CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Giri Nathan

Winner Jannik Sinner of Italy and finalist Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the trophy ceremony of the Men's Final on day 8 of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2026, an ATP Masters 1000 at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 12, 2026 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France near Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Tennis

Jannik Sinner And Carlos Alcaraz Swap Places On The Mountaintop

Aryna Sabalenka, left, hugs Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan after winning their Women's Singles Finals match

I Can’t Get Enough Of The Kaiju Battle Between Aryna Sabalenka And Elena Rybakina

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses with his trophy after winning the men's singles final tennis match against Italy's Jannik Sinner

The Tour Is Theirs

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Tennessee Lady Vols forward Zee Spearman (11) celebrates during the women's college basketball game between the Tennessee Lady Vols and the UConn Huskies on February 6, 2025, at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN.

College Basketball

Tennessee Tried Something New And Beat An Old Rival

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates the win on the logo after the quarterfinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2024 in New York City. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 108-100 to advance to the semifinal round. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Trae Young Goes For Cheap Heat In The Knicks’ House

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 04: Gold medallist Novak Djokovic of Team Serbia celebrates during the Tennis Men's Singles medal ceremony after the Tennis Men's Singles Gold medal match on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros on August 04, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic Finally Adds Olympic Gold To His Hoard

Patrick Redford

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Iga Swiatek of Poland meet at the net prior to the Women's Singles Final match on Day Twelve of Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica on May 04, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Iga Swiatek And Aryna Sabalenka Bring Out The Best In Each Other

NBA reporters Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania

Journalismism

The Rivalry Between Woj And Shams Really Is As Imagined

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic smile together after their Cincinnati Masters final

The Rivalry Between Carlos Alcaraz And Novak Djokovic Won’t Be Long, But It Will Be Legendary

Sinner-Alcaraz Was Five Sets Of The Future

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz shake hands.

Carlos Alcaraz Has Found His Rival In Jannik Sinner

Ray Ratto

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball against Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum on May 03, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee.