The racket thatSerena Williamsnow-famously smashed on the court during the 2018 U.S. Open women’s singles finalis up for auction.
Williams originally gave the broken racket to U.S. Open ball boy Justin Arrington-Holmes, he told theTimes, but he later sold it for $500 to a collectibles store in New York City.
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Holmes — who has long been a ball boy at the Open — noted that both Williams and her sister Venus Williams have always been friendly to him.
“A lot of players are nice, but some, like Serena and Venus, care a little more and say hello and make an effort to learn your name and create a relationship,” said Holmes, 22, to theTimes.
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“Looking back I wish I’d had someone help me with the process,” said Holmes. “I was not familiar with how any of this works. I just wanted to get rid of it.”
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Nearly a year after the match, the tennis superstar shared her side of the story in a first-person essay inHarper’s Bazaarfor their August cover story , revealing that she sent Osaka — who won — an apology letter.
“In the end, my opponent simply played better than me that day and ended up winning her first Grand Slam title,” Williams said. “I thought back to my first Grand Slam. It’s the one you remember best; it’s supposed to be the most special. This debacle ruined something that should have been amazing and historic.”
“Not only was a game taken from me but a defining, triumphant moment was taken from another player, something she should remember as one of the happiest memories in her long and successful career,” she continued. “My heart broke.”
source: people.com
