Today’s best

SWIMMING: This is one of two sports NBC insisted on having in prime time for U.S. audiences. The other was gymnastics. Michael Phelps goes for gold medal No. 1 tonight in the 400-meter individual medley. It might be the most challenging of the eight races he plans to swim because of expected competition from U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Going for a fourth consecutive gold medal, the U.S. women open against the Czech Republic. Three Sparks -- Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones -- play for the U.S. team.

TENNIS: The fifth Grand Slam opens today in the first round of men’s singles. Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal in the final, anyone? They play here on hard courts, which would have been considered an edge for Federer. But after Nadal won on grass at Wimbledon, it’s anyone’s guess.