The GIST - Our hearts can’t take it
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Edition #635
September 16
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đ WNBA Finals | đž Tennis legend's retirement | đş Weekend watching |
From The Gist Team
Happy weekend!
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Quote of the Day |

Dear Roger, my friend and rival. I wish this day would have never come. Itâs a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world.
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â Tennis great Rafael Nadal, responding to his epic rival Roger Federerâs retirement announcement yesterday. Times, they are a-changinâ. |
The Latest |
đ WNBA Finals: Stayinâ alive

The GIST: Put away those brooms. Facing elimination, the No. 3 Connecticut Sun (now down 1-2) bested the No. 1 Las Vegas Aces 105â76 in last nightâs thrilling Game 3. It ainât over 'til itâs over.
Last nightâs Game 3: The Sun played like their season was on the line, scoring a whopping 34 points in the first quarter, the most theyâve scored in any quarter this postseason. More history? Alyssa Thomas notched the first-ever (!!!) WNBA Finals triple-double. Living up to that âThe Engineâ nickname.
- Vegasâ superstars Aâja Wilson (19 points) and Kelsey Plum (17 points) balled out, but the Aces couldnât overcome a five-minute plus scoring drought in the second quarter.
Sundayâs Game 4: If the Sun want to extend the series once again, theyâll have to keep up the consistent offensive pressure, and with DeWanna Bonner (18 points) bouncing back after quiet showings in Games 1 and 2, itâs definitely possible.
- As for the Aces, theyâll need Chelsea Gray to rediscover her postseason magic after an unusually tame 11-point performance last night.
- Can Connecticut force a Game 5? Or will the Aces seal the deal? Find out Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada. So ready.
đž Tennis: End of an(nother) era

The GIST: After track & field great Allyson Felix, WNBA legend Sue Bird and the one and only Serena Williams all retired in a two-month span, youâll have to re-stock your tissues once again because menâs tennis icon Roger Federer announced yesterday that heâll wrap up his playing days at next weekendâs Laver Cup. Our hearts canât take it.
On-court career: The 41-year-old Swiss star racked up a whopping 20 Grand Slam titles (third most all-time for men) in his 24-year career, spent a record 237 straight weeks as the world No. 1 and at 36 years old, became the oldest player to ever hold that top mark.
- While a series of knee surgeries kept him off the court recently, Federerâs run of dominance in the 2000s was unrivaled â he reached 10 straight Grand Slam finals (and won eight!) from 2005 to 2007. Incredible.
The impact: The âSwiss Maestroâ will perhaps be best remembered for ushering in a golden era of menâs tennis alongside his fellow âBig Threeâ members, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The dominant trio won 63 of the last 77 Grand Slam titles, competing in countless must-see rivalry matches and helping the sport reach unprecedented popularity.
- Speaking of popular, Federer notched 19 consecutive ATP Fansâ Favorite awards plus 13 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship awards, a distinction voted on by the players. No wonder they call him âKing Roger.â
- And heâs lived up to the hype â Federerâs a noted philanthropist, with much of his efforts focused on supporting early childhood education. Now thatâs an ace.
Whatâs next: Federerâs final event will fittingly be the Laver Cup, an annual team event his agency helped launch in 2017. The three-day competition begins one week from today and pits the top six players from Europe against the six best players from the rest of the world.
- This year, the tourney is being held at Londonâs iconic O2 arena â what better venue for a superstarâs curtain call?
Weekend Watching |

âž MLB: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds â Tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET â ESPN+
- Fresh off yesterdayâs quiet 3â2 Roberto Clemente day loss to the struggling Reds, designated hitter Albert Pujols will try to add to his 697 career homer count in an attempt to reach the historic 700 mark before seasonâs end.
đđ NCAA football: No. 13 Miami vs. No. 24 Texas A&M â Tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET â ESPN
- After last weekâs stunning upset at the hands of Appalachian State, the Texas A&M Aggies have something to prove on their home turf. Rough tough real stuff.
- P.S. If youâre curious about the rest of the college sports world, we have you covered with our three-times weekly college sports newsletter. Youâre welcome.
â˝ NWSL: San Diego Wave FC vs. Angel City FC â Tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET â Paramount+
- Third-place San Diego continues to make waves in their inaugural season, and now theyâre expecting to break the leagueâs single-game attendance record when they open their new stadium tomorrow. Booyah.
đ NFL: Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders â Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET â CBS
- After lackluster season openers last week, the pressure is on both squads to avoid a cursed 0-2 record, especially in two of the toughest divisions in the league. Only one can come out on top.
Together With
Whether youâre leaving it all on the court or the dance floor (or both!), let DripDropâs electrolyte powder boost you back up. With three times the electrolytes and just half the sugar of sports drinks, their doctor-developed powder is a thirst trap we can get behind. Prepare for an epic weekend by snagging a Juicy Variety Pack today.
The Gist Picks |
đ§ What to listen to
The latest episode of The GIST of It podcast in which co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down the controversy surrounding former famed NFLer Brett Fraud Favre.
đ Whoâs going to the White House
Brittney Grinerâs family. With the WNBA star still wrongfully detained in Russia, president Joe Biden will meet with the families of detained Americans as a display of solidarity and care. Great, but letâs bring her home.
⸠Whoâs displaying Axel-lence
Seventeen-year-old American figure skater Ilia Malinin. At the US Classic on Wednesday, Malinin became the first skater to land a quad Axel in competition, en route to topping the menâs group, naturally. History = made.
đ¨ What to subscribe to
The Assist, a free four-times weekly newsletter that helps empower women to achieve their personal and professional goals, written in a quick, witty style. Sound familiar? Get your assist by subscribing here.
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