Tennis

Andy Murray's freein' the nip in retirement ... ditching his shirt to catch some rays with his mom in Australia!!

The British tennis superstar announced his plans to retire due to injuries earlier this month ... and might've just played his last match after losing in the first round of the Australian Open.

Murray started his first full day off with a topless suntan in Melbourne with his mom ... strollin' the Yarra River and enjoying the R&R.

BTW -- Murray has 3 grand slam titles and was once the top player in the world.

The 31-year-old has hinted at a possible return down the road ... so maybe we haven't seen the end of Murray. But, if it is the end, the dude looks like he'll be just fine.

The U.S. Open fan who caused a collective gag when she dunked her chicken tenders in soda is now making it possible for you to indulge ... and if you think the food combo makes you nauseous, check out her music video.

Alexa Greenfield, tells TMZ ... she's about to launch her new product -- Cola Sauce! She's unveiling her product 2 ways -- with a video that rivals "Thriller," and an appearance at a chicken joint.

Alexa will make a personal appearance at Hill Country Chicken in NYC on January 26 and 27. It's not just any ol' chicken joint ... it the place she bought the tenders that made her famous.

Truth be told ... the video's kinda fun. It instructs the not faint of heart on how to properly tenderize your tenders with the soda of your choice.

Alexa's going full bore ... she's launching Cola Sauce on her website next month.

Some good news, bad news for Serena Williams ...

The Good News -- The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has announced massive rule changes allowing athletes like Serena to wear full catsuit outfits during 2019 matches.

The Bad News -- The French Open -- where the whole catsuit drama went down -- could still ban it because the rule change doesn't apply to Grand Slams.

Remember, French Open officials created a huge controversy after they told Serena she couldn't wear her custom-made Nike compression suit ... despite the fact that it was designed to increase blood circulation in the wake of her health issues surrounding blood clots.

The ensuing outcry was LOUD -- with everyone from ex-pro tennis player Anne White to ex-Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad racing to defend Williams.

In an effort to prevent similar drama from happening ... the WTA announced in rule changes this week, "Leggings and mid-thigh-length compression shorts may be worn with or without a skirt, shorts or dress."

Translation ... catsuit's back!!!

The problem -- the rule changes only apply to WTA Tournaments ... NOT Grand Slams.

What does tennis superstar Andy Murray have in common with Alvin and the Chipmunks?

They just want a Hula Hoop for Christmas!!!

Check out Andy gettin' his hips going with a special hula hoop workout on Wednesday at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Florida.

31-year-old Murray has raved about the hula workout in the past -- telling Men's Journal back in August he'd been experimenting with different types of workouts after suffering a hip injury in 2017.

"I’ve been doing coordination stuff, gymnastics-type moves and actually some moves with hula hoops," the 2-time Wimbledon champ told the mag.

"I hadn’t done it since I was a kid, but those moves have helped keep me loose and healthy without putting too much strain on my body. It’s been new and challenging, but I’ve enjoyed it."

See that?! Hula hooping might actually make you a better athlete!!

And, if not, at least it's fun ... right, Alvin?!

Anna Kournikova's all about that top-shelf life -- blame it on the Goose -- during a recent trip to the grocery store.

The former tennis superstar was leaving Costco Wednesday in Miami, and she loaded up with groceries and TONS of booze. How big a haul are we talking here? She needed help from 3 assistants to get her car loaded.

But, it's hard not to miss her cart ... loaded with 6 Ketel One bottles, 4 Grey Goose bottles, a bottle of Patron and champagne. Why the liquor haul? We don't know for sure, but Anna and Enrique Iglesias' twins are turning 1 in just a few days.

The kids might not know it's a party but -- from the looks of it -- the adults definitely will. Bottoms up!

Justin Gimelstob -- an ex-tennis star and current broadcaster -- pled not guilty to felony aggravated battery after he was accused of beating the hell out of a man during a trick-or-treating run on Halloween.

Gimelstob -- a former doubles champ who coaches tennis stud John Isner -- was arrested on the suspicion of roughing up a guy named Randall Kaplan while the man was trick-or-treating with his family in L.A. on Oct. 31.

In a restraining order Kaplan filed in November, he claims the tennis coach hit him from behind, pinned him down, punched him "more than 50 times" in the face and head and threatened to "f**king kill" him.

Justin showed up in court Wednesday in L.A. to face the battery with serious bodily injury charge -- a felony -- and pled not guilty.

If convicted, Gimelstob faces up to 4 years in prison AND a fine of up to $10,000.

While dealing with his case, Justin has reportedly taken a leave of absence from his role as an analyst at the Tennis Channel.

Here's Genie Bouchard proving two legs are a helluva lot better than one tail ... 'cause she ditched her mermaid outfit for a tiny black bikini Wednesday -- and we're all grateful for it.

The tennis superstar has been over in Necker Island for the week ... splashin' around in paradise -- mostly in barely-there bathing suits.

But, today ... Genie broke out a mermaid's tail -- and while she looked smokin' hot in it -- when she bailed on the fit ... the pool she was in definitely got a little bit hotter.

Genie's over on Richard Branson’s private island in the British Virgin Islands for a tennis pro-am ... but you'll have to excuse us for not payin' attention to the action on the court.

Seriously ... can you blame us?!?!

Two smokin' hot tennis stars have been tapped to be Armani's newest underwear models ... and so far, seems like it's working out!

Check out 31-year-old Fabio Fognini and his wife Flavia Pennetta -- a real-life married couple who happen to look great in their skivvies.

Armani announced Fabio -- the #13 ranked player in the world -- will be the face for the new EA7 Emporio Armani sports line and Emporio Armani Underwear worldwide.

And, because they're not stupid, they also signed his smokeshow wife, Flavia, to appear in the ads as well -- she's the 2015 U.S. Open champion.

36-year-old Flavia has since retired from pro tennis -- but obviously, she still works out!

The two began dating back in 2014 -- got engaged in 2015 -- and tied the knot in 2016. Then, Flavia gave birth to their first child in 2017!

And, now they're underwear models in 2018!

You still waiting 'til January to hit the gym?

Venus Williams has reached a settlement with the family of the man who died in the Florida car accident she had last year ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to court docs filed in Palm Beach County, Jerome Barson's estate and the tennis star reached an agreement last week. It's unclear how much money changed hands, but according to the docs there was a financial settlement that will cover certain expenses.

Both sides are paying their own attorneys' fees in the wrongful death suit. TMZ Sports obtained surveillance video showing the brutal accident.

Jerome's wife was driving and he was the passenger in the sedan that T-boned Venus as she drove through a busy Palm Beach Gardens intersection in 2017.

Venus was cleared of criminal charges after cops determined she was "caught in the middle" of the intersection when her light turned red.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his longtime girlfriend and son out to catch a tennis match Monday -- sittin' in plain sight so everybody could see he ain't the evil monster he's been accused of bein'.

CR7, Georgina Rodriguez and Cristiano Jr. hit up the Novak Djokovic-John Isner match at the ATP Finals at O2 Arena in London ... and the soccer superstar made sure he was front and center.

He playfully patted his son's head ... paid attention to his longtime girlfriend -- and looked nothing like a man who's been accused of rape.

Of course ... CR7 is, in fact, facing those allegations -- with a woman suing the soccer legend, saying he sexually assaulted her in his penthouse suite back in 2009.

But, Cristiano's vehemently denied those allegations ... calling them "fake news" and saying, "Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in."

Serena Williams got a "raw deal" at the U.S. Open -- all because of a DUMB rule that should be changed immediately ... so says tennis great Chris Evert.

The rule -- players are forbidden to receive any instructions from coaches on the sideline.

The ump at the U.S. Open claimed Serena and her coach violated the policy and he docked her a point penalty. Things went nuclear from there and Williams was later penalized a full game.

Enter Evert ... who tells TMZ Sports both sides deserved blame for the altercation -- but ultimately, it proves the anti-coaching rule is stupid and should be done away with since EVERYONE breaks it anyway.

"The real fault was the rule," Evert said at the Buoniconti Fund’s 33rd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner.

"Everybody coaches on the side. Every coach coaches. ... So, change that rule."

Tennis superstar Andy Murray received a huge honor for his contributions to tennis in China ... and celebrated by shattering it into a million pieces!!

The former No. 1-ranked player in the world got a dope commemorative plate before competing in the Shenzhen Open on Monday ... and accidentally DROPPED IT in front of everybody while posing for pics.

Murray was clearly super embarrassed -- you can hear the entire crowd gasp while he apologizes over and over for the fumble. We're sure they accepted the apology.

It's not necessarily a great omen for the 31-year-old -- who is now currently ranked 311 in the world -- before taking the court on Tuesday ... but it's still not the worst Andy Murray/China incident we've seen ...

Serena Williams dropped it low during a taping for an upcoming episode of "Lip Sync Battle."

The tennis star shakes and grooves to Beyonce's hit single, "Sorry," off her Lemonade album.

In case you didn't know ... Serena was also in the music video for "Sorry."

Serena Williams is coming off a tough month after losing to Naomi Osaka at the US Open ... a match laced in controversy after Serena was docked a game after getting into it with the ump. Then an Australian paper, The Herald Sun, published a racist cartoon of Serena.

Thanos ain't snappin' his fingers at Joakim Noah ... 'cause the NBA star and Josh Brolin bro'd out on the beach ... and lookin' at the pics, you'd think Noah is the one who plays a superhuman!!

The buff dudes teamed up for a Malibu getaway with John McEnroe and surfer Laird Hamilton this week ... drinkin' beers and playing cornhole -- something they've been doing all summer long.

Noah's actually wearing a lot more clothing than the last time we saw him ... considering the dude stripped buck nekkid in front of his expensive Porsche in Santa Monica for a quick change last month.

No clue how this group came to be ... but if they keep taking beach pics together, we're for it.

Don Cheadle isn't buying the Herald Sun's explanation for its Serena Williams cartoon one bit ... telling TMZ Sports the newspaper DEFINITELY knows the drawing is racist as hell.

"I don't believe them," the 'Avengers' actor says.

"They have their own history of racism -- they know what that cartoon means."

The paper doubled down on Mark Knight's drawing -- the one depicting Serena with exaggerated lips, hair and nose after her U.S. Open outburst -- reprinting the piece Wednesday and claiming the world is too sensitive.

Cheadle couldn't believe it when we got him out at LAX ... saying he sees no humor or satire in the "art" at all.

"It's incredibly tone deaf," he says.

We're NOT racist, you're too sensitive -- that's how an Australian newspaper is handling criticism of their Serena Williams cartoon ... and now they've REPRINTED IT on their cover.

The Herald Sun ran the headline, "Welcome To PC World" -- along with the caption, "If the self-appointed censors of Mark Knight get their way on his Serena Williams cartoon, our new politically correct life will be very dull indeed."

Along with reprinting Serena, the paper added other "controversial" cartoons from the artist including a chubby Kim Jong-un and a villainous Donald Trump.

Under the Serena cartoon, they noted the public "vetoed" the image due to "large hair and lips, too angry."

They mockingly noted the paper would now be a "Satire Free Zone."

What the paper is failing to acknowledge is how racists used cartoons featuring exaggerated lips, hair, noses and other features to mock and dehumanize black people for centuries.

That exact point was raised by hundreds of critics on social media -- but the newspaper is refusing to back down.

In fact, the artist tried to defend his work, saying, "The world’s gone crazy. It’s a cartoon about poor behavior. It’s nothing to do with race."

He added, "I’m sorry it’s been taken by social media and distorted so much. I’ve tried to reply to these people but they don’t listen."