Sports

Serena Williams' retirement from tennis didn't last long -- the 39-time Grand Slam winner in singles and doubles just announced she's coming back.

The 44-year-old superstar dropped the news via a Nike ad ... which shows her on the court as her phone blows up with calls and texts.

As she reaches for her phone, the words "Guess everybody heard the news" appear on the screen ... and then Williams says, "I gotta change my number."

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott's family was targeted with death threats and wishes made toward their kids after a loss ... with his wife exposing the hateful comments on social media.

As the Dodgers held a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning, Scott took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday ... but gave up three earned runs, resulting in a 4-3 loss.

After the final, some baseball "fans" unloaded unhinged messages to Scott's wife, Maddie ... writing wild things like "gun shot your family tonight."

Wander Franco caught a big break in court this week, avoiding prison ... but that doesn't mean he'll ever walk on an MLB diamond again, despite having the staunch support of many players, including Hall of Famer Adrián Beltré.

TMZ Sports ran into the 4x All-Star and 5x Gold Glove Award winner at LAX this week, when we asked him about his fellow Dominican star, and whether he deserved another crack at playing in the Big Leagues.

"It's a sensitive situation, but I think, I believe that everybody has a second chance," Beltré told us.

We have boxing at the pyramids and MMA at the White House ... so how should WWE get in on the random location gimmick??

Cody Rhodes tells TMZ Sports he'd love to take it back to 1993 and throw down on a decommissioned aircraft carrier -- Yokozuna and Lex Luger style!!

We caught up with the American Nightmare out in NYC this week ... and hit him with a number of topics as he signed autographs for fans.

Tennis player Rafael Jodar is firing back at controversy after a viral clip from his French Open match sparked debate over whether he shoved a ball girl during a chaotic courtside moment.

The Spanish teenager was in the middle of his third-round battle against American Alex Michelsen when footage began circulating online showing him walking after tossing his water bottle up to his dad in the stands, as a ball girl crossed in front of him between sets.

In the viral clip, the ball girl appears to momentarily lose her balance before quickly regaining it, leading to a wave of speculation on social media about what actually happened ... however, Jodar was quick to dismiss the suggestion that any contact took place, insisting the situation had been misunderstood.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen was overcome with emotion Friday night after helping his team reach the Stanley Cup Final -- delivering the win just days after the death of his longtime agent and mentor, NHL legend Claude Lemieux.

Before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens, the Hurricanes held a moment of remembrance at Lenovo Center honoring Lemieux, who was remembered as a "great champion" of the sport.

Lemieux also had a personal connection to the game on the ice -- he was the agent for Andersen, who was one of his earliest clients, and had long been considered a mentor and father figure to the goaltender.

Following Carolina’s dominant 6-1 win, Andersen was visibly emotional as teammates mobbed him in celebration on the ice. The moment quickly turned personal when he addressed reporters, reflecting on what Lemieux would have said to him after such a career milestone -- "Just go get it."

Deion Sanders is a Hall of Famer in the present department ... 'cause Karrueche Tran tells TMZ Sports she was certainly feeling the love on her birthday earlier this month.

We caught up with the stunning 38-year-old out at LAX recently ... and had to ask if the Colorado Buffaloes coach got her anything special for her big day.

While she didn't spill any specifics, Tran was clearly thrilled with her man's gestures ... as she referred to him as a "great" gift giver.

Amanda Serrano isn't just one of the best boxers in the world, she's also an MMA fighter ... and she's interested in returning to the cage -- and she has a big name opponent in mind!

Gina Carano!

37-year-old Serrano -- the unified featherweight world champion -- chopped it up with Babcock ahead of her return to the ring (more on that in a minute) ... when the topic of mixed martial arts came up.

Days after NY Giants QB Jaxson Dart sparked a full-blown locker room firestorm by introducing President Donald Trump at an event in New York -- and getting publicly side-eyed by Abdul Carter -- the two young stars were spotted embracing at practice!

All eyes were on Jaxson and Abdul at Big Blue's facility in East Rutherford, NJ, for OTAs on Friday -- the first time the players have practiced since the controversy last week -- and there was nary a sign of friction as the men came face-to-face.

Cameras were rolling as the players approached each other, first dapping each other up, and then hugging for several seconds as they shared a private word.

Those closest to Claude Lemieux are devastated by his tragic death ... with family members sharing emotional tributes on social media.

Claudia Lemieux went to Instagram to address her dad's passing on Thursday ... saying, "No words to express the level of devastation we feel. I love you forever daddy. Forever your only girl."

Claudia's husband, Hunter Bishop, honored his father-in-law with an image of them golfing ... writing, "Rest in peace to a truly amazing man. Words can’t even begin to describe how much you meant to everyone. Love you big man 👼🏽."

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards is bringing in a massive 7-figure monthly income ... at least according to new legal docs from his baby mama court battle.

New court docs, obtained by TMZ, show the NBA star pulls in $3,364,911 in gross monthly income, while his ex, Alexandria Desroches, makes around $1,016 per month.

The docs say Anthony is paying around $5,000 a month in child support to Desroches.

Puka Nacua met with reporters for the first time since his drama-filled offseason ... and while he didn't dive into the details of the night that led to a bombshell lawsuit, he said he's taking the matter as a learning experience.

The superstar Rams receiver took the podium after Thursday's practice ... and emphasized how he's doing better mentally after seeking treatment at a facility in Malibu.

25-year-old Nacua said the support he got from the team has been great ... and he now understands it's okay to ask for help.

Felix Rosenqvist won the closest ever Indianapolis 500, edging David Malukas by two-hundredths of a second ... begging the question, are there hard feelings between the champ and his rival driver?!

That's what TMZ Sports asked the 34-year-old this week in NYC, just days removed from the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

"No [bad blood], we had a great chat at the red carpet, at the banquet, and we hugged it out. I could tell he was happy for me," Rosenqvist revealed.

Claude Lemieux, 4x Stanley Cup-winning NHL player, died by suicide, TMZ Sports has learned.

Lemieux -- who was 60 years old -- was found at the family furniture business by his adult son around 3 AM after they became concerned that he hadn't returned home. The 21-year NHL vet was located in a rear warehouse.

Tiger Woods' luxury ride is headed for the scrap heap ... with airbags still blown out inside.

TMZ Sports has obtained exclusive photos of the golf legend's wrecked Range Rover sitting in a Florida junkyard two months after the crash that led to his arrest ... and, as you can see, the luxury SUV remains destroyed.

Take a look at the photos ... for the first time since the March 27 crash, we're seeing inside the SUV ... where deployed side curtain airbags are still hanging throughout the cabin covering shattered glass -- cops smashed the rear window at the scene to retrieve his golf clubs.

11:11 AM PT -- Claude Lemieux, 4x Stanley Cup-winning NHL player, died by suicide, TMZ Sports has learned.

Former NHL star Claude Lemieux is dead at the age of 60, TMZ Sports has learned.

Lemieux -- known for his fiery and aggressive play on the ice -- spent 21 seasons in the league, playing for the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and San Jose Sharks.

He won four Stanley Cups ('86, '95, '96, '00) ... and won the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Devils in 1995, awarded to the best playoff performer.

Claude played 1,215 regular-season and 234 playoff games over his two-plus-decade career, accounting for 944 points.

Lemieux was the 26th overall pick in the 1983 NHL draft.

Claude was present at the Canadiens' playoff game on Monday, carrying the torch into the Bell Centre in a pregame ceremony.

The National Hockey League Alumni Association released a lengthy statement on the tragic news, saying they were "devastated" by the death.

Tributes have already begun pouring

Claude is survived by his wife, Deborah, and their four children.

R.I.P.