Hotheaded tennis star Serena Williams has been fined $2,000 for her outburst during yesterday's U.S. Open final. Video shows Williams berating the chair judge during a break in the second set, telling the official, among other things, "If you ever see me walking down the hall, look the other way, because you're out of control... You're totally out of control, you're a hater, and you're unattractive inside." Reuters reports that Williams has refused to apologize for the threats and insults, explaining that they were made in the heat of the moment. Also, this is America last time she checked—many brave soldiers have given their lives to defend her right to be rude. more ›

Tributes to those who were martyred ten years ago filled the sports world Sunday, but amazingly Major League Baseball repeated a mistake from that era. In 2001 the Mets wanted to wear FDNY and NYPD hats to honor the victims of 9/11 but MLB denied them permission. Those Mets wore the hats in defiance of MLB rules. Sunday, the 2011 Mets tried to make the same tribute with the same result. Most shockingly, it was the Vice-President of MLB, Joe Torre, the Yankee Manager ten years ago, who made the decision. more ›

Leave it to the sport of super-shushing and scurrying little servant boys to demand the air remain rarefied enough for people to smack a ball back and forth over a net. more ›

Oh look out, scary Serena Williams went on one of her famous tirades today when she rolled her eyes after a reporter brought up her infamous 2009 U.S. meltdown! You'll recall that Williams blew her stack after a line judge made a call she disagreed with, yelling, "I swear to God, I'm f*ckin' takin' this ball and shovin' it in your f*ckin' throat… I swear to God." (The video has been pretty effectively suppressed by the USTA, but you can still watch it here.) She went on to lose the match and was fined $82,500 for what the Times described as "a shocking display of vitriol and profanity." But that's all ancient history! more ›

It was quite a year for sports in the New York City area. The Yankees won their 27th World Championship, two brand new baseball stadiums opened (a total cost of nearly $2.5 billion), and Martin Brodeur set the record for most wins in NHL history. There were some ugly moments too — Serena Williams' explosion at the US Open, the Mets (again), the Nets, the Giants, and of course that Tiger Woods thing that you can't escape no matter where you live. more ›

The AP reports, "Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her U.S. Open tirade and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another 'major offense' at any Grand Slam in the next two years." During the semi-finals against Kim Clijsters, Williams had yelled at a line judge, "I swear to God, I'm f*ckin' takin' this ball and shovin' it in(?) your f*ckin' throat… I swear to God." She was initially fined $10,000 but Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock found Williams "violated the 'major offense' rule for 'aggravated behavior.'" Update: The NY Times says Williams was fined "a hefty $175,000," which will be reduced to $82,500 if she stays out of trouble for two years. more ›

Serena Williams will return to Arthur Ashe Stadium this afternoon for the US Open Women's Doubles finals, less than 48 hours after the outburst that eliminated her from the singles draw and gave a whole new meaning to the Kanye West line "an ass like Serena." The USTA gave Williams a slap on the wrist yesterday—a $10,500 fine for misconduct—but said they are still reviewing tapes to see if a stiffer penalty will ensue. Some were calling for Williams to be kept out of today's match or at the very least stripped of her $350,000 singles prize money. more ›

The US Open once again proved itself as one of the most theatrical stages in sports last night during the women's semifinals where Serena Williams saw her chances for repeating as champion ended after losing her cool and going off on a line judge. After Serena became upset at the judge's unexpected call for a foot fault, she pointed at the official and yelled, "I swear to God, I'm f*ckin' takin' this ball and shovin' it in(?) your f*ckin' throat… I swear to God." As if the outburst wasn't sensational enough, Williams then got docked for a penalty point (she had already received a warning after smashing her racket at the end of the first set) which couldn't have come at a worse time—match point. That meant that the confrontation would be the final point of the tournament for Williams, sent packing by Belgian Kim Clijsters. Here's the extended play of the whole string of events, that we imagine left Eli Manning doing a nervous gulp of his Oreo Double Stuff. more ›

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Tom Glavine contributed at both ends, driving in the first run of the game and allowing only one run in six innings. David Wright added his 25th home run of the year, driving in Jose Reyes. more ›

The best part about the end of summer? Maybe that's the U.S. Open, which starts Monday in Flushing. The tennis season's final Grand Slam provides the players with a grueling test to cap what feels like a condensed hard-court season. more ›

A look at some noteworthy television this week: more ›

- Heidi Klum's accent is adorable. Sorry, Claudia Schiffer, Heidi is officially the German model of record in our consciousness. more ›

Williams was serving at deuce in the first game of the third set when her backhand passing shot was incorrectly called out by the chair umpire. Capriati took advantage, going on to win the game and eventually, the match. more ›

The 2004 US Open kicked off with a bang last night, as evidenced by Serena William’s latest attire. Williams, never one to shy away from spectacle, dispatched Sandra Kleinova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-3 in a just 53 minutes. more ›

Second seeded Andy Roddick started out strong, but it was not meant to be. Roddick used his powerful serve to set up his equally formidable ground game in taking the first set of the Wimbledon Men's Final from Roger Federer but ultimately fell 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-4. "I wasn't wanting to get in rallies where he could kind of do his thing, come up with spectacular stuff," Roddick said. "I went out and I tried to take it to him. I was successful most of the time. And then on a couple of key points, I wasn't." more ›

Jennifer Capriati and Serena Williams both advanced today in straight sets. Capriati beat Nadia Petrova, 6-4, 6-4 while Williams defeated Tatiana Golovin, 6-2, 6-1. The victories by Capriati and Williams set up a head-to-head matchup in the semifinals between the respective seven and one seeds. more ›

Both Venus and Serena Williams lost in the French Open quarterfinals yesterday, marking the first time the sisters had lost in the same round, on the same day in a Grand Slam tournament. Fellow American Jennifer Capriati ousted second-seeded Serena, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, and sixth-seeded Anastasiya Myskina defeated fourth-seeded Venus, 6-3, 6-4. more ›

The 2004 French Open gets underway at Roland Garros today. The pre tourney buzz is, as usual, all on the women’s side of the field. more ›

A few upcoming Gothamist related things to check out. Plus the week in full. more ›

She's too modest to write anything about it, but today Jen Chung turned 27. Other famous people with birthdays today? T.S. Eliot (turning 115), George Gershwin (relatively young at 105, but dead), and Serena Williams (a baby at 22). more ›