Tennis

Tensions were high at the US Open on Wednesday after Taylor Townsend defeated Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets ... as the two got into a heated confrontation that was all caught on camera.

The beef started as the two shook hands at the net ... when it appeared Ostapenko said something that set Townsend off.

"You should learn how to take an L," Townsend appeared to respond.

Ben Shelton's toughest moment from the US Open didn't come from one of his opponents on the court ... but from his girlfriend during a postgame media session -- 'cause Trinity Rodman snuck in a savage question about his "slow" serves!!

Shelton met with the media after he advanced to the third round with a win over Spain's Pablo Carreño Busta in straight sets. Just as he was about to wrap up his day, Rodman -- who was present for the Q&A -- was able to ask one last question, much to her man's surprise.

"So, how did it feel not being able to serve faster than 135 today," she asked. "I just know you like to serve big, and it wasn't breaking 140 today."

Sachia Vickery’s not just serving aces --- she’s cashing in on OnlyFans ... but she's telling TMZ flat-out, she wouldn’t even be there if tennis players actually got paid what they deserve.

The athlete got real on TMZ Live Monday about her risqué side hustle ... saying it’s worth the gamble, 'cause in just a few months on the adult subscription grind, her bank account’s soaring higher than any serve she’s ever launched.

You gotta catch the full vid -- 'cause Sachia -- ranked 559 in the world -- says life outside the Top 100 is bleak. She even pulled out the receipts -- $2.1 mil over 14 years of pro tennis. Sounds big, but nope ... every dime went right back into survival mode -- coaches, physio, travel, the whole grind.

Daniil Medvedev lost his cool Sunday night at the US Open, leading the crowd in a round of boos for a chair ump -- before he annihilated his racket in a wild post-match meltdown.

The tennis star's outburst began late in his tilt with Benjamin Bonzi at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York ... after a photographer had left his spot and walked along the side of the court, delaying the action.

The match's official, Greg Allensworth, awarded Bonzi a first serve as a result of the cameraman's actions ... which enraged Medvedev.

Dinner on Roger Federer ... 'cause the 20-time Grand Slam Champion was just declared a billionaire by Forbes!

The publication released the announcement on Friday, saying the 44-year-old retired superstar earned the title thanks to his minority stake in shoe and clothing company, On.

Forbes estimates he now has a net worth of $1.1 billion.

Jannik Sinner's garnered plenty of attention for his prowess on the tennis court ... and for his flashy love life!

The professional athlete's been linked to a few high-profile names in his time, although neither of his two flashiest relationships stood the test of time.

We're going to check out how the athlete's had to manage his personal life with his professional career ... and see how he's been able to move on after the end of his romances.

Okay, before we get into Sinner's personal life, we should probably start with a little context ... the guy's ranked as the top men's singles player by the ATP, or Association of Tennis Professionals.

The Italian athlete began his tennis career in his teenage years, and although he wasn't exactly the most impressive player at the time, his skills eventually improved, and he moved up from the lower-level ITF into the ATP.

Sinner won his first title in the ATP in 2020, and he's since gone on to establish himself as a world-class player who's competed against the likes of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

The thing is, he wasn't able to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as he ended up becoming ill and had to sit out when the Games commenced.

Ya gotta imagine a dude who's at the top of his game is gonna attract some serious attention from prospective partners ... and Sinner's no exception to this, as he was formerly linked to model Maria Braccini.

The athlete and the fashion industry figure were first spotted in each other's company in 2020, and they remained together until the following year, when they broke up.

Although the two reconciled in 2021, they had ultimately gone their separate ways by 2024, when Sinner was spotted with another lucky lady ... we'll get to that in just a minute.

The athlete spoke about his love life in an interview with Vanity Fair Italia, and expressed that while maintaining relationships as a professional athlete was "not easy," translated from Italian, he thought the idea of finding the right person was a "wonderful thing."

You know how common interests tend to be a big part of relationships? Well, it turns out Sinner ended up with someone with a career similar to his own -- another professional tennis player!

The athlete was confirmed to have been dating Anna Kalinskaya, a Russian competitor who's ranked in several spots within the Women's Tennis Association, in 2024.

Sinner and his girlfriend were relatively private about their relationship, although they were spotted training together and attending each other's games on several occasions.

Any talk about Serena Williams' body transformation is going in one ear and out the other ... 'cause the tennis legend tells TMZ Sports she's feeling like a million bucks!!

Williams, 43, has been sharing photos of her new slimmed-down physique on social media over the past few months ... which sparked plenty of reactions -- both positive and negative.

Williams doesn't seem to care one bit either way ... as she brushed off the critics outside Hotel Fouquet in New York City this week.

Novak Djokovic got over his Wimbledon loss with some family time -- but the tennis superstar certainly wasn't taking it easy during daddy duty ... putting his athleticism to the test via some friendly competition against the little ones!!

38-year-old Joker hit the beach in Mykonos with his wife and children this week ... and he was clearly ready for anything as he ditched his shirt and rocked some short orange trunks for the occasion.

While some would expect the 24-time Grand Slam winner to relax a bit after falling in the semifinals against Jannik Sinner in London earlier this month, that certainly wasn't the case -- he was spotted taking part in some sprints and long jumps with the youngins as he caught some rays.

What a night for Venus Williams! Not only did the tennis legend win a WTA singles match, making her the second oldest player to do so, but she also revealed she's engaged to Andrea Preti!

Williams, 45, announced her engagement to the "Temptation" actor during her post-match interview on Tuesday ... moments after her first singles match since March 2024. She's the oldest woman to win since Martina Navratilova.

"My fiancé is here," Williams said after the victory.

Tennis star Grigor Dimitrov penned an emotional message to his fans after his Wimbledon withdrawal this week ... saying his abrupt exit was "one of the most painful moments of my career."

The 34-year-old Bulgarian was well on his way to upsetting the No.1-ranked Jannik Sinner in the round of 16 on Monday ... but when he was up two sets, he was forced to retire from the match due to a pec injury.

Dimitrov went to social media on Friday to address his followers ... and included an image of him enjoying a meal from his hospital bed.

Wimbledon is proving to be a serious test not just for the players, but for the fans as well ... and superstar Aryna Sabalenka is doing what she can to help out during her match by handing out waters to spectators struggling in the heat on Thursday.

There were two delays in the first set of the women's semifinal between 27-year-old Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova, 23, due to people fainting in the stands.

The contest was on Centre Court at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ... and both incidents took place in the area directly facing the sun in the 86-degree temps.

Hugh Grant might need to sip from a chocolate river to pep himself up a bit ... 'cause not even a Wimbledon quarterfinal matchup could seemingly keep the "Wonka" actor awake.

Cameras caught the veteran actor in the stands ... chin resting high on his chest, head cocked slightly to the side.

He's breathing deeply ... and, he's not holding a phone in his hands -- so, he's not just checking his email in between points. Quite frankly, it looks like he's out like a light -- though we can't say for sure.

Brooks Nader had a relatable (for women) -- and very real -- moment during a Wimbledon match, and she didn't hide it.

The Sports Illustrated model poked fun at herself in a TikTok video revealing she unexpectedly got her period while attending the tennis tournament in the UK this past week.

"Tries to be chic," Nader captioned over the video, which showed her in a white skirt and black blouse. "Starts 🩸 at Wimbledon."

Serena Williams' bod is clearly summer-ready -- check out the looks she was serving on a boat this weekend ... she's stunning!!!

The 43-year-old mother of two hit the water just off the coast of Sardinia with her family for a little Mediterranean vacay ... and she looked like she could still hit the Wimbledon courts this week if she wanted.

Williams flashed a taut bod in a tiny, black two-piece that she at times covered up with a green a top.

Serena Williams looks ready to come out of retirement -- the tennis legend put her incredible figure on display on Thursday ... and her fans can't get enough of her look!!

The 43-year-old posted the snaps of her in a two-piece 'fit at cryotherapy ... posing under a sign that read just how cold the treatment was -- an unimaginable -110 degrees.

The practice exposes the body to intense cold temperatures ... and is believed to be effective for weight loss and other health benefits.

Rafael Nadal just smashed another record -- and this time, it wasn't on the court -- it was on the auction block!

The tennis legend's match-used racket from his 2017 French Open championship win just sold at auction for $157K -- making it the most expensive tennis racket ever sold.

Bidding for the item closed on Sunday night ... with the sale price topping the previous record of $139,700, also held by Rafa, for his '22 Australian Open racket.