U.S. Open wild cards: Venus Williams headlines with 25th singles draw appearance
Williams, who made her return to tennis after 16 months out at July's Citi Open in Washington, D.C., won the tournament in 2000 and 2001. She beat then-world No. 35 Peyton Stearns in her first match back, before losing to Magdalena Fręch of Poland. She then received a wild card into the Cincinnati Open, where she lost to Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain.
Advertisement
Fellow Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja and Alyssa Ahn also received direct wild cards.
On the men's side, Brandon Holt, Nishesh Basavareddy, Tristan Boyer received direct wild cards, along with Darwin Blanch.
Caty McNally and Emilio Nava won the U.S. Tennis Association's 'Wild Card Challenge,' which rewards performance in hard-court events in the run-up to the event. McNally, who had elbow surgery in 2024, will make her first main-draw appearance since 2021; Nava last made the main draw in 2023.
Reciprocal arrangements with the French and Australian tennis associations see Caroline Garcia and Talia Gibson join the women's quotient, while Valentin Royer and Tristan Schoolkate round out the men's. Valerie Glozman of Stanford and Stefan Dostanic of Wake Forest won the college tennis wild card playoffs earlier this year, and also enter the main draw.
Of the home hopes, Blanch's selection stands out. Widely regarded as one of the most promising rising talents in American men's junior tennis, the 17-year-old did not receive a wild card last year, despite having gotten into two ATP main draws through his links to IMG at the Madrid and Miami Opens, both of which are one rung below a Grand Slam.
The main draw begins Sunday Aug. 24 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in Flushing Meadows. Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner are the defending women's and men's singles champions.
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today's puzzle
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
Knicks Given Massive Prediction on Playoff Future
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After suffering through some 20 years of ineptitude, the New York Knicks have been gradually building a winning team over the last few years. Now, they seem to have a clear opportunity to do something special this coming season. With Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum out for the season due to a torn Achilles (one he suffered versus the Knicks in the 2025 playoffs) and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton also out for the year because of a similar injury, the field in the Eastern Conference is almost wide open for the Knicks. The Cleveland Cavaliers remain in the way, but New York seems to be clearly better than the rest of the pack right now. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report just gave the over/under for wins and predicted win totals for all 30 NBA teams in a recent article. The Knicks' over/under is at 53.5 wins, and the only East team with a higher figure is the Cavaliers. Overall, only three NBA teams were given a higher over/under than New York in this piece. "Every member of the New York Knicks lineup that led (by a massive margin) the league in total minutes last season (Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns) is back," Bailey wrote. "That alone should have Knicks fans encouraged about the possibility of a second straight 50-win season, but that's not all. "New York also added Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson to a bench that includes Mitchell Robinson. That should lead to meaningful improvement over last season's second unit." Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks huddles with his team during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge... Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks huddles with his team during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. More Photo byRead more: ESPN Personality Calls Out Knicks Star Karl-Anthony Towns Last season, New York went 51-31, but Bailey picked the team to once again win 51 regular-season games. However, his reasons for that prediction aren't necessarily negative. "So, why are the Knicks predicted to finish below their over-under this season? "Well, think back to caveat in the intro. There are only so many wins to go around, and being higher than consensus on one team might mean shaving a win or two off other teams. "That and what feels like a small likelihood of New York being as healthy as it was last season made the Knicks one of the victims of the finite leaguewide win total." As Bailey pointed out, the Knicks have a somewhat deeper bench for this season. Clarkson isn't an efficient shooter, but he did average 16.2 points a game last season, which was around his career average in scoring. Yabusele, a wide-bodied 6-foot-8 29-year-old who can play the 4 and 5 spots, put up 11.0 points on 50.1% from the field and 38% from 3-point range, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes a game. Backup guard Miles McBride, who has been a spark plug over the last couple of years, remains on the roster. Read more: Former NBA Star Throws Shade at Rockets' Kevin Durant The onus seems to be on All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to raise his game. While he was at 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds a game last season, many are disappointed with his lack of defense, both around the rim and on the perimeter. The Knicks have a new head coach in Mike Brown, who has always been known as a defensive mastermind but has also kept up with the NBA's offensive evolution in recent years. All eyes across the Tri-State area will also be on him as the team attempts to win its first world championship since 1973. For more on the Knicks and general NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 best fantasy football running back value picks in 2025
NFL teams are running the ball more productively than at almost any point in the last decade. The running game is back but that hasn't always translated to fantasy football. Entering the 2025 NFL season, there are a handful of players widely expected to be the top scorers at the position. Reigning Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey are among those experts predict will be reliable double-digit scorers week in and week out. Look at the next tier of running backs in fantasy football and you'll find productive players at the position with some question marks. Ashton Jeanty has plenty of hype but is a rookie in arguably the toughest division in the NFL. Bucky Irving had an impressive rookie season but enters Year 2 with a new offensive coordinator. Johnathan Taylor hasn't played a full season since 2021 which negates his solid production when on the field. This list isn't about the first two or even three tiers of fantasy football running backs. This is about finding value beyond the top 15 players at the position entering 2025. That's where mid-round flyers on players could make the difference between competing for a title and hoping to avoid last-place punishments. USA TODAY Sports identified five value picks at running back who could outplay their current average draft position (ADP) in 2025: Fantasy football RB value picks ADP is from FantasyPros and in half-PPR league formats. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks ADP: RB17, OVR42 The fourth-year running back has never been down on talent. His issue throughout his career has been availability; he's missed 10 games over his first three seasons in the NFL. The Seahawks had the fifth-worst rushing offense in the NFL a year ago. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will offer schematic improvements that should play to Walker's strengths, specifically in outside zone runs. He's going this low likely because of injury concerns and worries about Seattle's offensive line. The Seahawks spent their first round pick on guard Grey Zabel, showing how committed they are to improving up front. That's enough reason to have optimism about Walker in 2025. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans ADP: RB25, OVR61 Pollard managed 1,317 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns last season in a Titans offense that was a bottom-eight unit in points and yards. Tennessee overhauled a lot on offense this offseason with a new quarterback in No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, two new starters on the offensive line and a revamped wide receiver room. All of this should see the Titans offense take a step forward on offense to at least get closer to the middle of the pack. That rising tide should elevate Pollard to a solid No. 2 running back. Tyjae Spears' injury will keep him sidelined for the rest of the preseason, giving Pollard the majority of touches with the first-team offense. Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers ADP: RB28, OVR71 Rookie running backs can be hard to predict but Johnson may be in a good situation to outproduce his current draft position. Even with the arrival of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver DK Metcalf, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will still want to run the ball effectively. Johnson fits the bill well as an early-down back in that system. A healthy offensive line in Pittsburgh could take a step this year with center Zach Frazier, right guard Mason McCormick and right tackle Troy Fautanu all entering their second year in the NFL. In his time as a play-caller on offense, Smith has ranked in the top-10 in rushing attempts five times in six NFL seasons. Last year the Steelers were fourth in the league in rushing attempts. The volume is there for Johnson to produce beyond his RB28 status. Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings ADP: RB34, OVR92 Minnesota has traditionally had one primary running back during coach Kevin O'Connell's tenure. That's reportedly changed this offseason during training camp as it's been closer to an even split between Aaron Jones Sr. and Mason. The Vikings invested in the offensive line with new starters at center and both guard spots. They're dropping in an unproven quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. This should lead Minnesota to rely more on the running game in 2025 than in years past. The Vikings traded one of their few draft picks for Mason this offseason. Through the first seven games of 2024, only two running backs had more rushing yards: Henry and Barkley. He's been productive when given the opportunity and could usurp the 30-year-old Jones as the Vikings' primary back over the course of the season. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys ADP: RB36, OVR111 Regardless of their playoff chances in 2025, the Cowboys should be a more productive offense on the ground. They spent their top pick on guard Tyler Booker, a mauler in the run game, and brought in Klayton Adams from Arizona to be their offensive coordinator. Adams had a big role in the Cardinals' running scheme which has been one of the most diverse in the league over recent seasons. Williams is currently slated to start for the Cowboys. He played in all 17 games last season for Denver with 11 starts but managed just 859 yards from scrimmage. Williams should have the edge over other running backs in Dallas to start the season. He could easily benefit from the ground game's improvement under Adams and outplay his status as a low-end RB3. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top 5 fantasy football RB steals in 2025 drafts
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jets CB Michael Carter is peaking at the right time
New York Jets cornerback Michael Carter II had an uneven 2024 season. The 2021 fifth-round selection battled multiple injuries last year. Carter missed two midseason contests due to a back injury. He suffered a setback with that injury later in the season, missing two more games. Carter is back healthy and peaking at the right time. The Jets signed Carter to a three–year, $30.75 million contract extension that last September that included $13.61 million guaranteed at signing, making him the highest-paid nickel corner at the time. In Week 2 of the preseason, Carter made an instant impact that proves the Jets are fortunate to have him back healthy. Carter played just four defensive snaps versus the Giants. Though the sample size deserves consideration, Pro Football Focus assigned him an elite defensive grade of 90.4 for his showing. On a third-and-5 in the second quarter, Giants quarterback Russell Wilson completed a swing pass to Devin Singletary. Carter made this outstanding wrap-up tackle to force a punt: The Jets have Sauce Gardner and offseason addition Brandon Stephens at boundary cornerback. Carter is an elite nickel corner who helps complete the Jets defense. In just four plays, Carter reminded the fanbase of his effectiveness. This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets preseason Week 2: CB Michael Carter is peaking at the right time
