Some rom-com pairings are better than others. These 20 are the absolute best.
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Emma Raducanu brought Naomi Osaka’s Washington Open campaign to an end with a performance full of confidence. Raducanu, enjoying her best form in some time, has looked sharp since crossing over from Wimbledon to the US hard courts and is now putting together a strong run on both sides of the draw. Her timing couldn’t be better, with the summer swing in full flow and eyes already turning towards Flushing Meadows later in August. For Osaka, though, this was another frustrating defeat by a player she might have expected to beat. In the aftermath, she was even asked whether it was worth facing Raducanu again anytime soon. Naomi Osaka shares thoughts on Emma Raducanu after defeat at Washington Open After the loss, Osaka took time to break down her performance and also spoke about what impressed her about Raducanu’s game. Starting with her own play, she mentioned: “I think honestly I have been working on my return a lot, and ironically I don’t think it was that bad today. I think she served quite well. I guess just keep working on that, working on my serve. I know it’s one of my biggest weapons. “Today the percentages were off, so hopefully improving that. Then I guess just baseline tennis. I feel like from the baseline, like, I was doing pretty well. I think there are certain situations where she got one more ball back and I was kind of just looking and waiting. So kind of getting more accustomed to being comfortable being aggressive. When asked how facing Raducanu compared to watching her previously, Osaka said: “Oh. So when I say I watched her, it might not have necessarily been her tennis. Might have been like interviews and stuff like that. “Yeah, I mean, I watched her in Wimbledon, but I think it is different playing someone in real life than playing them or seeing them on TV. “So I think for me, honestly, it was really good to get the experience, to feel how her ball is. Yeah, hopefully we meet again.” Naomi Osaka comments on her relationship with fellow players Osaka didn’t just talk about the match itself – she also shared how she’s been interacting with other players off the court. For example, the Japanese star was asked if she’d like to get to know Raducanu or other players better, to which she replied: “I mean, yes, but I don’t know. “I don’t know if I’m, like, I look scary or something, but I have been saying hi to everyone for the past year and a half since I have been back, and I think they still think I’m kind of like extremely introverted and/or have RBF. So we haven’t really, like, proceeded past the ‘Hi, how are you doing’ phase.” Osaka admitted she felt confused after her defeat to Raducanu, having played much better than the scoreline suggested. It’s Raducanu who moves forward into the quarter-finals while Osaka once again finds herself reflecting on what comes next.
Are NBA players underpaid? Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry argues yes. The greatest shooter in NBA history said Thursday on Complex’s “360 With Speedy” that because the league’s current CBA doesn’t allow for current players to invest in league and team equity, players are leaving money on the table. “I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry admitted when asked, despite enormous salaries, if the players were getting short-changed, “because you wanna be able to participate in that rise [of equity].” “It’s a partnership with ownership, [and] it’s a partnership with the league,” the 37-year-old stressed, revealing that league salaries do not reflect players’ impact on team valuations. If anyone has the right to begrudge the current CBA on player participation in equity, it’s Curry. When drafted in 2009, the Warriors were worth $315 million. Current valuations in May of 2025 have the team at $9.4 billion, the most in the league. Curry’s been paid handsomely during his time in Golden State, and he doesn’t overlook it. “I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning,” he told Complex. However, when he signed his $62.6 million one-year extension in 2024 that would keep him in a Warriors’ jersey until 2027, many felt that no amount of money the franchise could offer him would represent his worth. Curry had an undeniable impact on the Warriors’ valuation increasing by nearly 3,000%. He’s benefited by being the most salaried player on the roster and plenty of endorsement deals. But is he getting his fair share? Something similar may happen with reigning NBA Finals MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed the richest contract in league history with an average annual value of $71.25 million. According to Forbes, the Thunder’s valuation increased 20% from 2023 to 2024 and will likely take another jump after this year’s championship. Curry concedes that player participation in equity isn’t a simple concept and not all markets are created equal: “You got competitive advantage considerations…and want every market to have a fair chance, like I get all that.” He believes, however, that finding a solution is a “mutually beneficial proposition” for players, teams and the league. Even the most expensive people in the world need to find other investors to make owning an NBA team possible. The best example of Curry’s point is the Boston Celtics sale in March. The most-championed franchise in league history was sold to Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, the largest ever sports franchise sale in North America at the time. Chisholm needed Rob Hale, Bruce Beal Jr., and private equity firm Sixth Street, to afford the purchase. Because team ownership is already a multi-investor operation, the league could potentially come to an agreement with the players by the next CBA negotiation at the end of the decade. If not, the league's best players will continue to simultaneously earn a ridiculous amount of money, and it will not be nearly enough.
Talen Horton-Tucker spent the 2024-25 season playing for the Chicago Bulls. He finished the year with averages of 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest while shooting 45.7% from the field and 33.6% from the three-point range in 58 games. This summer, Horton-Tucker became a free agent who is available to sign with any team in the league. On July 26, he still remains unsigned. Horton-Tucker was the 46th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Iowa State. He spent the first three years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. During that span, Horton-Tucker became a fan-favorite. Via Ballislife.com (on December 14, 2020): "20-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker put on a show in the Lakers win over the Clippers! 33 PTS 11/17 FG 4/5 3PT 10 REB 4 AST 4 STL" Horton-Tucker has also spent time with the Utah Jazz (in addition to the Bulls and Lakers) over six seasons. The 24-year-old has career averages of 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest while shooting 42.7% from the field and 29.9% from the three-point range in 305 games. Via Legion Hoops (on April 8, 2022): "Talen Horton-Tucker as the Lakers’ first option tonight: 40 (!!!) points 54% FG 4 steals 3 assists 3 rebounds" As for the Bulls, they finished the 2024-25 season as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 39-43 record. They missed the NBA playoffs for the third straight season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a ton of question marks surrounding the roster heading into the 2025 NFL season. There are plenty of proven players on the team, but some are past their prime and there is the general question of how everything on the roster will gel together. The defense is the highest-paid unit in the NFL for the fourth straight season, so fans are fairly confident that the group will be able to play like one of the best defenses in the league, but there is some worry about the offense. The offense has struggled in recent years, and everyone in Pittsburgh is hoping that changes in 2025. A big mystery for the Steelers is how quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to perform during the 2025 season, especially with the wide receiver group he is working with. His chemistry with DK Metcalf seems to be improving, but outside of Metcalf, the receiver group is fairly bleak. Another factor in Rodgers' performance is going to be the offensive line, which is made up of a lot of young pieces. There is a lot to be worried about with the line, but insider Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan on Friday to discuss a bright spot. "[Mason] McCormick, I think his ceiling is unlimited," Kaboly said. "I think he's really, really good." Mason McCormick was a big surprise for the Steelers during the 2024 season. The team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he was not expected to see much playing time. However, James Daniels went down early in the year with a season-ending injury, and McCormick was thrust into the starting lineup at right guard. He played well throughout the season, and he got better as the year went along. If everything goes according to plan, it seems as though the Steelers have solidified the right side of the offensive line for years to come. Zach Frazier is shaping up to be one of the best centers in the NFL, McCormick is expected to turn into a potential Pro Bowl player, and hopes are high for second-year right tackle Troy Fautanu, who only played in one game during the 2024 season due to a knee injury. This gives Pittsburgh an advantage when it comes to running to that side, and it can make Rodgers feel comfortable in the pocket. It has been reported that the coaching staff in Pittsburgh believes Fautanu could be the team's best offensive lineman, which is high praise considering what Frazier did during his rookie season in 2024. McCormick could also join that conversation eventually after Kaboly's comments, but either way, that is something the fan base should be extremely happy with, considering the franchise drafted him in the fourth round. Steelers' Potential At Offensive Line Will Rely On The Production Of Broderick Jones Pittsburgh drafted Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and his career has been a rollercoaster so far. He was drafted to be a left tackle, but he wound up playing his first two seasons on the right side of the line. He looked shaky at times, and he struggled with penalties. He is now being moved to his natural position at left tackle, which will hopefully change things. The team is relying on him to take a step forward, and if he doesn't, the offensive line could look ugly in 2025. Nearly every great team in the league has a reliable left tackle, and Pittsburgh is still struggling to find that.