Grass Games

Wimbledon’s first serves and the World Cup’s first penalty shootouts were taken Monday.

Serena Williams, returning to Wimbledon for the first time since 2022, fell to Australian Maya Joint (6-3, 6-7, 6-3) yesterday on Centre Court. She'll join sister Venus’ orbit tomorrow for the sibling’s first doubles match in nearly four years. Elsewhere at the annual strawberries-and-cream pop-up, defending champs Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner both advanced in tight matches, despite Sinner’s bloody foot and scary fall.

Meanwhile, Paraguay declared a national holiday after beating Germany in penalties for one of the World Cup’s biggest knockout upsets ever; in Monday’s second shootout, Morocco gave the Dutch their earliest exit ever. The U.S. takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Bay Area today, looking for its second knockout win ever (and first since 2002).

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Verse to consider when you’re delighting in the games, devouring a good meal, or delivering on a job well done… “Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord! Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.”
Psalm 100:1, 4-5 (CSB) (read full passage)