Tennis players past and present are standing with Serena Williams after she claimed the sport was riddled by sexism following an extraordinary on-court tirade at an umpire during the US Open women’s final.
The 23-time grand slam winner said she wasfighting for the future rights of women players by publicly criticising the chair umpire Carlos Ramos for what she interpreted as double standards – but was fined $17,000 by the US Tennis Association over the incident. The final was won by Naomi Osaka of Japan – with the enormously talented 20-year-old claiming her first major title – but it will be remembered for the controversy prompted by a furious outburst from Williams.