Tennis

Serena Williams can absolutely close out her career in fairytale fashion -- so says ex-tennis star Tommy Haas, who tells TMZ Sports he believes she's no longer the underdog in the U.S. Open.

Williams -- considered the greatest women's tennis player of all time -- is calling it a career at the conclusion of this month's major tournament in New York ... and most didn't give her much of a chance to go out with a win.

But, after she beat No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday night, Haas told us at LAX on Thursday he now thinks Serena could possibly be the favorite to earn the trophy.

"She's looking very good," the one-time No. 2-ranked men's tennis player in the world said. "I think now it's a matter of if she's feeling good physically. I mean, obviously, she's feeling great mentally."

"It's going to be tough to beat her."

Haas also spoke with us about the court advantage the 40-year-old has received -- everyone from Tiger Woods to Bill Clinton to Zendaya has showed up to cheer her on -- and he noted it's all going to be tough for her opponents to overcome.

"Just being on court, seeing how the crowd is loving it, pushing her, motivating her," Haas said, "Anything's possible in those moments."

Dionne Warwick's got no hard feelings towards the broadcaster that was accused of mistaking her for Gladys Knight on live TV ... callin' it an honest mistake!!!

Dionne tells TMZ ... she doesn't think Chanda Rubin, who caught some serious flack for the flub, would've intentionally mixed the two up.

The singer's buying the broadcaster's explanation for what went down, too.

In case you missed it, Dionne was front and center on TV during the U.S. Open, but was instead referred to by Chanda and Mary Carillo as Gladys -- obviously, the Internet had a field day.

Chanda took to Twitter to put out the flames -- saying she saw Gladys while looking at the court and announced the celeb, instead of looking at her monitor that showed Dionne ... and the singer finds that to be a reasonable excuse for the mix-up.

Of course, not everyone's sticking to Chanda's story ... with many thinking the time between Dionne popping up on screen and Gladys getting name-dropped is telling.

While Serena Williams continued to shock the world with her incredible play at the U.S. Open, TV announcers showed celebs who came out to support the G.O.A.T., including Dionne Warwick -- the only problem -- broadcasters mistook her for Gladys Knight.

And, it was just as cringe as it sounds.

Mary Carillo and Chanda Rubin were behind the mic for ESPN ... when during the third game of the first set, two women appeared on screen between points.

Chanda: Got some more stars ...
Mary: Gladys Knight ...
Chanda: Gladys Knight ...
Mary: Hello!

The problem ... it wasn't Knight, but 5-time Grammy Award winner and fellow legend, Dionne Warwick. In fairness, Gladys was in the building, too.

Shortly after the match, Chanda went to social media to explain what happened during the flub.

"Too bad I was initially looking at the court (where Auntie Gladys was in the stands) and not our program monitor that showed Ms. Dionne... mistake was immediately corrected.🤦🏽‍♀️," the former player-turned-broadcaster clarified.

It wasn't the first time a star has been mistaken for another celeb during this year's U.S. Open. During Serena's first-round match, a short video posted online went viral after the poster confused actress and advocate Laverne Cox for Beyonce.

On Wednesday, there were a ton of other stars in the building, too ... including Tiger Woods, Gigi & Bella Hadid, Spike Lee, Anna Wintour, Seal, La La Anthony and many more.

They were all in the building to watch Serena ... who after winning on Monday, went on to defeat #2 seed Anett Kontaveit. Williams now advances to the third round, where she'll face Ajla Tomljanović.

As for the flub, neither Dionne nor Gladys have addressed it.

The demand to see Serena Williams continue her final U.S. Open run has resulted in some insane ticket prices for Friday's match ... with some seats tripling in value!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... fans rushed to buy their spot at Arthur Ashe Stadium for Williams' 3rd-round match against Ajla Tomljanović immediately after the GOAT's win on Wednesday.

Considering it could be Serena's last singles match of her career, seats that were originally MUCH cheaper on Wednesday will now cost a pretty penny.

For example ... the cheapest tickets for Friday were originally $160 before Serena's win, but increased to $450 right after her thrilling victory, according to ticket tech company Logitix.

Seats in the 100 levels also got more expensive -- going from $405 before the win to $1,530 after the match.

But, the company says the biggest increase was in the courtside section -- where seats went from $805 to $3,500.

As we previously reported, there has been a long list of rich celebs who have flocked to Flushing to watch Williams do her thing ... and let's face it, there's no price they wouldn't pay to be there.

The book on Serena Williams' career ain't closed yet ... the tennis legend moved on in the U.S. Open on Wednesday night with a huge win -- and Tiger Woods was there to cheer it all on!!

Williams upset No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2, in New York -- dominating the third set.

The 40-year-old looked to be in vintage form, despite only playing a handful of times prior to the major tournament this year.

The crowd was packed with celebs for the evening -- which many believed was going to be Serena's final match of her career -- with Woods, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Spike Lee, Zendaya, Jared Leto and more going crazy after every point she won.

Even LeBron James cheered on from his couch -- calling her a "G.O.A.T." after she secured the victory.

Following the W, Serena lingered on the court for several minutes -- soaking it all in.

"It's no rush here," she said in a post-match interview. "I'm loving this crowd. Oh my goodness. It's really fantastic. So there's a little left in me."

Williams, who beat Danka Kovinic earlier in the week to advance to Wednesday's match, said in early August she would retire after the U.S. Open -- which has created a huge demand for celebs and normies to catch her final moments on the court.

For Monday's match, Bill Clinton, Hugh Jackman and Mike Tyson all made it out to support tennis' greatest of all time.

Serena Williams got a special gift from her Nike family as she plays what possibly could be her last tennis tournament -- a pair of custom Virgil Abloh kicks in honor of her late friend.

The tennis legend posted a video unveiling several boxes of sneakers from the shoe conglomerate -- and naturally, her favorite pair was the one inspired by the fashion icon.

Serena said the grey and green kicks inspired by Virgil -- the fashion designer who unexpectedly passed away last year -- have her name in quotes, paying homage to Abloh.

Williams also said Nike took some ideas for the design of the kicks from a tutu dress she wore while competing ... that she's "obsessed with."

Serena and Abloh's relationship is well-documented -- the tennis star famously modeled in his Off-White fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in February.

Williams -- who's won 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her career including 6 U.S. Open tournaments -- took the court in style on Monday, donning a custom dress and shoes encrusted with 400 diamonds.

SW sent shockwaves throughout the sports world when she announced ahead of the U.S. Open that she would be "evolving away" from tennis after the tournament.

It wasn't just a perfect night for Serena Williams in the first round of the U.S. Open -- it was a match made in heaven for President Bill Clinton, too ... 'cause #42 had a seat right next to famous sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer!!

Wonder what they talked about.

There were a ton of celebs in Flushing to see the GOAT go up against Danka Kovinic at Arthur Ashe Stadium ... from Hugh Jackman to Offset to Mike Tyson.

But the sighting that gave most fans -- and even the commentators -- a chuckle was Billy C's interaction with Dr. Ruth ... and whatever was said, it made the former POTUS' face red.

As for the match ... Serena won easily, 6-3 6-3 ... extending her incredible career by at least one more round. As we previously reported, Williams is expected to retire after the tournament.

One of the most precious moments of the whole night was when Serena and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian's daughter, Olympia, was spotted wearing a matching outfit in the stands ... and using her own camera to capture the experience, just like King Richard used to do.

Speaking of Ohanian, TMZ Sports caught up with the proud hubby out in NYC on Monday ... and briefly talked to us about Serena's future off the court.

Serena Williams will be hitting the court in style on Monday -- 'cause the tennis legend had a custom outfit and diamond-encrusted shoes made for her last U.S. Open.

Serena -- who announced she was "evolving away" from tennis after the Grand Slam event -- designed a figure skater-style 'fit for her last on-court hoorah.

When Williams hits the court in Queens, she will wear a six-layer skirt ... paying homage to the number of U.S. Open championships she's won.

Serena, 40, will also be sporting a matching jacket and tote to accompany the dress and shoes .. compliments of the Swoosh.

The best part is the footwear Williams -- who's won 23 Grand Slam titles in her career -- will wear ... custom PE NikeCourt Flare 2 shoes featuring solid gold deubrés with 400 hand-set diamonds.

The stones are set in Black ceramic created in collaboration with the tennis icon's jewelry line, according to Nike's press release.

Nike said Serena provided the vision and details for her custom outfit and shoes ... and both designs will allow the tennis star to look good and feel comfortable while competing.

Williams is no stranger to fashion -- in February, she paid tribute to her late friend Virgil Abloh, who passed away unexpectedly, by modeling in the Off-White show at Paris Fashion Week.

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios is being sued by the woman he had booted from his Wimbledon match for allegedly getting wasted and distracting him ... with the fan instructing her attorney to file a defamation lawsuit in court!

Anna Palus, a fan who was ejected from Nick's July 10 finals match in London, released a statement Tuesday, saying she plans to take the 27-year-old Australian to court for what she claims was a damaging characterization.

As we previously reported, Kyrgios complained to the refs during his match against Novak Djokovic, saying Anna looked "drunk out of her mind" and kept talking to him while he was playing.

When asked by the chair umpire to identify the woman who was distracting him, Kyrgios famously said, "She's the one who looks like she's had 700 drinks."

Anna claims she and her family suffered "very substantial damage and distress" due to the incident ... and now, they're going after Kyrgios for the alleged harm he's caused.

"During the course of the final, Nick Kyrgios made a reckless and entirely baseless allegation against me," the statement read. "Not only did this cause considerable harm on the day, resulting in my temporary removal from the arena, but Mr. Kyrgios’s false allegation was broadcast to, and read by, millions around the world."

"The need to obtain vindication and to prevent [the] repetition of the allegation are the only reasons for taking legal action. Any damages recovered will be donated to charity," the statement continued.

Kyrgios lost the final to Djokovic in four sets.

Ultimately, Anna says she hopes Kyrgios will reflect on the harm he's caused her and her family and offer a "prompt resolution" to address the situation.

Rick Macci -- the iconic coach who helped Serena Williams become a household name -- says he's happy the tennis superstar is walking away from the sport on her own terms ... telling TMZ Sports he's not surprised by her decision.

Of course, the former player and coach played an important role in shaping both Serena and Venus' careers ... teaching the sisters in their youth as they became the best sister duo in the world.

We spoke with Macci about Serena's recent retirement announcement ... and he says he wasn't shocked by the news.

"It doesn't surprise me," Macci said. "Listen, she's doing this on her terms. She has a lot of things going on. I'm just happy for her because she's making the decision and she's doing it on her terms."

"It's not an injury, she's not hanging on too long or anything like that, but what I really like it's gonna end at the U.S. Open. That's where she won her first Grand Slam and people in New York love it. I think it's gonna be a must-see TV and knowing Serena, she's gonna go out with a bang.

Macci says he understands Serena's mindset -- and if she can't commit 100% to her craft on the court, then it's time to walk away.

The Williams sisters' coach sent a special message for Serena ... saying, "You're doing it on your terms. Most of all, you're happy and that's the most important thing."

Serena Williams is moving on from the sport she's dominated for decades -- the superstar just announced she's "evolving away" from tennis after the U.S. Open.

The 40-year-old shared the news in an essay with Vogue on Tuesday ... saying it's time to move on and focus on other challenges -- raising a family and business ventures off the court.

"I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst," Williams said. "But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies."

"I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you."

Serena currently has 23 individual Grand Slams and 14 in doubles alongside her sister, Venus. She won her most recent singles title while two months pregnant in 2017.

Serena is by far one of the greatest to ever do it ... and has changed the sport of tennis forever since making her debut in 1995.

In fact, she is the highest-earning female athlete of all time ... and was ranked 31st on Forbes' list of top earnings among all pros in 2022 with $45.3 million.

Her off-court ventures have proven to be just as successful -- in 2009, Serena and Venus became minority owners of the Miami Dolphins, making them the first black women to hold any ownership of an NFL team.

Serena is also one of the owners of the Angel City FC soccer team ... and earlier this year, committed millions in hopes of helping a big do buy Chelsea FC in London.

Recently, Williams started Serena Ventures, which raised $111 million in outside funding this year.

A movie about the Williams sisters' upbringing, "King Richard," was released in 2021 to positive reviews ... and earned Will Smith an Oscar for his portrayal of their father, Richard. Both sisters were executive producers for the flick.

Serena -- who gave birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in 2017 -- is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian ... and says she would like to have more children.

Serena wishes she had more time to say goodbye to the sport ... but given her goals of expanding her family, she's left with no choice.

"Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family," she added. "I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family. Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity."

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka and her rapper boyfriend, Cordae, are going stronger than ever and have NOT broken up ... despite reports claiming otherwise.

The rumors began to swirl on social media this week ... when one blog stated the two 24-year-olds had called it quits.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ Sports the Japanese pro and "Chronicles" MC are actually doing better than ever ... and they're most definitely still "happily in love."

In fact, we're told Cordae and NO have been spending even more time together recently ... which makes the initial report even more of a head-scratcher.

As we previously reported, the duo first started going public with their relationship in 2019 ... and have been each other's biggest supporters during album releases and tennis matches.

Speaking of, Cordae is fresh off a buzzing performance at Lollapalooza ... and Osaka just made her first return to the court since May, winning her first-round match of the Silicon Valley Classic.

Osaka said after the match she was "really happy" to be back on the court ... so it sounds like everything's going well for the superstar.

The COVID-19 drama isn't behind Novak Djokovic just yet ... tennis officials confirmed the legendary player will NOT compete in the upcoming Grand Slam, the U.S. Open, unless he gets vaccinated.

The 35-year-old Serbian tennis star -- who isn't vaxxed against the virus -- will not be on the court in Flushing Meadows, Queens ... because the United States doesn't currently allow unvaccinated, non-citizens to enter the country.

There was hope amongst tennis fans that something might be done to allow Novak to play ... but on Wednesday officials squashed that idea.

"The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate in place for players, but it will respect the US government’s position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-US citizens,” the Open announced.

Djokovic, a three-time U.S. Open champ, was also banned from the Australian Open for the same reason.

That story became one of the biggest and most polarizing in the sports world.

Technically, Djokovic still has time to get the jab ... the tourney doesn't kick off until August 29.

But, in the immediate aftermath of his victory over Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon (his 7th win), Novak reiterated his vax stance for anyone wondering if he had a change of heart with the Open looming.

"I'm not vaccinated, and I'm not planning to get vaccinated," Djokovic said, according to ESPN.

Djokovic, however, remained optimistic that the policy in the USA on the COVID vaccine could change ahead of the tourney.

Unfortunately for ND, that doesn't seem like it's going to happen ... and it's a big blow for Novak because he's just one Grand Slam title behind Rafael Nadal for the all-time lead.

FYI, 36-year-old Rafa has 22. Novak 21. 40-year-old Roger Federer 20.

Nick Kyrgios came up short yesterday in his Wimbledon finals match against Novak Djokovic, but that didn't stop the tennis star from turning up ... hitting up a London nightclub to help him get over the tough loss.

The 27-year-old -- who had quite the run during the tournament -- partied at popular London hot spot Wyld Club with his girlfriend, Costeen Hatzi, and his sister, Halimah Kyrgios.

The club posted video of Kyrgios in the building on their social media ... and the Australian appears to be holding a bottle of Vodka, enjoying himself despite the heartbreaking loss.

At one point during the evening, Kyrgios' GF jokingly wrote on social media that Nick's sister, Halimah, was a bad influence while holding two bottles of alcohol.

Of course, the always fiery Kyrgios is known to speak his mind, and yesterday, he did just that, complaining to the chair umpire that a fan should be removed after nearly costing him a game.

"She's distracting me when I'm serving in a Wimbledon Final," a visibly ticked-off Kyrgios said. "There's no other bigger occasion ... She's drunk out of her mind in the first row speaking to me in the middle of the game."

When the chair umpire asked Kyrgios to identify the woman he was referring to, Kyrgios said, "She's the one who looks like she's had 700 drinks."

Kyrgios ended up losing in four sets to Djokovic, after taking the first set.

The dream Wimbledon final of Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic is no more ... Nadal just pulled out of the event due to an abdominal injury.

The Spanish tennis superstar just informed officials of his decision ... one day before he was set to take on Nick Kyrgios in a semifinals match.

Nadal had been battling the injury throughout this month's tournament in London ... but after testing it out in a practice session on Thursday, he couldn't push it any further.

Nadal, according to reports, could swing his forehand and backhand just fine while dealing with the tear in his abdominal wall -- but serving with velocity and accuracy was a different story.

Kyrgios will now advance to the final and play the winner of Friday's Djokovic vs. Cameron Norrie matchup.

Nadal is expected to discuss his decision with media members later Thursday afternoon.

Rafael Nadal took a well-deserved break after winning his 14th French Open ... hitting the Spanish seas with his pregnant wife and friends on an insane mega-yacht!

The No. 4 ranked tennis star was spotted on the 78-foot, multimillion-dollar catamaran yacht named "Great White" just days after beating Norwegian Casper Ruud in the major tourney -- setting a new record with 14 French Open title wins.

And, the champ was celebrating like someone who just made history ... diving into the water, and hanging out on the deck with his buddies.

His wife, Maria Perello, was also livin' the vacay life ... just days after the couple -- who married in 2019 -- announced they're expecting their first child.

But, the R&R won't last long, though. Nadal -- who's dealing with pain in his left foot -- has Wimbledon to win ... and his first match is Tuesday against Francisco Cerúndolo.

"I'm going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon," Nadal said after winning the French Open.

"That's it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody wants to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon."