Japanese youngster lifts first ever Grand Slam title as Williams breaks down and loses after ugly row with umpire
Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese to win a Grand Slam singles title on Saturday as her idol Serena Williams angrily imploded, calling the chair umpire in the US Open final "a thief".
Osaka, 20, triumphed 6-2, 6-4 in the match marred by Williams's second set outburst, the American enraged by umpire Carlos Ramos's warning for receiving coaching from her box.
Williams, seeking a first Grand Slam title since the birth of her daughter Olympia on September 1 2017, was denied a 24th Grand Slam title that would have matched Margaret Court's all-time record.
After the win, Naomi Osaka walked to the net, the excitement of being a Grand Slam champion mixed with a bit of sadness.
She grew up rooting for Serena Williams, even did a report on her way back in third grade. Her dream was to play her idol at the US Open.
So when she had actually done it, beating Williams 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday night to become the first Grand Slam singles champion from Japan, why was it so difficult?
"Because I know that, like, she really wanted to have the 24th Grand Slam, right?" Osaka said. "Everyone knows this. It's on the commercials, it's everywhere.
"When I step onto the court, I feel like a different person, right? I'm not a Serena fan. I'm just a tennis player playing another tennis player. But then when I hugged her at the net ... I felt like a little kid again."
Osaka teared up as she was finishing her answer, still overwhelmed as she juggled the idea of her winning and Williams losing.
Though her nerves on the tennis court don't show it, it was a reminder of just how youthful the 20-year-old Osaka is. Not since Maria Sharapova was 19 in 2006 has the US Open had a younger women's champion.
The way Williams lost, of course, was what stood out most in the match. The arguments with chair umpire Carlos Ramos and the three code violations - one that gave Osaka a game for a 5-3 lead in the second set when Williams was trying to rally - will be what was most remembered.
But not for Osaka, who claimed to not even hear the interactions between Williams and Ramos. What will stay with her is the hug at the net afterward, and Williams' kind words during the trophy presentation, when she asked a booing crowd to focus its intention on Osaka's moment.
"So for me, I'm always going to remember the Serena that I love," Osaka said. "It doesn't change anything for me. She was really nice to me, like, at the net and on the podium. I don't really see what would change."
Osaka was nervous Saturday, making a few phone calls to her sister in Paris to calm her down. Even during the match, whenever she was faced with a tough spot, she kept telling herself to try to do what Williams would do.
Williams was certainly impressed.
"She was so focused," the 36-year-old Williams said. "I think, you know, whenever I had a break point, she came up with some great serve. Honestly, there's a lot I can learn from her from this match. I hope to learn a lot from that."
It was that way throughout the tournament for Osaka, who won the second title of her career. She was mostly dominant, dropping only one set in her seven matches, and she saved 5 of 6 break points against Williams after erasing all 13 in the semifinals against Madison Keys.
That's the kind of toughness Williams has so often shown in winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, one shy of the record. It's one of the things Osaka always admired about Williams, made her choose her as the topic of that report years ago.
"I colored it and everything," Osaka said. "I said, 'I want to be like her.'"
On Saturday, she was better.
The official response
"What Serena did on the podium Sunday showed a great deal of class and sportsmanship. This was Naomi's moment, and Serena wanted her to be able to enjoy it. That was a class move from a true champion. What Serena has accomplished this year in playing her way back on to the tour is truly amazing.
"She is an inspiration to me, personally, and a credit to our sport, win or lose. I know that she was frustrated about the way the match played out, but the way she stepped up after the final and gave full credit to Naomi for a match well-played speaks volumes about who she is."
— Katrina Adams, head of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
"On the fifth point in the second game of the second set between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams, the chair umpire witnessed coaching taking place from Williams' coach. Even though her coach has admitted to coaching, Williams has made it clear that she did not receive any coaching. Nevetheless, in accordance with the rules, Williams was assessed a Code Violation, resulting in a warning.
"At the completion of the fifth game of the second set, Williams was assessed a second code violation for racquet abuse, which required a point penalty.
"At the changeover, at 4-3, Williams was assessed a third code violation for verbal abuse in the judgment of the umpire, which then required a game penalty.
"The chair umpire's decision was final and not reviewable by the Tournament Referee or the Grand Slam Supervisor who were called to the court at that time." — Official US Open statement.
"There are matters that need to be looked into that took place during the match. For tonight, it is time to celebrate these two amazing players, both of whom have great integrity.
"Naomi is a deserving champion and Serena at all times plays with class and makes us proud." —WTA statement.
Rare good news
Tokyo: Japan on Sunday hailed Naomi Osaka's stunning upset against the legendary Serena Williams to win the US Open, giving the nation some rare good news after a summer of deadly natural disasters.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe led the praise, taking to Twitter to congratulate Osaka after her 6-2, 6-4 win in New York.
"Congratulations on your victory at the US Open. The first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title. Thank you for giving energy and inspiration to the whole of Japan," the premier tweeted.
Fellow tennis star Kei Nishikori flooded Twitter with emojis of trophies, thumbs up and Japanese flags, followed by a simple tweet of "proud" alongside a Japanese flag.
And Tsuyoshi Fukui, a former top Japanese player and now senior official at the Japanese Tennis Association, said Osaka's performance would help to cheer the country up after typhoons, floods and earthquakes dominated the headlines this summer.
Osaka's "tenacious and patient performance ... Must have been a great show of encouragement to those Japanese people who saw damage from such things as typhoons and earthquakes," Fukui told Japanese media. Meanwhile, The Asahi Shimbun daily said on Twitter it would be printing an extra edition and distributing it in Tokyo.