Japan’s Naomi Osaka has beaten Serena Williams in a controversial women’s singles final 6-2, 6-4 after Williams was penalised a game for a third court violation.
Williams received a point penalty in the sixth game of the second set for a second code violation, the first for “coaching” at the start of the second set, an accusation she vehemently refuted in an angry exchange with chair umpire Carlos Ramos.
“I didn’t cheat. I didn’t get coaching,” Williams shouted at the chair umpire.
Osaka, 20, went on to hold that game to love and broke Williams in the following game to go 4-3 up in the second.
Immediately after, Williams was penalised a third time, resulting in a game penalty to fall further behind at 3-5.
Calling Ramos a “thief” for “stealing a point”.
Williams then called for the tournament referee, remonstrating in tears, saying “this is not fair, this has happened to me too many times”.
Williams served out the following game to love, amidst a chorus of boos from a hyped-up Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
Osaka had only won a solitary tournament win going into the tournament, at Indian Wells earlier this season and was the first Japanese woman to play in a grand slam final.
Serena hoped to win her 24th grand slam singles title, equalling the record of Margaret Court, in what was her 31st grand slam final.
