x
Breaking News
More () »

Cartoon depicting Serena Williams at US Open causes new round of outrage

Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese player to win a major title with a straight-set victory over Serena Williams in the US Open Women's Final.
Credit: Elsa/Getty Images
Serena Williams of the United States reacts after her defeat in the Women's Singles finals match to Naomi Osaka of Japan on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open on September 8, 2018 in New York City.

Serena Williams' loss to Naomi Osaka in the US Open final on Saturday is still causing consternation and controversy across the tennis world.

The latest bit of fuel to the fire: A cartoon depicting Williams that appeared Monday in the Melbourne, Australia, newspaper The Herald Sun. Social media erupted with charges of racism.

Among the outraged: Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, a noted Serena fan.

"Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop," she tweeted.

Her response drew more than 10,000 retweets and 47,000 likes ... and counting.

Williams was fined $17,000 for three violations in Saturday's final. Debates have raged about whether chair umpire Carlos Ramos unfairly penalized Williams.

Was Ramos simply following the rules? Would he have punished a man the same way, or was sexism part of the story?

The particulars: Already down a set after losing 6-2 in the first to Osaka, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was in tears during an argument with Ramos after being given two warnings, one for coaching and one for smashing her racket, after Osaka broke her serve.

After the match, the Flushing Meadows crowd booed Ramos, who was escorted off the court. Chair umpires are usually given a gift during the trophy ceremony, but that wasn't the case on Saturday.

Before You Leave, Check This Out