Caroline Wozniacki Retiring from Tennis ... Wants to Start Family
-
Exclusive
- 413 shares
6:40 AM PT -- We just spoke with Caroline in New York and she told us what she'll miss the most about being a pro tennis player!
That's a wrap for Caroline Wozniacki ... almost!
The 29-year-old tennis star says she's officially retiring from the sport -- right after the Australian Open in January -- to focus on other aspects of her life, including growing her family.
"I've played professionally since I was 15 years old," Wozniacki says.
"I've always told myself, when the time comes, that there are things away from tennis that I want to do more, then it's time to be done. In recent months, I've realized that there is a lot more in life that I'd like to accomplish off the court."
Caroline says getting married to NBA star David Lee "was one of those goals" -- along with "starting a family with him while continuing to travel the world."
She also wants to focus energy on raising awareness for rheumatoid arthritis -- a condition she suffers from.
"So with that, today I am announcing that I will be retiring from professional tennis after the Australian Open in January," Wozniacki says.
"This has nothing to do with my health and this isn't a goodbye, I look forward to sharing my exciting journey ahead with all of you."
As far as her tennis accomplishments, Caroline was pretty damn good.
"With 30 WTA singles titles, a world #1 ranking for 71 weeks, a WTA Finals victory, 3 Olympics, including carrying the flag for my native Denmark, and winning the 2018 Australian Open Grand slam championship, I've accomplished everything I could on the court."
Not bad, right?
Wozniacki and her hubby recently took classes at Harvard Business School as part of a program that helps athletes build a second career outside of sports ... so post-tennis life has been on her brain for a while.
Congrats!
Originally published -- 6:41 AM PT
related articles
Justin Timberlake I'm Sorry, Jessica for Boozy 'Lapse' with Costar ... But 'Nothing Happened'
-
Breaking News
- 8.8K shares
Justin Timberlake is apologizing to Jessica Biel for getting cozy with his female costar in New Orleans ... and while he admits he was drunk, he insists nothing sexual happened.
Justin was photographed with Alisha Wainwright on a balcony at a NOLA bar last month, and they seemed to get handsy. He's clearly seen and heard all the buzz about the pics. He says he "displayed a strong lapse in judgement" with Alisha, his costar in "Palmer" ... a movie they're currently filming down there.
He added, in a lengthy IG post, the rumors about the incident are "hurting the people I love."
Justin blames the whole situation on alcohol, saying he drank way too much that night, but adds nothing happened between Alisha and him.
Translation, we held hands but didn't have sex.
JT says he should be setting a better example for his and Jessica's 4-year-old son, Silas Randall, and apologizes to his wife and family for putting them through what he calls an "embarrassing situation."
Justin says he's focusing on being the best father and husband he can be, and admits his night out with Alisha was not one of those moments.
related articles
Barack & Michelle Obama We're On the Vineyard Now!!! Close on $11.75 Mil Estate
-
Breaking News
- 119.6K shares
Barack and Michelle Obama are busting out the champagne, we imagine, to celebrate closing the deal for a mega-estate on Martha's Vineyard.
The Obamas got the keys Wednesday for the awesome mansion which sits on 29 acres of beachfront property. TMZ broke the story back in August when the former Prez and First Lady were in escrow on the luxurious home ... formerly owned by Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck.
As we told you, it was listed for $14,850,000 ... but our sources told us the Obamas were paying much less. Now we know how much less. According to real estate records, they're plunking down $11.75 million.
That kinda dough gets them 6,900 square feet with 7 bedrooms. The enormous pad has a pool, outdoor fireplace, and vaulted ceilings. It also has 2 guest wings off the main home.
Michelle and Barack test drove the house over the summer ... when they were renting it. Obviously, they were impressed and decided to make it permanent.
Tom LeClair and Gerret Conover of Landvest were realtors for the transaction. We reached out, but they had no comment.
Congrats to the new homeowners! Did we mention their estate comes with a private beach and a boathouse?
Translation: The housewarming party next summer is gonna be lit!
related articles
'Tarzan' Star Ron Ely Police Video from Fatal Encounter with Actor's Son
-
Exclusive
- 746 shares
"Tarzan" star Ron Ely's son's fatal encounter with cops was caught on camera ... and you can hear police giving commands before unloading a deadly barrage of bullets.
TMZ's obtained police footage of the officer-involved shooting that killed Ron's 30-year-old son, Cameron Ely, outside his parent's California property after Cameron allegedly stabbed his mother, Valerie Lundeen Ely, to death.
While you don't actually see Cameron get shot to death, the video rolls from the hood of a police cruiser through the whole incident. You hear a deputy clearly order Cameron to keep his hands up before dozens of gunshots ring out.
Another deputy then says there's a gun under Cameron -- but cops later concluded Cameron was unarmed -- and only faked having a weapon.
As we reported ... police rushed to Ron's Hope Ranch property after Cameron called 911 at some point after killing his mom. The operator said Cameron was crying and out of breath.
Ron, who played "Tarzan" on the 1960s TV series, was not hurt during the incident and there's no mention of him in the police footage.
related articles
Criss Angel My Son Johnny's Cancer Is Back ... But You Can Help Him!!!
-
Exclusive
- 40.8K shares
Criss Angel is sharing some somber news about his young son's dire medical battle ... the leukemia is back after a brief dip into remission.
We got Criss and his kid, Johnny Crisstopher, at LAX Tuesday, and the famous illusionist told us his 5-year-old will be going back to a hospital next week to restart treatment for a rare form of leukemia.
Criss says before Johnny's readmitted, he's going to make sure the little guy has the time of his life in SoCal. Sounds like dad's got some fun stuff on tap.
DECEMBER 2015
You'll recall, when Johnny was first diagnosed with cancer back in 2015 at just 21 months old ... Criss set out to make a documentary on his son's chemo treatments, and to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer research.
Criss says he's going to host another charity event in Vegas at Planet Hollywood where he does his new "MINDFREAK" show. However, this time he's setting an even higher goal ... and he's calling on the public to help.
related articles
Jenna Dewan My Bday Present ... Moving Into New House With My BF!!!
Jenna Dewan is trading in birthday cake and candles for cardboard boxes and dollies ... she's moving into her new digs as she celebrates 39 trips around the Sun.
Check out these pics of Jenna and her boyfriend Steve Kazee on her birthday ... no celebrations, just business as they move into her new crib in Los Angeles. This is 39.
The good news is Jenna doesn't have to do any heavy lifting ... she's got a hunky BF and some movers to take care of everything. Of course, it looks like she's still overseeing the whole process -- it's the birthday girl's day after all.
Jenna's been living with a Steve for a little while now, and we're told she recently closed on the home ... and Tuesday was the big move-in day.
As you know ... Jenna's locked in a nasty custody battle with her ex, Channing Tatum, with the parents going at it over daughter Everly's custody. Channing is asking a judge to lay out a detailed schedule for who gets their girl and for how long, including holidays, birthdays and work trips ... something sources on Jenna's side say was already figured out.
Now, Everly's gonna have some new scenery whenever she goes over to Jenna's.
related articles
Mathew Knowles on Girls Tyme Pre-Destiny's Child Group Beyonce Plus More Than 30 Others!!!
-
Exclusive
- 458 shares
Beyonce's dad, Mathew Knowles, says before there was Destiny's Child ... there was Girls Tyme -- which apparently had A LOT of pieces filling in around his daughter over the years.
Mathew came on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to give us the 411 on a new book and album he just released about the girl group he started nearly 30 years ago. You know about DC, obviously, but that success was built on Girls Tyme.
The book, "Destiny's Child: The Untold Story," and the album by the same name offer previously unreleased music, and a deep dive into the making of the group -- which Mathew says involved more than a couple dozen different members.
We've always heard about Bey, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson -- but, as it turns out, that was just the tip of the iceberg between Girls Tyme and the final version of DC.
Mathew also gave us a very positive update on his health following his diagnosis with breast cancer earlier this year.
related articles
Pablo Escobar's Bro You'll Flip Over My Folding Phone ... And the Hot Chicks!!!
-
Exclusive
- 876 shares
Pablo Escobar's brother knows how to move merchandise -- show off the goods ... and make sure to toss in a little extra eye candy. Or a lot.
The notorious Colombian kingpin's bro, Roberto, is adding to his tech portfolio by unveiling one of the world's first foldable smartphones. Based on the ad ... sexy women in lingerie will especially enjoy using it.
According to his company, Escobar Inc., the flexible screen Android easily folds out into a 7.8-inch screen tablet ... and comes with all the top-of-the-line bells and whistles.
Its name -- the Escobar Fold 1. Retail price -- $349. The company says they'll sell out quickly, because it's only producing 100,000 units to start ... so get 'em while they're hot.
Of course, the pioneering new phone comes a few months after Roberto got into a business beef with tech guru Elon Musk ... over their competing flamethrowers.
We broke the story ... Pablo's bro threatened to take legal action against Musk, claiming Elon jacked his idea after one of his engineers paid a visit to the family compound in mid-2017.
However, days later Roberto changed his tune and offered a solution to Musk -- get Trump to issue him a pardon so they can partner up ... and get into the weed biz.
Strange for sure, but if an Escobar/Musk collab ever happens ... watch out.
related articles
Felicity Huffman Lets Her Hair Down ... Sophia Picks Up a Book
Felicity Huffman and her daughter were on the same page this weekend, but in different books -- with mom focused on getting a fresh 'do, while her kid zeroed in on studying.
The actress was out with 19-year-old Sophia Sunday at a beauty salon in Bev Hills ... where they were both preoccupied with their own activities. Felicity intently scrolled through her phone getting her hair done, and Sophia had her nose buried in a notebook.
It also looks like she was crunching some numbers on a calculator. Unless she's getting an early jump on taxes this year ... she might very well have been cramming for an exam of some sort.
That's interesting, of course, because we know Sophia just graduated high school ... and didn't enroll in a university this past fall in the wake of her mom getting indicted -- and later convicted and jailed -- for paying $15k to fix Sophia's SAT score.
Lucky for her, the College Board is willing to give Sophia another bite at the apple with a legit SAT test in the future ... and she reportedly does want to attend college.
It's unclear if she was studying for an entrance exam -- but we checked, and there is an SAT scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.
And yes, old folks, you're allowed to bring a scientific calculator in for the math section.
related articles
John Singleton Daughter Granted Monthly Allowance A Couple Thou & Then Some
-
Exclusive
- 1.4K shares
John Singleton's daughter will be taken care of for now in the wake of her father's passing ... while his estate figures out how to distribute his multi-million dollar fortune.
21-year-old Cleopatra Singleton -- one of the late filmmaker's seven children -- just got what she'd asked for a couple months ago ... a monthly allowance of nearly $3,000, plus a one-time payment to cover her semester abroad. A judge signed off on it just this week.
Per the order, Cleopatra will receive $2,778 a month -- as well as a one-time payout of $4,150. It's exactly what she'd requested back in September, arguing that her father had taken care of her finances while he was alive ... and she needs the dough to hold her over.
As we reported ... John's estate is estimated to be worth upwards of $35 million, which still needs to be divvied up. The estate also recently came up on an extra $500k or so.
TMZ broke the story ... John died in April after suffering a massive stroke. His mother, Shelia Ward, was put in charge of his estate.
Worth noting ... Sheila and Cleopatra have been at odds recently, so it's good to see they could come to terms on this issue.
related articles
Mama June Pulling Out Cold, Hard Cash ... No Signs of Holiday Family Reunion
-
Exclusive
- 4.8K shares
Mama June didn't seem to be anywhere near reconciling and reuniting with her family for Thanksgiving -- but a silver lining might be that she is somewhat nearby ... and has money.
The troubled reality star -- who's been on a downward spiral since linking up with her BF, Geno -- was spotted out this week in McDonough, Georgia ... pulling out cash at an ATM just days before the holiday. She didn't look all too great though ... head low and disheveled.
It's interesting ... we're told June rolled up to a convenience store there in the city in a black SUV, in which she was riding passenger with Geno, we're told, riding in the back.
An eyewitness says June got out of the car, popped into the store to pull out cash ... and was back in her vehicle within minutes. Two things to note ... Mama June had somebody driving her and Geno around, but maybe more important ... they seem to have funds on hand.
Either way, there's no sign of June's family getting back in the picture yet -- at least not permanently. As we've told you ... she's barely in touch with them these days, including with her own daughter, Honey Boo Boo ... this despite the fam's best efforts to reconnect.
We've been hearing that June's been bouncing around from hotel to hotel with Geno since unloading her Hampton, GA home earlier this year. So, if there's any good news to glean from this sighting, it's that she's still in the area and hasn't gone completely off the radar.
While we'd like to imagine a scenario where June went home for Thanksgiving, something tells us it just didn't happen.
related articles
Ariana Grande Mother, Father and Child Reunion ... Thanksgiving with Mom & Estranged Dad
Ariana Grande's singing "We Are Family" for the Thanksgiving holiday because she's spending it with her mother AND her father for the first time in her adult life.
Ariana was surrounded by both of her parents on Thursday, which she revealed was her "first Thanksgiving with both of my parents in 18 years!" She posted several photos and videos of what looked like a big family celebration.
The singer's parents divorced in 2003, and Ariana reportedly fell out of touch with her father, Edward Butera, in 2013. At the time, she told Seventeen magazine it was one of the hardest things she'd ever gone through. However, over the last couple of years, she and dad have been patching things up.
She's posted a few shots of dad joining her before and after concerts on her current tour.
Ariana references her strained relationship with Butera in "thank u, next" -- singing, "One day I’ll walk down the aisle/holding hands with my mama/I’ll be thanking my dad/’cause she grew from the drama."
Looks like that's one step closer to becoming reality ... besides the groom and stuff, of course.
related articles
Jeremy Renner Feeds and Clothes Homeless With Ava ... Amid Custody Battle
-
Exclusive
- 13.5K shares
Jeremy Renner seems to be trying to show he should get sole custody of his daughter as he battles his ex-wife in court ... taking Ava to pass out jackets and food to the homeless.
The actor spent part of his Thanksgiving handing out blankets, jackets and meals to the homeless in Reno, Nevada ... with his 6-year-old daughter right by his side.
Jeremy joined forces with The Hope Bus to feed and clothe the homeless ... he's got a place in nearby Lake Tahoe and we're told he heard about what the organization was doing and wanted to lend a helping hand with Ava.
We're told Jeremy brought two big cartons filled with blankets, and he helped serve over 100 meals ... spending about 3 hours with Ava giving some needy folks much to be thankful for.
People were really excited to see the movie star ... we're told everyone recognized Jeremy and knew who he was, and Renner wasn't shy about giving out hugs.
Jeremy's good deeds with Ava come amid a nasty custody battle with his ex, Sonni Pacheco ... with allegations against both parents flying left and right.
As we've reported ... Sonni claims Jeremy is a substance-abusing loose canon who she says threatened to kill her as well as himself. Jeremy denied that, and says Sonni is actually the parent with a substance abuse issue. He also says she's obsessed with sex, and called her a liar and mentally unstable.
Sonni's trying to put herself in a good light too ... taking Ava to a pumpkin patch last month for a fun mommy and daughter day.
Both parents are seeking sole custody ... and now Jeremy's matching Sonni with a good photo-op.
related articles
Michelle Obama Our Family's Ready For Thanksgiving!!!
Barack Obama and his family are wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving ... sending good vibes with an super sweet family photo.
Michelle just shared this never-before-seen family pic ... and everyone's looking quite fashionable.
Barry O's chilling in a buttondown shirt and some khaki slacks, Sasha's glowing in a slender black dress, Malia's beaming in a lilac getup and Michelle's one proud mama. Talk about #FamilyGoals.
The Obamas sure look happy and healthy ... so Barack and co. have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
As for the timing of the photo ... looks like it was taken back when Sasha went to her high school prom. A couple pics surfaced after the event, but this is the first we've seen of the whole fam together.
This photo is giving us all the feels, and we can't wait for the official Obama holiday card!!!
related articles
Ray J & Princess Love Back Together in L.A. ... But She's Still Done with The Marriage
-
Exclusive
- 3.2K shares
9:54 AM PT -- While our sources say Ray wants desperately to make things work ... we're told Princess is done with the marriage and heavily considering ending things.
Ray J and Princess Love are trying to work through their drama in the desert ... and have reconnected back in L.A.
Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Ray has made a serious attempt to reconcile after their relationship took an angry turn in Las Vegas last week, with Princess Love claiming Ray J left her and their daughter "stranded." She also insisted she didn't want to be married to Ray anymore.
Of course, the tension was heightened by the fact Princess is 8 1/2 months pregnant with their second child.
Plus, Ray J sounded like he was through with the marriage too, as he called her out with his own video post, and denied leaving his wife and child.
But, as they say ... cooler heads have prevailed.
Our sources say both RJ and PL realized they let their emotions get the best of them and acted out of spite -- but they feel divorce is not the answer or an option, and they're looking into couples therapy. The real deal, not the reality show.
We're told they're spending time together again, and are excited to welcome their new baby ... who's due before the end of the year.
It's unclear if this means Princess Love's agreeing to move to Vegas -- something she said sparked their initial argument. Sounds like a good starting place for a licensed therapist.
related articles
Channing Tatum I Want a Custody Schedule ... So I Can Be With My Daughter
-
Exclusive
- 2.5K shares
Channing Tatum says divorce has been tough when it comes to figuring out how to co-parent, so he's asking the family law judge to set some groundrules on which parent gets the kid and when.
Channing has filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, asking the judge to create a schedule for various holidays, including Thanksgiving, Halloween, Winter break, daughter Everly's birthday, Father's Day and Mother's Day. He also wants each parent to have consistent FaceTime with Everly.
Channing says the problem is pretty common ... he and ex-wife Jenna Dewan have busy lives. According to the docs, "Due to our constantly changing work schedules, we have had conflict over adjustments to our schedules to ensure both parties are able to have equal time with our daughter, Everly."
According to the docs, Channing wants a co-parenting counselor to help assist with scheduling-related matters to avoid conflict. Translation -- he and Jenna can't work it out without some help, which is pretty common.
Channing also wants permission to take 6-year-old Everly out of school for up to 5 days per year for special "work-related occasions." He says, "[Jenna] and I are fortunate to have employment that offers us unique and once in a lifetime opportunities. I would like to be able to share these experiences with Everly and believe that Everly would benefit from getting to take advantage of such opportunities."
And, there's this sign of the times ... Channing is asking the judge to prohibit him or Jenna from using Everly's image, name or likeness in any for-profit sponsorship, advertisement, campaign without the other party's consent.