MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has returned to practice with the team, moving closer to making her 2026 debut following offseason surgery on both ankles.
The Lynx announced Wednesday that Collier was continuing to progress as expected in her rehabilitation process from the procedure she had done on March 24. Minnesota plays next at New York on Friday.
The five-time All-Star signed a one-year, supermax contract that will allow her to be an unrestricted free agent entering 2027. Collier averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game last season while shooting 53.1% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range and 90.6% from the foul line, becoming the first player in WNBA history to post 50/40/90 shooting splits while averaging 20-plus points per game.
The sixth overall pick by the Lynx in the 2019 draft, Collier finished second to A’ja Wilson in the league MVP voting in each of the last two years. She won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024.
Collier injured her left ankle in Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA semifinals against Phoenix, prematurely ending her season. The No. 1 seed Lynx lost the series to the Mercury in five games.
Behind rookie Olivia Miles, the second overall pick in the draft, the Lynx are off to a league-leading 15-4 start.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
FILE - Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier moves the ball during the first half of Game 2 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs against the Golden State Valkyries, Sept. 17, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
LONDON (AP) — Naomi Osaka had a new look to show off before winning her second-round match at Wimbledon.
Osaka, whose fashion reveals have become an event of their own at Grand Slam tournaments, wore a less elaborate outfit for her walk-on than the “Kill Bill” inspired kimono for her opening-round match Monday.
This all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long train behind her. It drew plenty of attention as she made the walk from the locker room to No. 2 Court, trailed by photographers and fans wanting to take their own photos. The four-time major winner took off the latest ensemble as she began warming up for her match against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova on Wednesday.
She went on to quickly dispatch Gasanova 6-3, 6-2.
“I'm just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit, adding she had been worried that a loss might have ruined her daughter Shai's third birthday on Thursday.
“I just wanted to be here for longer, I didn't want to make her get on a plane on her birthday,” Osaka said.
Osaka's match was among the early starts on the outside courts as the second round got underway.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka soon followed her into the third round, beating McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6 (9) on No. 1 Court.
Sabalenka converted her third match point in the tiebreaker after saving two set points.
“She really tested me today and I'm super happy to have passed the test,” said Sabalenka, who will next play Jelena Ostapenko.
Men's No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner, who came from a set down twice to win in five sets in the first round, had a more comfortable victory Wednesday. Sinner beat Nuno Borges 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the first match on Centre Court.
It wasn't entirely straightforward for the Italian, though, as he had to break back for 5-5 when Borges served for the second set, before winning in just over 2 1/2 hours.
“Second set was very, very tough,” Sinner said.
Other winners included French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe and No. 21 Tommy Paul.
Next up on Centre Court was women's French Open winner Mirra Andreeva facing 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova before Novak Djokovic takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas.
On Tuesday, Serena Williams returned to Centre Court but lost in three sets to Maya Joint in her first singles match in nearly four years. Williams, who tweaked her knee in the match, still hopes to play doubles with sister Venus later in the week.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Naomi Osaka of Japan walks towards court 2 to play her second round women's singles match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Naomi Osaka of Japan walks towards court 2 to play her second round women's singles match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Naomi Osaka of Japan enters the court for the second round women's singles match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Naomi Osaka of Japan warms up before her second round women's singles match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Naomi Osaka of Japan enters the court for the second round women's singles match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
