Two people have died and six others have been injured in a shooting in Auckland, New Zealand, just hours before the first match of the 2023 Women's World Cup was set to begin. The gunman is also dead, and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has reassured the public that there is no wider national security threat. The tournament will proceed as planned, with Team Norway and Team Canada playing the first match at Eden Park in Auckland.
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Four former Northwestern University football players have come forward to allege a culture of abuse and hazing in the school's athletics department, prompting civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent more than 15 former male and female Northwestern athletes. The allegations come in the wake of the firing of Northwestern's longtime football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, last week, and the former players are speaking out to ensure that no other student-athletes have to endure the same treatment.
Teams and riders at the Tour de France are calling on spectators to be mindful of their behavior and respect the riders, following a mass crash caused by a spectator on Sunday. The incident, which involved around two dozen riders, has prompted overall leader Jonas Vingegaard to urge fans to “enjoy the race and be there to cheer for us without standing on the road or pouring beers on us.” Unverified reports suggest the spectator who caused the crash was using a cell phone.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain ended Novak Djokovic's 34-match winning streak and claimed his first championship at Wimbledon and second Grand Slam trophy overall, in an epic five-set match at the All England Club. The match featured a 24-minute single game, which Alcaraz won to secure the victory, and marked a major upset for Djokovic and a major milestone for the 20-year-old Alcaraz. The age gap between the two was the widest in any men's Slam final since 1974, making the match a memorable one.
Marketa Vondrousova made history as the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in 60 years, defeating Ons Jabeur from Tunisia in a 6-4, 6-4 victory. She is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to make it to the singles finals at any Grand Slam tournament, and her victory comes after a difficult year with a cast on her surgically repaired left wrist. Vondrousova managed to come back and win the last four games of the first set and the last three games of the second, and expressed her joy during the trophy ceremony.
Northwestern University has fired baseball coach Jim Foster due to allegations of misconduct. This comes just three days after the university dismissed football coach Pat Fitzgerald due to a hazing scandal. Athletic director Mike Gragg said that nothing is more important than providing a safe and supportive environment for students. Foster had been the head coach since 2014 and led the team to a Big Ten championship in 2017. Assistant coach Spencer Allen will serve as the interim head coach.
Former LSU basketball player Danielle Ballard tragically died after being struck by a vehicle in Memphis, Tennessee. She was a two-time All-SEC selection and two-time All-Defensive team selection for the Lady Tigers and was remembered by the university as a “standout basketball player” and a “big part of the women’s basketball family.” The Memphis Police Department is still investigating the incident.
Gabby Douglas, the three-time gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast, has announced her return to the sport after a seven-year hiatus. She expressed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to return, and mentioned that she is in a good mental health place, having "found peace." Douglas has been keeping busy since her last Olympics appearance in 2012, and her return to the sport is sure to be an exciting one.