Sports
Fever storm back to top slumping Liberty
Jul 18, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) dribbles the ball while New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier (18) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Kelsey Mitchell scored a game-high 33 points Saturday night and the Indiana Fever pulled away from the visiting New York Liberty in the second half to earn a 108-88 win.
Mitchell rattled off 14 in the final 5:16 of the third quarter, outscoring New York by herself in the game-changing period. Indiana (16-10) blitzed the Liberty (13-12) 30-12 in the quarter, turning a four-point deficit at halftime into an insurmountable 75-61 lead.
Caitlin Clark, who became the first player in WNBA history to score 45 points and dish out 10 assists in a game on Friday night, contributed 17 points and seven assists after a slow start. Aliyah Boston added 15 points and seven rebounds as the Fever owned the boards 32-27.
Breanna Stewart scored 26 points and grabbed eight boards for New York but also had four of its 15 turnovers. Jonquel Jones netted 13 points — along with five turnovers — while Marine Johannes and Sabrina Ionescu each added 12.
The Liberty came into this one off an unscheduled five-day break after a Sunday loss to Toronto in Montreal. Their game at Dallas scheduled for Thursday night was postponed until Monday due to problems with their charter flight on Wednesday.
New York came into the game with a three-game losing streak but looked like the championship team it’s been in the past. It established a 15-4 lead less than three minutes into the game, making four straight 3-pointers, and took a 28-22 advantage to the second period.
Clark contributed to the early run in the wrong way, picking up her sixth technical foul of the year 90 seconds into the game to earn an automatic $1,000 fine from the league. Two more techs will result in a one-game suspension.
The Liberty pushed their lead to 42-29 at the 2:55 mark of the second quarter when Ionescu sank a foul shot. At that point, Indiana found its footing, getting a six-point play in the middle of a 16-7 push to end the half. That drew it within 49-45 at the break.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: WTA to mandate genetic gender test
![STOCK | A tennis racket and tennis balls rest alongside the court during an FHSAA District 3-1A high school girls tennis match in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 14, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://dailyfacthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/25937937.jpg)
STOCK | A tennis racket and tennis balls rest alongside the court during an FHSAA District 3-1A high school girls tennis match in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 14, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union] The Women’s Tennis Association has changed its eligibility policy and will require athletes to submit to a one-time genetic gender test to establish eligibility, the organization revealed early this week.
In a Reuters report detailing the specifics of the new requirements, players will be required to be tested for the SRY gene, which helps determine biological sex. The test can be administered via cheek swab or blood test.
“Player screening will begin in 2026, following all appropriate confidentiality and data privacy safeguards and concurrent with a comprehensive player engagement program,” a WTA spokesperson told Reuters. “The WTA recognizes that this is a sensitive and complex issue and is committed to treating all players with dignity and implementing the policy in a respectful and thoughtful way.”
Previous policy allowed transgender women the ability to compete if their testosterone level was lowered past a specific threshold for more than two years prior to participation, though no known transgender women are currently active in professional tennis.
The International Olympic Committee adopted a similar policy involving a one-time test earlier this spring. Other sports organizations to adopt the testing have included the World Athletics federation and World Boxing federation.
Current and former pros have voiced their support and opposition to such testing, with critics arguing that it is discriminatory.
Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam champion and gay rights proponent, has spoken in opposition to the inclusion of transgender athletes, as has current world No. 1 player Aryna Sabalenka.
Yet Billie Jean King, famous for once winning the “battle of the sexes” in 1973, has described exclusion of transgender athletes as discrimination.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers acquire RHP Seth Halvorsen from Rockies
May 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Seth Halvorsen (54) delivers a pitch in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired right-handed reliever Seth Halvorsen in a trade with the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
The Rockies received a pair of minor leaguers in right-hander Nick Frasso and outfielder Landyn Vidourek.
Halvorsen, 26, is 0-1 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 relief appearances for the Rockies this season. In three major league seasons with Colorado, he is 3-4 with a 4.31 ERA in 75 relief appearances.
After just spending time on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, Halvorsen made a rehab appearance at Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday and pitched a scoreless inning. Los Angeles is expected to send Halvorsen to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Frasso, 27, was 1-0 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 appearances (one start) with Oklahoma City this season, while Vidourek, 22, was batting .170 with six home runs and 24 RBIs in 59 games at Single-A Ontario.
Also on Monday, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Kyle Hurt to Oklahoma City. Hurt was the additional 27th man on the roster for the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the New York Yankees and pitched two scoreless innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals star SS Bobby Witt Jr. (back tightness) exits vs. Giants
Jul 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) makes a diving stop during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. left Kansas City’s game against the San Francisco Giants after four innings Monday due to low back tightness.
Witt, who has dealt with back issues of late, returned to the lineup Monday after he was given the day off Sunday against the San Diego Padres. He went 0-for-1 with a walk before exiting the contest.
Nick Loftin replaced Witt at shortstop.
An All-Star for each of the past three seasons, including the starting shortstop for the American League in last week’s Midsummer Classic, Witt is batting .279 in 94 games with 13 home runs, 39 RBIs and an AL-high 30 stolen bases. He has been durable since reaching the majors in 2022, playing at least 150 games in every season.
Meanwhile, San Francisco starting pitcher Trevor McDonald came out for the bottom of the fifth, but never threw a pitch in the inning as he exited with a trainer. His injury was not yet known. The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits, walked two and struck out three on 67 pitches.
–Field Level Media
Report: WTA to mandate genetic gender test
Dodgers acquire RHP Seth Halvorsen from Rockies
