Aryna Sabalenka won't win her third Australian Open in a row ... and, while she usually wins the break point, she reached her breaking point after the heartbreaking L -- taking it out on her trusty racket.
The Belarusian tennis standout was playing American Madison Keys in the final ... and, ended up losing the third set 7-5, dropping two out of three after battling back down 1-0 to force a tiebreaker.
After a hard-fought final point, Keys emerged victorious ... walking up to Sabalenka to hug -- which the superstar did politely, if a bit stony-faced.
The Human Joystick revealed to TMZ Sports this week that after he met the popstar at one of Kansas City's recent games ... he considers himself now "an ultimate Swiftie."
Hall told us that wasn't always the case -- "her music just wasn't for me" -- but the way she treated him during their Arrowhead Stadium meetup changed everything.
If Derrick Henry ever wanted to make the switch from the gridiron to the squared circle, there's one WWE Superstar who thinks he'd THRIVE in the sport ... with Bron Breakker telling TMZ Sports the Ravens running back would "be a beast" as a wrestler!!
BBknows how to make the transition -- after a solid college football career, he had a stint with Baltimore as a fullback before going pro in wrestling.
We caught up with the Intercontinental Champion ahead of his title defense against Sheamus at "Saturday Night Main Event" on NBC ... and while we talked all about the huge showdown, he also weighed in on which NFL talent could have a future in his world.
Jeremiah Smith's freshman season was so impressive, Ohio State legendArchie Griffin believes not one, but TWO Heismans could be in his trophy case by the end of his college football career ... telling TMZ Sports it's a "great possibility!!"
19-year-old Smith wasted no time making his presence known in the program ... erupting with 15 touchdowns and 1,315 yards on the season -- and a stellar outing in the national championship against Notre Dame.
We caught up with Griffin -- the only two-time Heisman winner in college football history -- fresh off the Bucks' big win ... and he couldn't say enough great things about the young superstar.
At least one Super Bowl MVP thinks Pete Carroll's going to do great in his new gig ... Malcolm Smithtells TMZ Sports he's sure the Raiders just hired the right guy!!
Smith, of course, is biased ... he not only won a championship with Carroll in Seattle, but he played for him in college at USC too. Nonetheless, he told us just hours after it was revealed that Carroll was going to Las Vegas that his former boss is going to cook in the Silver and Black.
"I'm so excited for him, man," said Smith, who logged snaps at linebacker in Carroll's Seahawks defenses from 2011-2014. "I think he's going to do an incredible job."
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens have taken their love story abroad ... snuggling up while exploring Switzerland on a romantic couple's trip.
Check it out ... the Olympic icon and her NFL player hubby are making the most of their downtime by spending quality time together sightseeing in the mountainous European country. It appears the couple, who married in 2023, are having one heck of a trip ... with the twosome taking in scenic views, delicious cocktails, and luxurious accommodations.
Simone and Jonathan are able to take this action-packed getaway due to the fact JO's team, the Chicago Bears, was eliminated from NFL playoff contention back in December. Way to turn an unfortunate situation into a positive one, Jonathan!!!
Patrick Mahomes will take the football field with a heavy heart on Sunday ... his grandpa, Randy, is in hospice, according to the 3x Super Bowl champ's mother.
Randi Mahomes revealed the upsetting news Friday morning -- just about 48 hours before kickoff in Kansas City.
"My dad is in hospice & I'm lost for words 🙏🙏🙏," Momma Mahomes wrote on social media ... while also referencing a bible verse, Colossians 3:20.
A California high school basketball player gave new meaning to stuffing the stat sheet on Thursday ... scoring a whopping 102 POINTS in a game -- and the accomplishment got LeBron James' attention.
The unbelievable feat happened during Mesrobian High School's 119-25 win over Waverly High School .... when Nick Khatchikian went 48-60 from the field in just 22 minutes of action.
The young hooper had 40 points in the first, 79 by halftime and had his entire 102 with over two minutes left in the third ... when he was finally benched.
Jabrill Peppers has just been found not guilty in his domestic violence case.
The NFL safety had been on trial this week over allegations he roughed up his girlfriend during an early morning argument on Oct. 5 ... but a jury just acquitted him of all charges.
Peppers had faced counts of strangulation and assault and battery after a woman claimed he pushed her head into a wall and choked her after he had seen a man calling her phone while the two were getting intimate at his Massachusetts home following a night out on the town.
Yet another NFL player has had his home broken into ... this time a residence belonging to Atlanta Falcons defensive back Antonio Hamilton Sr. was burglarized early Friday morning.
According to a Roswell Police Department incident report, obtained by TMZ Sports, cops were called to Hamilton Sr.'s Georgia home at around midnight after the football player told them his home security camera system had captured three men ransacking his pad.
The report states the suspects broke in through a back door using a hammer/mallet while Hamilton Sr. was on vacation ... and took a safe -- before bolting from the residence in a matter of minutes.
Nebraska football standout Calvin Jones -- who went on to play several seasons in the NFL -- was found dead in his Omaha home this week. He was 54 years old.
According to an incident report, Omaha Police responded to the residence around 8:30 PM on Wednesday ... and upon arrival, discovered Jones' body in the basement.
Officials tell TMZ Sports a gas generator was located inside the home and "signs of carbon monoxide poisoning" were evident ... but an official cause of death will be announced after an autopsy is completed.
Terrion Arnold's crummy January got a whole lot worse on Thursday ... when he took a scary tumble down a flight of stairs at his house.
Just days after the Detroit Lions cornerback lost a massive playoff game to the Commanders, he nearly hurt himself while heading down some steps ... and the fall was all captured on one of his home's video cameras.
Arnold actually posted the footage to his social media page ... and you can see, just as he gets to the top stair, he slips, and then slides the whole way down to the bottom.
Pete Carroll's time away from NFL sidelines is over ... he's just agreed to be the new head coach of the Raiders.
The 73-year-old is inking a three-year deal with Vegas, according to multiple reports, that will include a team option for a fourth year.
Carroll, of course, was the longtime Seahawks' head man ... but after the 2023 season, they both agreed to part ways -- leaving PC without an NFL HC gig for the first time in over a decade.
TMZ Sports has obtained the mug shot of the woman who was accused of killing Minnesota Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson and two of his friends in a car crash last July.
As we previously reported, Cori Clingmanwas arrested on Thursday after allegedly striking Jackson's Dodge Charger with her Infiniti Q50 while attempting to change lanes at a high rate of speed on July 6, 2024, according to the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office.
Officials said Clingman's vehicle forced Jackson's car to run off the road and hit several trees.
Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, impersonated the MLB superstar on a phone call with a bank in order to swindle the Dodgers' designated hitter out of $200,000 ... newly released audio reveals.
The three-and-a-half-minute conversation was put out by federal prosecutors on Thursday, and in it ... you can clearly hear Mizuhara pretending to be Shohei.
In fact, after the bank's phone operator asks Mizuhara straight up "Who am I speaking with?," Ippei says without hesitation, "Shohei Ohtani."
The Australian Open crowd was none too pleased with Novak Djokovicafter an injury forced him out of his highly anticipated semifinal matchup against Alexander Zverev ... with spectators booing the hell outta the tennis legend as he walked off the court.
The injury -- a muscle tear that occurred in his quarterfinal victory against Carlos Alcaraz -- became too much for the 37-year-old to manage ... and after dropping the first set 7-6 (5) to the German star, he conceded the rest of the match.
Not how we wanted your campaign to end, @djokernole.
Thank you for another wonderful Australian summer. Well played and best wishes for a speedy recovery.#AO2025pic.twitter.com/d5VJ6YNBeN