Sports

The Washington Nationals’ Against-All-Odds Championship

In a bizarre World Series in which the home team never won, the underdogs upset the juggernaut Houston Astros for the franchise’s first title.

• Robert O'Connell
• October 31, 2019

Unpredictability Returns to the NBA

For the first time in years, nobody really knows what to expect.

• Robert O'Connell
• October 22, 2019

The Washington Nationals’ Persistence Paid Off

Breaking a pattern of first-round heartbreak, the decade’s most downtrodden playoff team finds itself in the World Series.

• Robert O'Connell
• October 17, 2019

Joe Maddon Was Doomed by His Own Success

The Chicago Cubs say goodbye to the manager who led them to their first World Series victory in 108 years.

• David Baumgarten
• October 10, 2019

The Year of the Home Run Reaches October

After a record-setting regular season, the MLB playoffs figure to host offensive fireworks and long-ball fatigue.

• Robert O'Connell
• October 1, 2019

Lamar Jackson and the NFL’s Quarterback Double Standard

As the league looks to the future, the way many analysts talk about black players such as the Baltimore Ravens passer still belongs to an ugly past.

• Robert O'Connell
• September 20, 2019

Rafael Nadal Takes Another Step Toward Tennis History

After a grueling and dramatic final against tournament antihero Daniil Medvedev, the Spaniard inched closer to the men’s grand-slam record.

• Kevin Craft
• September 9, 2019

Bianca Andreescu’s Remarkable U.S. Open Win

The 19-year-old Canadian’s victory over Serena Williams marks one of the most meteoric rises by a young tennis player in recent years.

• Kevin Craft
• September 7, 2019

Grigor Dimitrov Takes His Shot

Long heralded as a future No. 1, the world No. 78 is within striking distance of his first Grand Slam final.

• Van Sias
• September 6, 2019

How the Cleveland Browns Are Bucking NFL Convention

In trying to reverse a generation’s worth of losing, the team is loading up on stars and embracing the hype.

• Robert O'Connell
• September 4, 2019

The Thrilling Unpredictability of Women’s Tennis

This year’s U.S. Open has no shortage of female players who could win the title, which has made for an exciting tournament—with one caveat.

• Kevin Craft
• September 3, 2019

Why Is Trevor Lawrence Playing College Football?

The Clemson quarterback and Heisman favorite, seen by many as NFL-ready, is all but forced by the mechanisms of amateur sports to play for free.

• Robert O'Connell
• August 29, 2019

What Andrew Luck’s Retirement Says About the NFL

The Colts quarterback is leaving the game at age 29—a move that reaffirms the danger of the sport and the willingness of some players to walk away from it.

• Robert O'Connell
• August 26, 2019

A Tale of Two Tennis G.O.A.T.s

Considered the greatest of all time by many, Serena Williams and Roger Federer will seek to solidify their legacies with another grand-slam title.

• Kevin Craft
• August 26, 2019

What the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Needs More Than Equal Pay

The argument that the female champions can draw big crowds only during World Cup years doesn’t consider the lacking investment from their governing body.

• Maggie Mertens
• August 3, 2019

Simona Halep’s Dazzling Wimbledon Victory

The 27-year-old Romanian underdog handily defeated the formidable Serena Williams in a final that echoed a classic 2008 match.

• Kevin Craft
• July 13, 2019

Wimbledon’s First Fashion Scandal

One hundred years ago, a player shocked spectators with her “indecent” dress—not the last time attire has distracted from athleticism in tennis.

• Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell
• July 9, 2019

The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Biggest Battle Is Yet to Be Won

Some 1 billion people tuned in to the games this year, making the USWNT’s victory even more crucial in their upcoming legal fight for equal pay.

• Maggie Mertens
• July 7, 2019

One Question Hanging Over the World Cup Final

As the United States and the Netherlands prepare to face off, teams and fans wonder whether VAR—or instant-replay reviews—will decide the champion.

• Robert O'Connell
• July 5, 2019

The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Is in the Finals. Here’s Why It Matters.

It’s not just about the game—these athletes are playing with something more to prove.

• Maggie Mertens
• July 2, 2019