KEY POINTS

  • Williams loss US Open 2018 final to Osaka
  • After the loss, Williams handed the smashed racket to a ball boy
  • The ball boy sold the racket for $500 to an unidentified dealer

Serena Williams' smashed racket from her infamous US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka has reportedly been sold at an auction for $20,910.

The legendary American tennis player gave the racket to ball-boy Justin Arrington-Holmes, who was working behind her for most of that match. It is believed that the pre-med biology student, later on, sold the racket to a dealer for just $500.

The dealer bagged an amount close to $21,000 for the smashed racket at an auction, where Jesse Owens' 1936 Berlin Olympic gold medal was also sold for $615,000, according to various news reports.

The US Open 2018 final will always be remembered for Williams' row with the chair umpire, Carlos Ramos. Osaka dominated in every aspect as she claimed the first set 6-2. It all began in the second set when Ramos gave an official warning to the superstar for alleged coaching from the stands by her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who was seen gesturing in her direction.

It seems Williams had not realized she had received an official warning. After Osaka broke Williams' serve, the latter smashed her racket to the ground in frustration and earned a second code of violation, which also cost her a point.

Serena Williams and Carlos Ramos
The Serena Williams row with Carlos Ramos became a worldwide debate. In this picture, Williams argues with Ramos after her defeat in the Women's Singles finals match to Naomi Osaka of Japan on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City, Sept. 8, 2018. Julian Finney/Getty Images

When an irritated Williams returned to the court to resume the game, she was told about the lost point. That's when the argument with Ramos took to the next level and Williams ended up calling the umpire a "thief." That earned her another violation and was slammed with a game penalty.

The multiple-time Grand Slam winner was fined $17,000 for the violations, which included $3,000 for breaking her racket.

Earlier this year, Williams was fined $10,000 for damaging a Wimbledon practice court when she threw her racket before the tournament had started.

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