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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Friday / November 22.
  • By ADAM ZAGORIA

    NEW YORK — Naomi Osaka made history on Saturday evening, becoming the first player born in Japan to win a Grand Slam title.

    The 20-year old was calm, cool and collected and played brilliantly in her first-ever Grand Slam final, beating 23-time major champion Serena Williams, 6-2, 6-4, on the biggest of stages before a packed house in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    Unfortunately for Osaka, the match will largely be rememembered for a series of penalties given to Williams by umpire Carlos Ramos, and the resulant outbursts that Serena delivered in his direction as he gave her a warning for illegal coaching, a point penalty for smashing her racket and ultimately a game penalty for calling him “a thief.” In her post-match interview, Williams said Ramos was “sexist” because he wouldn’t have penalized a male player this way.

    It was an extraordinary series of events that saw Serena holding back tears as she shouted at Ramos and tournament referee Brian Earley, and later saw Osaka crying as she accepted the trophy.

    As the two players were presented with their trophies after the match, a cascade of boos rained down from an angry crowd upset with the way the match unfolded.

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