passive aggressive digs at Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott and other Dallas players. His comments, unsurprisingly, did not seem to go over very well.
🎾 Venus returns: Venus Williams teamed with Hailey Baptiste to win their doubles opener at the DC Open — her first time competing at a tournament in more than a year. "I just love this game," said Williams, 45, who hopes her sister Serena, 43, makes a comeback of her own.
🎓 AAC rebrands: The American Athletic Conference has changed its name to The American Conference, or simply The American, as part of a rebranding effort. The conference also announced its new mascot, "Soar," the eagle.
🏀 Liberty add Meesseman: Former Mystics star Emma Meesseman is joining the Liberty midseason as New York looks to defend its title. Meesseman is a three-time defending Euroleague MVP and earned WNBA Finals MVP honors back in 2019.
📸 Behind the lens
When I came across this photo yesterday, I was immediately floored. But I could not, for the life of me, figure out what was happening in the frame. How was the image being reflected like that? To find out, I went straight to the source: the man behind the camera. His answer blew me away.
Sean Gardner, Getty Images Stringer:
Dover is a bit special to me — it was one of the first races I ever covered when I started shooting NASCAR for Getty Images 14 years ago. And even now, no matter how many times we return to a track, each weekend is a chance to see something new.
The morning of the Xfinity Series race brought several rain showers, which led to the cancelation of Cup practice and qualifying. I'd already shot some rain features earlier and noticed some interesting reflections in another part of the track. So, the idea was already planted in my mind: time to look for something a little more dynamic.
After I shot the race start and some pre-race frames, I went out exploring. I walked between Turns 3 and 4 and immediately noticed a large puddle. I wasn't sure if the image I had in my head was going to work, but as I walked closer, it all started to come together.
So, there I was, lying flat on my belly in the middle of Turn 3, giggling a little — along with the safety crews, who were clearly entertained watching me commit to this puddle-shot adventure.
I only stayed there for about two laps, but I got lucky — the cars bunched up perfectly during a restart, and I captured the frame I was hoping for. That was it. I stood up with a wet shirt, a soaked camera strap, and a grin. Then it was off to find the next unique moment.
There's a good feeling that comes from making a frame that works — even if it's fleeting. So here's to today. And whatever comes tomorrow.
⚾️ Wild ending in Philly
The Phillies held onto their slim lead atop the NL East with one of the wildest, strangest and most unique endings you'll ever see on Monday, beating the Red Sox on — of all things — a walk-off catcher's interference.
A series of unfortunate events: The bottom of the 10th, as all extra innings do, started with a zombie runner on second base. From there, Boston did just about everything in its power to give this game away, and Philly gladly obliged.
The first batter drew a four-pitch walk, putting men on first and second, followed by a wild pitch to the second batter, which moved each runner up. With first base open, the Sox opted for an intentional walk in hopes of setting up a double play.
The third batter, 2B Edmundo Sosa, quickly got to two strikes, but when he checked his swing on the fifth pitch, his bat caught the tip of Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez's glove.
Upon review, the umpires called it a catcher's interference, giving Sosa first base and bringing in the game-winning run.
Rare occurrence: There have been 242,212 games in MLB history, and this was just the second to end on a walk-off catcher's interference. The first? Dodgers 5, Reds 4 on Aug. 1, 1971.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles… The rare feats on Monday weren't limited to the City of Brotherly Love. Shohei Ohtani, in his sixth pitching start of the season, became the first pitcher to both hit and allow a home run in the first inning of the same game since 1979.
⚽️ Le Azzurre: A nation on the rise
Italy faces England today for a spot in the Women's Euro final — a monumental achievement for a team of women who only earned the right to turn pro in their own country three years ago.
What they're saying: "It's a great joy to be among the top four in Europe," said captain Cristiana Girelli, who led Le Azzurre to their first semifinal since 1997. "Obviously we do this for our glory but there is a much deeper meaning … which is that in Italy, women can play soccer too."
A long time coming: Italy's Serie A Femminile was founded in 1968, but remained amateur for decades even as their men's counterpart stood at times as the world's premier soccer league. Players earned as little as $67 per week, plus an $86 match bonus, and benefits like healthcare and pensions were a pipe dream.
The turning point came in 2019, when Italy's surprise run to the Women's World Cup quarterfinals ignited a passionate fanbase that showed how popular women's soccer could be, driving calls for professionalization.
It helped that at the same time, clubs like Juventus and AC Milan began investing more heavily in their women's teams.
Just one year later, following a new law passed by the Italian Senate that removed the salary cap, the Italian soccer federation voted unanimously to grant professional status to Serie A Femminile beginning in 2022.
The last word: "We've reached something amazing, something extraordinary, and however it goes, I really hope it continues to feed this passion, this love for us," said Girelli. "I really hope that with all my heart, because we struggled to get here."
📊 By the numbers
⚾️ 36 HR
No player in MLB history has been traded in-season after reaching 35 home runs. Diamondbacks All-Star 3B Eugenio Suárez, who is now up to 36 after homering for the fifth time in three games on Monday, is a strong candidate to become the first as the July 31 trade deadline approaches.
Go deeper: 6 players who could be on the move at the deadline
🏈 10.5 wins
Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State (10.5 wins) have the highest college football season win totals at BetMGM. Alabama, Boise State, Clemson, Georgia, Liberty, Miami and Texas (9.5 wins) have the second-highest.
🎓 $200 million
In the most lucrative membership proposal in college sports history, Memphis has made a $200 million offer to enter the Big 12, sources tell Yahoo Sports. For now, it does not have enough support but potentially sets a standard for all future expansion.
🥍 355 goals
Boston Cannons attackman Marcus Holman tied Paul Rabil for second-most goals (355) in pro field lacrosse history on Saturday and now trails only John Grant Jr. (393) for most all-time. Holman's history-making goal came during the PLL game of the year: Denver 18, Boston 17.
📺 Watchlist: Tuesday, July 22
🚴 Tour de France, Stage 16 | 6:10am ET, Peacock
Today's 107-mile ride starts in Montpelier before concluding with a punishing climb up Mont Ventoux. The "Giant of Provence" has an eerie, moonlike landscape and a unique reputation on the Tour: "The Ventoux is a god of Evil, to which sacrifices must be made," said French philosopher and cycling fan Roland Barthes.
⚽️ England vs. Italy | 3pm, Fox
The first Women's Euro semifinal pits the defending champion Lionesses against Le Azzurre, who've reached the final four for the first time since 1997.
More to watch:
⚽️ MLS: All-Star Skills Challenge (9pm, Apple/Prime) … Players will compete in six different skills challenges in Austin ahead of tomorrow's All-Star Game.
⚾️ MLB: Red Sox at Phillies (6:45pm, TBS) … Richard Fitts (1-3, 4.28 ERA) vs. Christopher Sanchez (8-2, 2.50 ERA).
🏀 WNBA: Fever at Liberty (8pm, ESPN); Dream at Aces (10pm, ESPN) … First day back from the All-Star break.
Today's full slate →
⚾️ MLB trivia
Rich Hill, 45, has been called up to start tonight's game for the Royals, which will be his MLB record-tying 14th team.
Question: Who currently holds that record?
Hint: He famously threw a 149-pitch, 8-walk no-hitter for Arizona in 2010.
Answer at the bottom.
⛳️ The four-cut club
Golf's major season has come and gone, and while it's clear who's had the best year, Scottie Scheffler isn't the only player to find wide-ranging success at the biggest events of 2025.
Exclusive club: Just 16 golfers made the cut at all four majors, including the winners of all four. And while the top three (as ranked by cumulative score to par) are, appropriately, the world's top three golfers, there are a few names on this list that might surprise you.
🏆🏆 Scottie Scheffler: -32
🏆 Rory McIlroy: -11
Xander Schauffele: -10
Corey Conners: -8*
Jon Rahm: -6
Harris English: -5
Matt Fitzpatrick: -1
Tyrrell Hatton: -1
🏆 J.J. Spaun: +1
Aaron Rai: +3
Viktor Hovland: +3
Maverick McNealy: +5
Sam Burns: +6
Daniel Berger: +7
Rasmus Hojgaard: +14
Brian Harman: +17
Looking ahead: There are just two events left in the PGA Tour's regular season before the three-leg FedEx Cup playoffs begin on Aug. 7 in Memphis. Then comes the Ryder Cup in late September at New York's iconic Bethpage Black.
*Conners made the cut at the U.S. Open but withdrew after Round 3 with a wrist injury. Given how tough Oakmont was playing, his -8 cumulative score would have likely been at least a few strokes worse.
Trivia answer: Edwin Jackson
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