That gave her just about one day to prepare for her first professional tennis match at the Ennoble Care Philly Open, a WTA 125 event being held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hamlin Tennis Center. Later that evening, she learned she was going to play her second — in doubles, with Penn teammate Lara Stojanovski, the next day.
“It’s been so hectic,” Velaga said. “Obviously, it didn’t go the way I wanted to in both singles and doubles, but no matter what, it was genuinely so cool. Even if I wasn’t necessarily preparing to the best of my ability, it was really fun.”
Velaga, a senior, lost her qualifying match 6-2, 6-4 to Ekaterina Ovcharenko in front of a packed crowd of Penn teammates, coaches, and friends cheering her on. She is headed for medical school after graduation instead of a professional tennis career. But she is planning on using the experience as a springboard for the Quakers’ upcoming season.
“We can compete here, even though we haven’t been doing professional-level training,” Velaga said. “I think we’ll definitely use the momentum and the good energy as well, and bring it into our very high-energy college season, and just know that no matter what team we compete against, we always have a chance, and we’re in it.”
Penn senior Esha Velaga played in her first professional tennis match on Sunday at the Ennoble Care Philly Open.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Velaga and Stojanovski were all-Ivy honorable mentions in doubles in 2025-26, but hadn’t practiced together all summer. They ultimately fell 6-4, 6-2 to the second-seeded team, but considering the circumstances, both were happy with the experience.
“It was a lot better than I expected,” Stojanovski said. “I think our chemistry since I came here as a freshman has been really good. We get each others’ games, so I don’t think we needed that much time to get on, but I do wish we had a little bit more time to prepare because I genuinely think we have the level.”
The Philly Open is the first WTA tournament in the area in over 20 years. Since the opening of the Penn Tennis Center, the university has been trying to attract a professional event, and they are taking full advantage of the opportunity.
Velaga lost both her matches, but thinks the experience will pay dividends for the Quakers this season.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The event is a boon to all of Penn’s tennis players. Stojanovski and Velaga got the wild-card entries into the draw, but other Penn players on campus got the chance to serve as hitting partners for players on-site and to watch their trainings.
Stojanovski said playing against the professionals showed her just how high the level is in college tennis, and that they have the ability to compete.
“It’s been an amazing experience because we got to practice with professionals, see how they’re preparing, see how they’re practicing, how they’re recovering,” Stojanovski said. “What are they doing differently?”
WASHINGTON — When the New York Liberty waived Betnijah Laney-Hamilton earlier this month, it caused quite a commotion around the WNBA.
The transaction wasn’t too much of a surprise, since her playing time had fallen sharply from years past. But the 32-year-old with roots in the Philly area was a Liberty fan favorite, and a key piece of the team’s long-awaited first title in 2024.
Now the rest of the league had a shot to sign a former WNBA and FIBA world champion, All-Star, and first-team all-defense player with a reputation as a great teammate.
It turned out that the moving van didn’t have to go too far. The Washington Mystics won the race to claim her, jumping at the chance to add a veteran to a team full of young promise.
“The transition’s been pretty easy, just in terms of how everyone’s embraced me and just made it easy,” Laney-Hamilton said. “It’s nice always being able to be close to home, where my family can get here and everything.”
Washington has been the biggest surprise in the league this year. On a circuit full of sizzling stars, the Mystics have a lot of good players, but not a household name yet. Still, they started the week in seventh place, and clinched a playoff spot Sunday night with a win in Portland.
From there, they could look down at Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale’s Dallas Wings in eighth, and two marquee squads already eliminated from playoff contention: Nneka Ogwumike and Cameron Brink’s Los Angeles Sparks, and Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas’ Phoenix Mercury.
The feed inside and the finish 🤝
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton finds an open Lauren Betts in the paint for two
The Mystics still have a ways to go until they’re real contenders, and they showed it in last Friday’s loss to the first-place Minnesota Lynx. Though Washington battled gamely throughout, the decisive moments were the little things down the stretch: a missed shot here, a turnover there, a basket conceded on a break the other way.
Perhaps those things will come in time for former college greats like Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Lauren Betts as they develop in the pros. Coach Sydney Johnson can hope Laney-Hamilton’s presence alongside the team’s other veterans, Shakira Austin and Michaela Onyenwere, will help the process go even faster.
“She’s hit the ground running here,” Johnson said. “They really respect her, they look up to her, they understand her playoff experience. She speaks with a high level of command with the players and coaches.
For now, Johnson is simply thrilled to have her, and he does not take her easy integration for granted. Sometimes, a veteran’s arrival to a new team can upset existing chemistry. That hasn’t happened here.
Sydney Johnson is a leading WNBA Coach of the Year candidate thanks to the Mystics’ rise this season.LM Otero
“We are about toughness and togetherness,” Johnson said. “When you watch her, you watch her career, it’s pretty clear that she’s as tough as nails out there. You see her interacting with her teammates on the court, and then all the intel behind the scenes, she’s an outstanding person and a giver — she’s really giving to her team. So we felt like we got a steal, we really do.”
Laney-Hamilton in turn praised her new teammates for “the energy, the intention behind everyone.” And she called Johnson “great,” helping with the transition then being clear about his expectations.
The Mystics are spending this week on the west coast, with two games to come at Phoenix and one at Los Angeles before the WNBA pauses at the end of the month for the FIBA World Cup. When the season resumes, there will be just four games left to jostle for playoff positioning.
Whatever happens along the way, it’s clear those expectations Laney-Hamilton mentioned have changed, thanks to her arrival.
WASHINGTON — When Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx finished inches short of a WNBA title two years ago, the presumption was they’d be right back in the Finals a season later.
The Lynx did the job in the regular season, finishing first by a dominant four games. But they only made it as far as the semifinals, bowing out soon after star Napheesa Collier suffered a major injury in the series.
Now Minnesota is at it again: The first team in the league to reach 30 wins, five games clear of the field, a playoff berth clinched earlier this month — with a quarter of the season to go.
So will this be the year the Lynx finally reach the top, and deliver Reeve a record-breaking fifth WNBA title? She’s currently tied at the top with Houston Comets legend Van Chancellor, who won four straight from 1997 to 2000. Reeve’s titles came in 2011, ’13, ’15, and ’17.
Cheryl Reeve has a joint-record four WNBA titles, but has been waiting nine years now for her fifth.Abbie Parr
If it happens, Reeve is pretty sure she’ll know why. Though the final verdict isn’t in on whether this team is better than the last two, the Sewell, N.J., native and La Salle product can tell why it’s different.
“Kayla McBride being an All-WNBA player, I think, is a big, big reason for our success,” she said of the guard from Erie, Pa., who’s having a stellar year: 18.3 points per game, including a 43-point explosion against Dallas on Aug. 9.
“Napheesa Collier back in the fold and feeling great by the time we get to [the] playoffs,” Reeve said of the five-time All-Star, three-time first-team All-WNBA honoree and a prolific scorer and rebounder who can also pass well.
“We have a group that never gets rattled and finds a way to compete, and they know exactly what they need to do,” Reeve said. “And we’ve got veterans, like obviously now Collier back in the fold, McBride and Courtney [Williams] who just know really, really well what we’re looking for them to do. Resilience, I think, is what I find with our team.”
Napheesa Collier (right) is the biggest star on a Minnesota Lynx team full of veterans.Abbie Parr
But Reeve’s description of a younger player felt just as profound.
“The rookie sensation,” she said, and she did not have to add Olivia Miles’ name for everyone listening to know. The point guard from Phillipsburg, N.J., who played AAU ball for the Philadelphia Belles, has turned out to be every bit as good as the sport hoped for in her first season as a pro, after starring at Notre Dame and TCU.
“That position is one that’s just — it’s incredible when you have someone that can manage the game for you at such a young age,” Reeve said, “and she’s really super mature.”
The WNBA’s stars — Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Collier — garner a lot of the attention. Miles is becoming just as much of a must-watch among hoopheads for her dynamic mix of passing, scoring, and tenacious defense.
JAW DROPPING PLAY 😱
Olivia Miles with the insane through the legs dish to Kayla McBride for three!
The 23-year-old was at it again Friday in a 94-84 win over the Washington Mystics: 24 points, seven assists, three steals, and three rebounds.
“Each game, we’re presented with something new that she accomplished,” Reeve said. “And we’re not talking about rookie accolades. We’re talking about, like, all-time in the history of the league type numbers: She’s the fastest player in WNBA history to 700-plus points and 200-plus assists.”
Miles returned the praise in her own charismatic style.
“I knew I was coming into something that was established, and standards existed, and she wasn’t going to take it easy — especially on point guards,” she said. “Actually being in it now, it’s definitely like that. She’s definitely hard on me.”
Olivia Miles showed out in the @minnesotalynx dub tonight 🥵
With this win, Olivia Miles tied for the fourth-fastest player to reach 700 career PTS. She also tied Caitlin Clark for the 2nd-most 20+ PTS games by a rookie (19)!
“She gives me a lot of grace knowing that I’m a rookie, and I’m learning, and it’s the hardest position,” Miles said. “And I’ve needed that grace, and I appreciate that from her. … That’s the most important thing for me, knowing where it comes from, her intention, knowing that she ultimately just wants the best for me and wants me to be great.”
Reeve put a lot of focus on how quickly Miles built chemistry with the veterans.
“It was open arms from the from Day 1 that she walked into our practice facility,” Reeve said. “Literally, the first day they watched her make passes, they were oohing and aahing and hyping her up. And by two weeks in, we gave her the job, handed her the keys, and they have loved every second of it.”
Cheryl Reeve (left) gives Olivia Miles some instructions during a game earlier this year.Abbie Parr
She also praised how the vets have helped Miles learn the ropes of the pros.
“They remember being rookies,” Reeve said. “Again, ‘Liv’ is mature, but also, this is a hard league. I think Liv at times appears unfazed, but we see when she has her moments, and it is those veterans that are helping her through that.”
Putting everything together, Reeve said though this year’s team might not have the depth of the last two, “we probably have more talent now than we did in the starting five.”
“If we get it done,” Reeve said of possibly winning a title, “it’s because we had five starters that were playing to their best.”
This season is her 17th in charge of the Lynx, her 22nd as a head coach overall, and the 38th of a career that has had eight stops across college and pro teams, plus the 2024 Olympic cycle as the U.S. women’s head coach and the two cycles before then as an assistant.
Much has changed over those years in women’s basketball. But Reeve made it clear that she still has as much passion as ever for the game and her work.
“I think the game gives me so much joy,” she said. “The people that you’re in it with, the competitive — just, the feeling you get when that ball is about to be tipped and what’s about to happen. That’s just something that’s sort of innate to those of us that do it for a really long time.”
In less than a month, the South Philadelphia sports complex will be decorated in Eagles green, smoke from the tailgate grills will cover the parking lots, and the sun will beat down on the asphalt canvas as fans prepare for the home opener against the Washington Commanders.
That means it’s time to break out your favorite game day outfits, whether that’s your lucky Jalen Hurts jersey, your favorite vintage top, a reworked masterpiece — or maybe even a new piece from Addison Bay?
The Philly-based lifestyle brand is collaborating with the Eagles on an exclusive clothing line curated for women and designed to blend fashion and comfort.
“It’s really, honestly, such a pinch-me moment,” said Marguerite Adzick, the founder and CEO of Addison Bay. “It definitely feels like a full-circle moment, starting the company eight years ago and then almost eight years to the day, getting to launch this collaboration.”
The Eagles reached out to Adzick, 37, in September about a potential collaboration. When she received the call, she recalled “nearly falling out of her chair.” The collaboration felt like a dream come true for the Philly native, who grew up a die-hard Eagles fan and was named the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles Fan of the Year at 15 years old.
“They sent me to the Super Bowl for free with one of my best friends in high school,” said Adzick, who attended Penn Charter and played lacrosse at the University of Virginia. “I’ve been a die-hard Eagles fan my entire life, and now my company gets to create clothing with the Eagles — like, truly, pinch me. This is so incredibly cool. This has been such a long time coming.”
The collection features some of Addison Bay’s best-selling styles — including varsity quarter-zips, tanks, leggings, seamed flounce skorts, cardigan sweatshirts, and Panama dresses. Half the items are in kelly green and the other half are in midnight green.
The collaboration between Addison Bay and the Eagles features designs in midnight green and kelly green.Addison Bay
“A lot of the time, some of the styles that they dress female fans in, it’s pink or rhinestones, and that’s the way they make it more feminine,” Adzick said. “That’s really where Addison Bay entered the chat. We can make these styles more feminine for the consumer without adding pink and rhinestones. We can make it more feminine with the styles we choose, using the colors in the right way, adding out signature stripes and, of course, having logo detail.”
The line follows Addison Bay’s mission to show that style and performance can coexist, with everyday pieces that move with women from morning to night.
“We designed for the girl on the go,” Adzick said. “We truly are dressing her from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. That doesn’t just go for Monday to Friday. It also goes for Sunday. She wants to support her team, but she also has to go to her kid’s lacrosse practice, get ready for the week, get her house clean, make dinner, watch the game. Like, talk about a multitasking woman. That’s exactly what our consumer is doing. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Addison Bay’s apparel is designed for a range of activities.Addison Bay
The collection will be available on AddisonBay.com, Fanatics.com, and in Eagles Pro Shops on Monday. For a limited time, shoppers will receive a pair of embroidered socks with each Addison Bay purchase at Eagles Pro Shops.
“We’re super excited,” Adzick said. “I cannot wait for it to launch. I’m truly just so excited to see what the consumer thinks about everything, and I hope she loves it.”
Fans can attend an Addison Bay event Thursday at the Lincoln Financial Field Pro Shop to celebrate the launch of the collection. There will be photo booths, light refreshments, giveaways, and more.
For the first time in two decades, the WTA is coming to Philadelphia with the Ennoble Care Philly Open. The 125-level tournament will bring 14 of the WTA’s top 100 players, a former Grand Slam champion, and a few local risers to the Hamlin Tennis Center at the University of Pennsylvania, just one week before the U.S. Open kicks off in New York.
Here are a few storylines to watch heading into the tournament …
What does hosting this tournament mean for Penn?
Penn has been trying to host a professional tennis tournament for a while now, coach Sanela Kunovac told The Inquirer. Since Penn’s tennis center opened in 2011, Kunovac has been hoping to host a professional tournament at the facility, but each year, struggled to get even a smaller level tournament off the ground.
Hosting the tournament this year is a “wonderful surprise.”
“Our facility is one of the nicest facilities in the Northeast, 12 beautiful courts with the view of the city,” Kunovac said. “I know I’m biased, but I would say one of the most beautiful views of the city is from the tennis facility. I also think Penn loves sports. … It was only natural for us to try to bring an amazing tennis tournament to the facility that I think is just world class.”
Top Penn singles player Esha Velaga will receive a qualifying wild card for the event, with the chance to win a match to earn entry into the main draw. Velaga qualified for the NCAA singles championship this year, but this is her first opportunity to compete in a professional tournament of this caliber. In addition, the Penn tennis freshmen, who moved in a week prior, will be available as hitting and practice partners for the pros.
“There’s 14 players who are top 100 in the world who are going to be playing this tournament,” Kunovac said. “To be able to be a sparring partner of somebody who is at that level because our players are going to be on campus, it’s really hard to imagine what other opportunity you can have, other than at your school, to be rubbing shoulders with players at that level.”
The Cincinnati Open is one of the largest tennis tournaments in the U.S.Kareem Elgazzar / AP
Could Philadelphia one day host a bigger event?
Three of Hamlin’s 12 outdoor courts are being used to build a center court with a 1,200-person capacity for the Philly Open. For a larger event, seating capacity can vary significantly. At the Memphis Classic, which is a WTA 250 event, one step up from the WTA 125 event Philly is hosting, center court capacity was 2,000. For an even larger event, like the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, which is a combined ATP/WTA 500, center court holds 7,000 spectators.
The Philadelphia Sisters, organizers of the Philly Open, told The Inquirer that they would be interested in bringing a larger tennis event to Philly. A larger 250- or 500-level event could bring bigger-name players to Philly. With the establishment of the Saudi Masters in 2028, the ATP is buying back lower-level tournaments, as opposed to adding more, so it’s unlikely in the short-term that a major men’s event could come to the area, but a larger WTA event could be more realistic.
In 2022, the WTA brought a 125-level tournament to Paris the week before Roland-Garros. Since then, the tournament has begun to attract high-level players looking for a tuneup, with the 2026 lineup including multiple top-25 players at the time in Madison Keys and Leylah Fernandez.
The timing of the Philly Open, one week before the U.S. Open, combined with Philadelphia’s proximity to New York, places it in a similar position on the calendar. The only other WTA tournament occurring concurrently is the Monterrey Open, a WTA 500-level tournament with an entry list that includes Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková and Roland-Garros finalist Maja Chwalinská.
But the Philly Open also has 14 top-100 players and a former Grand Slam champion in the draw, far more than the average 125, which shows that the location and timing already are attractive for players. The Philadelphia Sisters have a three-year deal to host the tournament, with the potential for extension, so it will return in 2027.
Robin Montgomery of the United States reacts as she plays Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon. Montgomery is in the field for the Philly Open.Brian Inganga / AP
The actual tennis
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, is probably the most famous name in the draw. After suffering a stress fracture in her right foot last year, Stephens is mounting a return to tennis while also working as a commentator. In Cincinnati, Stephens reached the third round before falling, 7-5, 7-5, to world No. 11 Marta Kostyuk, and she’s looking to continue that run of good form in preparation for the U.S. Open.
Another name to watch is 21-year-old American Robin Montgomery, who won her first tour-level title earlier this year at the Libéma Open, earning her way into the top 200. Injury issues have held her back at the senior level, but she has big potential to work her way into the top 100.
Velaga and 18-year-old Wilmington native Capucine Jauffret, who will be a freshman at Florida this year, earned qualifying wild cards and will play on Sunday.
A new fitness show has hit YouTube, and the first episode stars the Philly area’s own Kylie Kelce.
On Thursday, the debut episode of Power Hour with Ilona Maherdropped, and Maher, one of the stars of the 2024 U.S. Olympic rugby team, brought Kelce, her friend and fellow athlete, into the gym to lift weights, complete challenges, and talk sports.
“Here we champion three things: strength, pushing boundaries, and looking good while doing it,” Maher said in the episode’s intro.
Between jokes about what position they could play on the Eagles, the team for which Kelce’s husband, Jason Kelce, played for 13 seasons, and comparing Instagram hate comments, Maher instructed Kelce on how to do an incline bench press and throw medicine balls.
The duo kept it real, though, as the sometimes adult-themed conversation strayed from gym-related content and they laughed about dating failures and facing sexism as women in sports.
“Do you objectify [Jason]?” Maher asked.
“Of course I do,” Kelce responded, jokingly. “It’s all about equality.”
Maher, who has previously appeared on Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast, is retired from professional rugby, and Kelce played field hockey at Cabrini after graduating from Lower Merion. More recently, they have advocated for women in sports and philanthropic causes.
The two appeared together earlier this summer at the sixth annual Team 62 fundraiser in Sea Isle City, where Maher was among the celebrity bartenders for the Kelces’ annual event for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Kylie Kelce adds some money to the cash register during the Shore Birds celebrity bartending event in Sea Isle.Courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles
Kelce has been outspoken about her life as a mother of four and brought that experience into the weight room on Power Hour. The final challenge, dubbed “The Motherhood,” reversed the roles and put Maher to the test, challenging her to grab the kids, pick up the toys, and, at the end of it all, push a classic weighted sled, which represented the expectations society puts on mothers.
“To put this pressure on moms, have your kid and get right back in shape,” Maher said, stunned.
“That’s the dumbest part,” Kelce responded. “You just built a human being, and people are like, ‘You gonna bounce back?’”
New episodes of Power Hour with Ilona Maher drop on Thursdays.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro will host the opening match and the final of the women’s World Cup next year, FIFA announced Thursday.
Brazil is the first South American nation to host the tournament and will play in the opener on June 24 against a to-be-determined opponent in the 73,000 seat Maracanã, which also hosted the 2014 men’s World Cup final.
The hosts also will play in São Paulo and Brasília during the group phase of the 32-team competition spread across eight Brazilian cities.
The Maracanã is one of soccer’s most iconic venues, having hosted the decisive match of the 1950 men’s World Cup, with Uruguay crowned champions after beating the hosts, 2-1. In the final of the 2014 edition, Germany lifted its fourth title after a 1-0 extra-time win against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
So far, only Sweden’s Rasunda Stadium and California’s Rose Bowl have hosted both the men’s and women’s World Cup finals.
Spain is the defending champion. Brazil has never won the title.
The 2027 NCAA women’s lacrosse championships finals won’t be at Subaru Park after all.
On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that Towson University will host next year’s championship from May 28 to 30 at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md., near Baltimore. The NCAA and the Union previously announced that Subaru Park in Chester would host the Division I women’s lacrosse finals in 2027 and 2028. In a statement released Wednesday, the NCAA said a “scheduling conflict made the facility unavailable” in 2027, but Subaru Park, the Union’s home field, is still slated to hold the championship in 2028.
A request for comment was left with Subaru Park officials.
The change was released alongside the NCAA’s announcement that all three divisions’ women’s lacrosse championship games will be held at one site for the first time.
This past season, the Division I championship was at Northwestern’s Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., with semifinals two days before the final. With the change, the 2027 and 2028 events will expand to three days of games. In 2027, the Division I semifinals are set to be played on Friday, May 28 at Towson. The Division II and Division III championship games are May 29, and the Division I national title game is May 30.
“This announcement of a joint women’s lacrosse championship to life in 2027 at Towson and again in 2028 at Subaru Park has been years in the making and is a testament to the hard work and the collaborative efforts of all involved,” Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association executive director Liz Robertshaw said. “The chance to showcase the best of the college game across divisions in one weekend is amazing, but getting to do it in Baltimore and Philadelphia, I feel, has the opportunity to be massive with regards to attendance all three days.”
Subaru Park previously hosted the Division I championship in 2015 and 2016. Last week, the stadium hosted the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League championship.
Maryland Charms players Ally Kennedy (left) and Alex Holman celebrate Kennedy’s goal late in the fourth quarter of the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League championship on Saturday at Subaru Park.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
League commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Tuesday that the game will be July 31, 2027, at Chase Center after a weekend of All-Star activities around the San Francisco region.
“We are thrilled to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star to the San Francisco Bay Area for the first time,” Engelbert, a Collingswood native, said in a statement. “The Golden State Valkyries have brought incredible energy and excitement to the WNBA from the moment they were announced as an expansion team in 2023, and the response from fans across the Bay Area has been remarkable. Valkyries fans have embraced this team with an extraordinary level of passion and enthusiasm, and we can’t wait to see that energy on full display for an unforgettable All-Star weekend next summer.”
At the All-Star Game in Chicago last month, players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike, who played at Stanford, said many players felt that Golden State would be a great host for next year’s midsummer exhibition.
The Valkyries have sold out all of their home games at the Chase Center, which opened in 2019, since the franchise’s inception last year. They became the first expansion organization to make the playoffs in its inaugural year and ultimately lost to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. The Valkyries clinched a playoff berth for this year on Monday night with a win over Dallas.
The NBA All-Star Game was played at Chase Center last year.
“Hosting AT&T WNBA All-Star in only our third season is an incredible honor and a reflection of everything this fanbase, this region, and this organization have built together,” Valkyries president Jess Smith said. “From Day 1, the Bay Area has shown up for this team in a way that’s redefined what’s possible in women’s basketball, and we can’t wait to put that same energy on display for the entire league next summer.”
The inaugural Ennoble Care Philly Open is bringing some big names to town, and now that field includes a past Grand Slam champion.
On Tuesday morning, the tournament, a WTA 125 event, announced that Sloane Stephens will enter the competition as a wild card. The former world No. 3 women’s singles player in the world has been making a comeback following a fractured right foot last year.
Currently ranked No. 240 in singles, the 33-year-old has a long history as a formidable force on the court. She won the 2017 U.S. Open and was a star for the former Philadelphia Freedoms, the World TeamTennis squad owned by Billie Jean King.
She reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open the next year and was a finalist at the 2018 French Open. Before that, she was an Australian Open semifinalist and Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2013.
Stephens’ last tournament win on tour was at the 2024 Open Capfinances Rouen Métropole, a WTA 250 event on clay in Rouen, France. She has eight career singles titles.
The Philly Open is Aug. 23-29 at Penn’s Hamlin Tennis Center. Just one week before the U.S. Open in New York, the tournament will feature 32 singles players competing for a $115,000 purse.
Stephens has been competing around the world this season, often as a wild card. On Sunday at the Cincinnati Open, she upset No. 24 seed Anastasia Potapova in the second round. She will play the No. 10 seed Marta Kostyuk in the round of 32 on Tuesday afternoon.
