WNBA 2026 Season Preview Highlights Aces as Top Team, Liberty High Ceiling

• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the Thailand Open men’s doubles final on May 17, 2026 after beating Malaysia’s Sze Fei Goh and Nur Izzuddin 19-21, 22-20, 21-16. • ESPN’s Indian sports live blog said the Indian pair will face Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana in the title match, extending their strong run in the tournament.

• South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo named a 26-man squad on Saturday, with Son Heung-min set for his fourth World Cup appearance as the team’s leading star. • ESPN reported that the veteran forward will again anchor South Korea’s attack, underlining his central role in the national side’s tournament plans.

• Gamba Osaka beat Al-Nassr to clinch Asian glory in the second-tier continental tournament, with Devdiscourse reporting that Turkish forward Deniz Hammat scored the decisive goal. • The match was described as one in which Al-Nassr controlled much of the play but could not convert pressure into a title, while Osaka held firm when it mattered.

• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the semifinals of the BWF Thailand Open 2026 after beating Takumi Nomora and Yuichi Shimogami, while PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen were eliminated in the quarterfinal round. • ESPN’s Indian sports roundup said Sindhu lost to Akane Yamaguchi and Lakshya fell to Kunlavut Viditsarn, extending a mixed day for India’s top badminton names on May 15.

• Anders Antonsen and the mixed doubles team of Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje advanced to the semifinals of the Toyota Thailand Open 2026, according to Badminton Europe. • The federation said only two Danish semifinalists remained at the tournament, highlighting Denmark’s strong run in Bangkok across both singles and doubles draws.

• Breanna Stewart scored 22 points and the New York Liberty beat the Portland Fire 100-82 on Thursday night in Portland, avenging a 98-96 loss two days earlier. • Alex Fowler provided a key bench boost for New York, helping the Liberty pull away after the expansion Fire had earned their first win on Tuesday on Sarah Ashlee Barker’s buzzer-beating putback.

• Shohei Ohtani turned in another dominant start for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, throwing seven shutout innings in a standout performance. • He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out eight, lowering his season ERA to 0.82 through mid-May and strengthening an early Cy Young case.

• Adelaide United beat Adelaide Olympic 1-0 at VALO Football Centre to move into the last eight of the national cup. • Football Australia said the win was the club’s fourth straight quarter-final appearance, extending its record in the competition.

• South Korea midfielder Lee Kang-in is facing a decisive week at Paris Saint-Germain as the club weighs his future, according to reporting cited by Chosun Biz. • L’Équipe said on May 14 that “Gonzalo Hamús and Lee Kang-in are expected to experience a decisive week for their futures,” indicating movement on PSG squad planning.

• Australia’s CommBank Junior Matildas beat Vietnam 2-0 in the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 quarter-final, sealing a first-ever place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. • Football Australia said Frida Karaberis and Leyla Hussein scored the goals as the side advanced to the semi-finals and matched its best continental finish.

• The Philadelphia 76ers have shaken up their front office by parting ways with Daryl Morey as president of basketball operations. • This move comes amid ongoing NBA playoff action and precedes the draft combine, signaling a major organizational reset for the franchise.

• Atlanta Braves climbed to the top of MLB Power Rankings for the first time this season with a 30-13 record, up from No. 3 last week. • The Braves' offensive surge is powered by Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin, while the Dodgers fell to No. 2 after their top hitters cooled off, including Shohei Ohtani's 11-game homer drought ended Tuesday.