At least six people died in South Sudan when a small aircraft carrying passengers from Juba International Airport to the city of Yirol crashed, a witness said.

“We are still removing bodies from the water because the aircraft fell into a river,” the witness told Reuters news agency. 

“So far, in front of me there are six bodies recovered from the water.” 

Other reports said up to 17 people were killed in the crashed. 

Officials said they are investigating the cause of Sunday’s crash.

“We have not yet established full details of the airline but what we know it is a 19-seater plane coming from Juba to Yirol this morning,” Taban Abel Aguek, regional information minister for the Eastern Great Lakes state, told AFP news agency.

“When it arrived the weather was so foggy and when it tried to land it crashed… Its so sad. Many people on board are feared dead. We are still establishing details,” he added.

Anglican Bishop of Yirol, Simon Adut, was confirmed among the dead, according to Abel.

Meanwhile, the United Nations radio station Radio Miraya reported there were only three survivors, and posted a picture on its Twitter account of the twisted wreckage of the plane submerged in water.

UPDATE: Here is a wreckage of an aircraft that plunged into Yirol River in Lakes state of #SouthSudan killing scores. Among the dead is an #Italian doctor and the Bishop of Yirol @unmissmedia @UNRIC_Italia @shiine2054 @IreneLasu @SebitWilliamKer @GShadar pic.twitter.com/OM41OFVI4n

— Radio Miraya (@RadioMiraya) September 9, 2018

At this rate, it’s not ridiculous to say that South Carolina may never beat Georgia again. OK, so it’s a little ridiculous. The Gamecocks might get one here or there against the Bulldogs, but Saturday’s 41-17 loss made one thing clear: The gap between South Carolina and Georgia is only getting bigger.

And South Carolina’s pretty good! The Gamecocks, No. 24 in this week’s Amway Coaches Poll, is predicted to be the second-best team in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference and a threat for eight or nine wins during the regular season. Coach Will Muschamp is doing a nice job. Junior quarterback Jake Bentley is one of the SEC’s best at his position. The Gamecocks have good coaching and good talent, a winning combination.

And they can’t even sniff Georgia. After drawing within a touchdown midway through the second quarter, South Carolina wilted under the Bulldogs’ 21-0 stretch to open the second half. Even when it was close, like at 14-7 or 17-10, it wasn’t close — if that makes sense.

If not now, when? Maybe the Gamecocks’ window has already closed. With every and every passing recruiting class and offseason, Kirby Smart widens the gap between his program and the rest of the SEC East. Florida saw that writing on the wall and jettisoned former coach Jim McElwain in an effort to catch up. Best of luck with all that, Dan Mullen. When it comes to this year’s division, South Carolina was seen as the Bulldogs’ strongest challenger. And the Gamecocks just lost by 27 points … at home.

In a way, though, this doesn’t change anything. South Carolina’s still the second-best team in the East. Probably. Georgia’s still headed for the SEC title game and potentially a spot in the College Football Playoff. Saturday’s game just painted that in bright colors. It’s still a little painful for South Carolina to consider.

Here are the rest of the winners and losers from Saturday’s college football action:

Winners

Kansas

The Jayhawks played a game, as they do every week. But something funny happened: Kansas won. On the road. In football. Yeah, I’m talking about the Jayhawks. One week after losing to Nicholls State, KU went on the road to Central Michigan and won 31-7 for the program’s first road victory since Sept. 12, 2009. That’s a 46-game span. An NCAA record. I’m just saying: The Jayhawks aren’t technically eliminated from the playoff race. That’s true, technically.

Kyler Murray

Another week of excellence from the Sooners’ dual-sport star vaults Murray into the thick of the Heisman Trophy race after two weeks. He threw for 306 yards, rushed for 69 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in Oklahoma’s 49-21 win against UCLA. More on the Bruins in a moment.

NO LETDOWN: Oklahoma offense looks as dominant with Murray as Mayfield

Mississippi State

The most impressive part about Mississippi State’s 31-10 win at Kansas State was how routine it felt. The Bulldogs and first-year coach Joe Moorhead took control of the game early and owned the line of scrimmage against Bill Snyder’s Wildcats, who might have some major issues at quarterback but rarely get so owned up front. If you thought Mississippi State was good heading into the year, feel free to boast and brag.

Duke

The Blue Devils might be for real. One week after putting the clamps on a good Army team, Duke went on the road and handed Northwestern another loss, this one a 21-7 decision that never felt in doubt. Hey, this David Cutcliffe guy knows what he’s doing! Hopefully, all will be well with quarterback Daniel Jones, who left the game with a shoulder injury.

Michigan’s offense

Points, 49 of ‘em, and — wait for it — touchdown passes to wide receivers. It had been almost a year since we’d seen one of those from Michigan. The Wolverines’ offense earned a steak dinner for pacing an easy win against Western Michigan.

Colorado

Coach Mike MacIntyre tends to do his best work when on the hot seat, so it makes sense that his Buffaloes are 2-0 after a 33-28 road win against once-and-future rival Nebraska. It wasn’t easy, and probably shouldn’t have happened, but Colorado can feel very positive about the play of quarterback Steven Montez and wide receiver Laviska Shenault, which might be the most underrated duo in college football.

Losers

Larry Fedora

The transitive property when it comes to coaches on the hot seat goes something like this: A coach on the hot seat who loses to another coach on the hot seat then finds his seat becoming doubly hot. It’s not complex mathematics. But you’re seeing quite a situation unfold for North Carolina coach Larry Fedora, who led his Tar Heels through a 41-19 loss to East Carolina and its coach, Scottie Montgomery, who has been under fire since a season-opening loss to North Carolina A&T. Fedora’s seat gets significantly hotter. Montgomery’s cools a bit. I mean, UNC lost to ECU by 22 points. This fits.

Arizona

This is bad! Some people — not naming names, and how dare you suggest I mean myself — thought the Wildcats would win the Pac-12 South and earn a spot in the Top 25. There’s no chance of that happening. There are a number of concerns amid the Wildcats’ 0-2 start under Kevin Sumlin. Like, for instance, what’s wrong with quarterback Khalil Tate? And what happened to the idea that Arizona would be more explosive under Sumlin, not less? Forget about the Wildcats doing anything in 2018 and think instead about whether or not this team can just get to six wins and reach a bowl game.

UCLA

Not a lot was expected of Chip Kelly and UCLA heading into the year, for good reason: This isn’t a good football team. With the Bruins sitting at 0-2, let’s do an exercise. Where are the wins coming from in Kelly’s debut? Next week’s opponent, Fresno State, will be favored to win. Maybe the Bruins can get California on the road? Maybe? Maybe Arizona State on the road? It’s possible? Hope you took the under when betting on the Bruins’ win total. Better days are coming, however.

Purdue

To think that Purdue coach Jeff Brohm was a strong option at Tennessee just this past offseason. It might take another year for Brohm’s stock to hit that same level after a 20-19 loss at home to Eastern Michigan handed Purdue its second loss in a row to start the year. If anything, the game was even uglier than that score suggests. It might be a long year for the Boilermakers.

Mississippi’s defense

Wins and great and all that, but can the Rebels feel good about a 76-41 win against Southern Illinois of the Football Championship Subdivision after allowing 38 points in the first half? In coach Matt Luke’s, the defense gave up just 27 points to Texas Tech a week ago. Still, the Rebels need to get that defense buttoned up before Alabama comes to town next week.

 

The swimsuit competition was a minor factor in pageant scores, but it overshadowed everything else and made the difference between winners and losers.

The Miss America Organization’s decision to eliminate the swimsuit portion of its famous pageant could be the natural outgrowth of an all-female leadership team, or a reflection of the #MeToo era. To me, someone who not long ago unexpectedly — and uncomfortably — walked a pageant runway in a bikini and six-inch heels, it is a welcome move by an organization that has had a complex relationship with women’s empowerment.

When I was in college, and the editor of my school’s feminist publication, I entered a local Miss America pageant in Connecticut for a journalism assignment — to immerse myself in an unfamiliar world.

I knew little about Miss America, but was curious about this seemingly outdated, sexist enterprise. Despite my lack of knowledge, I was acutely aware of the swimsuit competition, and increasingly so as the day of my pageant approached. I hoped to fade into the background; instead, I unexpectedly won the title.

More than a bikini body

It wasn’t the swimsuit competition that landed me my crown, but a contest I hadn’t known existed: the 10-minute long interview with the judges, which occurs backstage.

Contestants are grilled on current events, cultural controversies and their platforms. Technically, the interview comprises 25 percent of the total score, second only to talent, and ahead of swimsuit (15 percent). However, everyone in the pageant world told me it secretly counts the most. Most winners ace the interview, despite the fact that most viewers are unaware it exists.

After my win, to my surprise, I inherited coaches to prepare me for the next steps: the Miss Connecticut pageant, and potentially, Miss America. They were enthusiastic, insisting that I possessed intellectual and public speaking skills that were usually hardest to teach. They said I was “much more than a bikini body,” and invested their time and resources, asserting that I embodied the future of Miss America.

Understanding the pageant’s limitations, however, they explained that to win I would have to transform my appearance. Spray tans and dieting ensued, and by the time Miss Connecticut arrived, I believed I had met that beauty standard. Besides, the swimsuit competition was only worth 15 percent. The part that really mattered was the part that came naturally to me.

When I arrived for my week at Miss Connecticut, the interview was on everyone’s minds. Contestants carried binders of news clippings, eagerly quizzing one another on the presidential election, Syria, and police brutality. This made sense; the interview was a major component of the final score.

What confused me, given the scoring rubric, was the amount of time everyone spent perfecting their bodies — sneaking crunches during rehearsal breaks and subsisting on carrots and egg-whites packed from home.

More:Good riddance to swimsuit contest, but did we have to lose fitness, too?

NFL cheerleading is demeaning to women. It’s time to end this nonsense.

Gretchen Carlson should have sued sooner:

There is much that goes into being able to walk on stage in a bikini and heels. Knowing you are doing so for an academic project is crucial to detaching yourself from the knowledge that judges are giving your body a numbered score. But when you step onstage knowing you must exude more confidence than a Victoria’s Secret Angel while doing something that is contrary to everything you believe, that academic distance starts to fade.

You become every part of yourself you’ve ever critiqued, every comment ever made about your body. Strutting on a slippery stage in high-high-heels, you wonder what it actually means to be more than “a bikini body.”

Most of the women I competed with at Miss Connecticut were white. All were cisgender, thin, bronzed, and waxed. Some were well-spoken, some passionate about their platforms, and some talented performers.

But those who qualified for the finals had one thing in common: a bikini body, defined rigidly — flat stomachs with contoured abs, toned butts, long muscular legs, and tapered waists. Not too athletic, no “extra” fat, a minuscule amount of difference from those who did not make it — a difference only perceptible if you were to see them nearly naked, which the judges, and everybody who attended the pageant, had the chance to do.

Winning for hard work, not bare bodies

I was “more than a bikini body,” meaning that I did not have one. Despite placing highest in the interview category — an accolade that had predicted past Miss Connecticuts — I did not even qualify for the finals. The world my coaches had described was still a vision, not a reality, and I was a failed experiment.

Since competing, I have watched the Miss America Organization be pulled in two directions. There are those who celebrate the wins of women with more progressive platforms, and those who believe Miss America should not be political, or black or brown, or different.

Revelations about how the winners are treated have led to redistribution of power and debates over who embodies women’s empowerment. But on all sides exist women who want to be seen as more than beauty queens, and acknowledged for the hard work that went into their wins. The fact that the women at this weekend’s pageant will no longer have to bare their bodies may be one step in this direction — and perhaps toward real empowerment in the form of a more diverse and inclusive sisterhood.

Winning Miss America can do many things for a person. It can help you pursue higher education. It can give you a platform to promote a political cause. It can launch a career. And until June, it meant something else as well.

As I was once promised by a former Miss Connecticut: After you win Miss America, you never have to wear a swimsuit again. 

Now, no one will.

Fiona Lowenstein is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in New York City. She writes about gender, wellness, politics and runs a queer feminist wellness collective, called Body Politic.

 

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England v India – fifth Test, day three, The Oval – Live – BBC Sport

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The US Open women’s singles final has sparked uproar and controversy following a landmark victory for Japan’s Naomi Osaka over Serena Williams in a dramatic match, which saw the US tennis star penalised for a string of bad behaviour. 

The 20-year-old Japanese-Haitian claimed her first Grand Slam title on Saturday, beating her childhood idol and six-time champion 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 19 mins in Flushing Meadows, New York.

“It was always my dream to play Serena in the US Open final, so I’m really glad I was able to do that,” a tearful Osaka said at the trophy presentation.

But her post-match celebration was overshadowed by what Williams later called “sexist” officiating, as the partisan home crowd booed the match officials. 

With the first set under the Japanese player’s belt, Williams clashed with the chair umpire Carlos Ramos when she was given a warning for receiving coaching – not permissible at Grand Slams.

A few games later, Williams, who was seeking a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, received a second warning and a point penalty for breaking her racket.

“You owe me an apology,” Williams said, arguing about the coaching violation. “I have never cheated in my life!”

The 36-year-old Olympic champion was later docked a game at 4-3 for calling the Portuguese official a “thief”, which allowed Osaka to serve for the match and seal the historic victory. 

“I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things,” Williams said during her press conference.

“I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff.

“For me to say ‘thief’ and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief’. For me, it blows my mind.”

Overshadowing win

Osaka, who had beaten Williams in their last encounter in Miami earlier in March, became the first Japanese player ever to win a major tennis title.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated her countrywoman on Twitter.

“Thank you for your energy and excitement during this difficult time in Japan,” he said, referring to the powerful earthquake in the northern island of Hokkaida, which has killed at least 16 people. 

Many tennis fans and commentators said it was a shame that Osaka’s win was being overshadowed by the controversy around William’s oncourt “tantrums”. 

“A shame that the spotlight remains on Serena William’s behaviour and not the superior performance of Naomi Osaka,” wrote Rebecca Powell. “Let’s celebrate her win not Serena’s loss.”

A shame that the spotlight remains on @serenawilliams behaviour & not the superior performance of @Naomi_Osaka_ Let’s celebrate her win not Serena’s loss #USOpen

— Rebecca Powell (@rebeccajpowell) September 9, 2018

“The ugly scene overshadowed the dominant performance of Osaka, who quietly wept through a championship ceremony that should have been a coronation of a great new star for women’s tennis,” wrote Tom Perrotta, sports correspondent at the Wall Street Journal. 

A shame a woman “fighting for women” has overshadowed what should have been a triumphant moment for another woman #UsOpenFinal https://t.co/sOvIcwpiq7

— Natalie Jacobs (@TheRealNatalieJ) September 9, 2018

Others criticised Williams for blaming her loss on sexism.

Serena Williams lost.

Blaming it on sexism shows she’s weak.

She’s doing a disservice to all women by making us look like victims.

We are not victims

— Camellia (@Camellia_Alexan) September 9, 2018

‘Double standards’ 

Meanwhile, former tennis stars and legends of the sport jumped to Williams’ defence, criticising the chair umpire for his “double standards” and calling for a rule change. 

“When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalised for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” and there are no repercussions,” said Billie Jean King, a former world number one.

“Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same,” King said.

(1/2) Several things went very wrong during the @usopen Women’s Finals today. Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn’t, and as a result, a player was penalized for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 9, 2018

(2/2) When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 9, 2018

King, who famously beat Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes match in 1973, added that Williams was penalised for the actions of her French coach.

Despite Williams’ denial, Patrick Mouratoglou later admitted coaching the American during the match. 

Chris Evert, another former world number one and 18-time Grand Slam champion, said the umpire warning was fair, but added “everyone coaches and we need to change that rule”. 

On-court coaching, which was first introduced on the women’s tennis tour in 2009, is allowed at regular events outside of the four Grand Slams.

Ok, last reflections in case anyone careswarning for coaching was fair, but everyone coaches and we need to change that rule.. and Carlos should have told or warned SW about the verbal abuse/ rule before he enforced it.. goodnight

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) September 9, 2018

Worst refereeing I’ve ever seen …… the worst !!!

— andyroddick (@andyroddick) September 8, 2018

James Blake, a former US Open quarter-finalist and top five male tennis player, admitted that he has said worse and not gotten penalised.

I will admit I have said worse and not gotten penalized. And I’ve also been given a “soft warning” by the ump where they tell you knock it off or I will have to give you a violation. He should have at least given her that courtesy. Sad to mar a well played final that way. https://t.co/xhBzFZX8Wq

— James Blake (@JRBlake) September 9, 2018

Williams has been at the centre of controversy at the US Open in the past. 

In another controversial US Open match in 2009, playing against Belgium’s Kim Clijsters, Williams verbally assaulted a lineswoman, aggressively threatening her over a foot fault call.

She was charged with a hefty fine the following day and put on a two-year probation.

If you’re sat at home and wondering whether you have it in you to do the Great North Run, or any other run for that matter, the answer is yes, you do.

In the space of a year, 46-year-old Yvonne Wadeson from York went from being barely able to run to the end of her street to completing a marathon.

She also set up the Sisters with Blisters Facebook group, which now has more than 4,500 members, from all parts of the world.

Yvonne and many of the ‘sisters’ will be taking part in the Great North Run today (and we’ll be bringing you updates from them!) but here’s their story.

Yvonne WadesonCopyright: Yvonne Wadeson

At the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, the Netherlands took around 60,0000 refugees. Now the country is looking at how to integrate those who claimed asylum. 

In a former sports ground in southwest Amsterdam, the “Startblok” housing complex accommodates refugees and Dutch people aged between 18 and 28.

It is partly run by the municipality of Amsterdam and features 565 units – studios and shared apartments – and communal living spaces.

As well as an integration platform, it is an important addition in a city where demand for housing often outstrips supply.

The block opened in 2016 and many of its residents have lived there from the beginning. 

Al Jazeera spoke to refugees in the Starblok about Dutch culture. 

‘The Dutch are direct’

Razan, 23, Syria: 

“In the beginning when I moved here, I really hated it. I felt like I was in a new refugee camp but at some point, you make your room yours.

I’ve made it my personal space so I feel better about the place now. The nice thing is that every year we have a festival, so we get to know each other better.

From my perspective, however, it didn’t really help cultures mix. You still see the same nationalities hanging around with each other.

Sometimes [directness] could be considered rude in other cultures, but at some point, you’re done with the fake sweetness they have in Arab cultures.

Razan, 23-year-old Syrian refugee

I’m on the ground floor and when I first moved here, there was someone at my window looking in a lot. 

You don’t know if it’s OK in this person’s culture but I didn’t feel safe. It’s not perfect but it’s not horrible. 

I don’t really like Dutch food but what I do like about the Dutch is that they are very direct and honest. 

Sometimes it could be considered rude in other cultures, but at some point, you’re done with the fake sweetness they have in Arab cultures. 

When I came here I thought that’s something I like, they say what they mean.”

‘They plan things so far ahead there isn’t room for spontaneity’

Noh, 26, Eritrea:

“I’ve lived in Holland for three years and in the Starblok for two. I now work in Rotterdam and I’m helping to digitise the Eritrean language. 

In the beginning the Startblok wasn’t somewhere I wanted to live because it was just a placement for the municipality, but later on, when I met people I started to realise the importance of it. 

At the start, there were some misunderstandings but now it’s a common culture of everyone: you kind of create your own culture here. 

I used to work here too. There’s a foundation which is a part of the block and that opened up a lot of ways for me to meet people. 

I’ve met a lot of Dutch people by living here. 

When I first arrived in Holland, there were a lot of differences I had to get used to. 

Dutch people are very direct which I like and they are also always on time. 

However, they plan things so far ahead all the time there isn’t much room for spontaneity. I don’t see myself leaving Holland though. I’m now about to start a degree in cultural anthropology and the future seems brighter here.”

‘The lifestyle is regimented’

Syreez, 23, Syria

“I’ve been living in the Startblok for two years. 

When I first came to Amsterdam I didn’t like it, I know that for many people it’s the craziest city but I felt it was a bit boring and the lifestyle was very regimented: everyone just works five days a week and looks forward to their next holiday. 

What I do like about the Dutch is their directness, I actually like that so much. In Syrian culture, the people aren’t really direct at all.

The Startblok is nice but I’m not really connecting to the other people there. This is probably because I’m studying a lot so I really just go there to sleep. 

The idea of it is really nice and it’s good that they wanted us to integrate in this way. 

I met one of my best friends who is Dutch at the Startblok. 

I don’t always think that they are successful in bringing everyone together. Sometimes they have workshops that not many people go to. I do like the point of it: After all, it is teaching people from both cultures about each other.”

‘It’s difficult trying to learn Dutch’ 

Nasr, 24, Syria:

“Integration is not an easy word. When I first moved to the Netherlands I had no idea what Dutch people were like.

I think it can be hard to get them to trust you but in general, I’ve found that the people I’ve met here have been very friendly and welcoming.

Sometimes it’s difficult trying to learn Dutch as you speak to people in Dutch but they will just speak back to you in English because they speak it so well. You have to be strong and insist that they speak to you in Dutch.

It was difficult to integrate, but I started going out and learning, speaking to people and finding a job. Now most of my friends are Dutch

Nasr, 24-year-old Syrian refugee

Living in the Startblok has been amazing. I wouldn’t have made the amount of friends I’ve made in two years if I’d been living alone.

There are so many different cultures here and I have made friends from many different places.

I don’t see myself moving away for at least another two years.

It was difficult at the beginning, it was difficult to integrate, but I started going out and learning, speaking to people and finding a job.

Now, most of my friends are Dutch.”

‘I don’t think that there is enough care for the people’

Fares, 28, Palestine:

“I think I come from a different perspective as I’m actually working in integration so I’m a bit critical of Startblok. 

The concept of it is really amazing; it’s one of the biggest integration concepts as people are actually living together not just taking language courses.

I do think that there needs to be more done to look after some of the people living there who have certain needs that aren’t being met.

The Startblok should be a model for further integration projects like this but the people running it aren’t integration experts. From my perspective, I don’t think it’s going very well in the sense that I don’t think that there is enough care for the people living there. 

It was good for meeting people though and in general, I like Holland: it’s got one of the highest qualities of life in the world. Dutch people are really nice but they are different too and I think that what we need to do is find the bridges between us.”

Standing a few feet away from the Grand Slam trophy which she had just won, Naomi Osaka started crying.

The 20-year-old Japanese had just beaten her childhood idol Serena Williams, bidding for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title and her first since giving birth, in the US Open final.

Still wearing the black visor she had worn throughout the 6-2 6-4 victory, Osaka – the first player from Japan to win a major tournament – pulled it down over her face to cover the emotion.

During what should have been the happiest moment of her career, they did not seem to be tears of joy.

Boos rang around Arthur Ashe Stadium – not directed her, but at a sense of injustice felt by most of the 24,000 crowd against American superstar Williams.

“I felt bad at one point because I’m crying and she’s crying. You know, she just won,” said former world number one Williams, 36.

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said on BBC Radio 5 live: “This was the most bizarre match and presentation I have ever seen.”

So, how did it get to that point?

The expectation

From the moment an image of Williams emerging from the locker room appeared on the big screen there was an expectant, partisan atmosphere inside Ashe.

Serena might be a global superstar but more pertinently she is an American idol: appearing on television commercials, plastered across huge billboards on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Tell anyone you meet in the city that you’re here to cover the US Open and it brings up one topic: Serena.

“You’ve watched Serena? Wow, that’s so cool. I’m not really into tennis but I love Serena.”

They love her.

So, as her mind started to unravel and the match quickly followed, it was unsurprising to hear the mood of the New York crowd turn.

Code or no code?

Murmurs of dissent were first heard when Williams, who had already lost the first set at Flushing Meadows, was given a code violation at 2-1 in the second after chair umpire Carlos Ramos ruled that her coach Patrick Mouratoglou was signalling tactics from the stands – which is not allowed.

Williams was seriously irked. “We don’t have any code,” she told the Portuguese. “I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.”

After the match, Mouratoglou admitted in a television interview he had been coaching – but added “I don’t think she looked at me” and “everybody does it”.

If the pair do not have a code, as Williams says, and if she did not see him make any signals, then she has a right to feel aggrieved – but with her coach, not the rule book.

The United States Tennis Association, which runs the tournament, issued a statement later on Saturday backing Ramos. It said he acted “in accordance to the rules”.

While Williams says she wants to “clarify” what Mouratoglou was thinking and saying, the Frenchman cannot be blamed for her anger escalating.

Did the umpire – or a lack of self-restraint – cost Williams?

The Ashe crowd has often sensed when Williams needs their backing the most, with huge roars when she trailed 30-0 on serve at key moments against Karolina Pliskova and Anastasija Sevastova helping her turn those games around on the way to victories earlier in the tournament.

Again they showed their support as Williams, now pumped and finding her shots, broke Osaka’s serve for the only time in the match in the fourth game.

But when Williams lost her serve in the following game, the mood changed completely.

First, the American smashed her racquet, and when Ramos gave her another violation – again a correct one – she exploded.

“I didn’t get coaching. You need to make an announcement that I don’t cheat. You owe me an apology,” she told the umpire.

“I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what’s right for her. I have never cheated.”

By now Ramos was getting the sort of treatment reserved for a pantomime villain.

Mood turns ugly

From that point it was a matter of when, not if, Osaka went on to clinch victory.

She broke serve again for a 4-3 lead and then more drama unfolded when Williams continued to rant at Ramos.

“You stole a point from me. You are a thief,” the 36-year-old said.

That earned Williams a third violation for verbal abuse, Ramos announcing he had penalised her a game as a sense of confusion and disbelief swept around the stadium.

An emotional Williams remonstrated further with Ramos and called for the tournament referee in what was rapidly becoming a chaotic situation.

Those pantomime boos quickly turned more menacing, however.

Loud jeers rained down on to the court. Some spectators were on their feet, some had their thumbs pointing down, and some shouted abuse at the Portuguese umpire.

Osaka, somehow, maintained her cool.

“I didn’t really hear anything because I had my back turned,” she said.

Was the umpire right?

On all three counts, Ramos correctly penalised Williams by the letter of the law.

According to ITF Grand Slam rules:

• Verbal abuse is defined as a statement about an official, opponent, sponsor, spectator or other person that implies dishonesty or is derogatory insulting or otherwise.
• Abuse of racquets or equipment is defined as intentionally, dangerously and violently destroying or damaging racquets.
• Players shall not receive coaching during a match (including the warm-up). Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.

However, Chris Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, said Ramos should have used common sense.

“Because of the big occasion – finals, the score, a game penalty – he should have warned her,” the American told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Scold her. ‘Ms Williams you need to be quiet because if you keep going on like this it will be a game.’

“Because of the enormity of the moment he should have given her a little bit of a break – but instead he just went right for the jugular.”

‘Let’s not boo any more’

Ramos was not the only one going “for the jugular” – so did Osaka.

Although Williams held to love immediately after the game penalty, the Japanese 20th seed maintained the composure she had showed from the start to take her second match point.

That was the moment Osaka, who was brought up in New York after her family moved over from Japan, had dreamed of since picking up a racquet – beating her idol in a Grand Slam final.

“When I hugged Serena at the net I felt like a little kid again,” said Osaka, who later revealed she made a school report on Williams in third grade.

Still it felt like it was not the special moment it should have been.

Boos continued to be heard at the end of the match and again when the presentation began.

Osaka began to cry – a heart-wrenching moment which was hard to watch.

That’s when Williams, 16 years older than her opponent, intervened as her maternal instinct kicked in.

“Let’s not boo any more,” she pleaded. “Congratulations Naomi. No more booing.”

The crowd responded and the jeers turned to cheers as Osaka took the microphone.

“I know everyone was cheering for her and I am sorry it has to end like this,” she said.

Humility and a sweet innocence off the court, but explosive hitting and steeliness on it, one imagines Osaka will have more Grand Slam victories to savour in the future.

‘A surreal experience’ – what they said

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller: “This must be the most surreal experience. A worthy champion but sadly for her it will be remembered for a very, very different story.”

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash on BBC Radio 5 live: “This was the most bizarre match and presentation I have ever seen.”

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick: “Common sense should’ve prevailed in my opinion. He’s within his power to make that call. I’ve seen an umpire borderline coach a player up, and another dock a game for being called a thief in same tourney. There needs to be some continuity in the future.”

Various sports often herald a new season as being “the biggest yet”, but rarely has any competition witnessed as much change as the Women’s Super League has this summer.

After a transition to full-time, professional status, the restructured one-tier, 11-team WSL starts on Sunday.

With new teams, new rules and some new managers, plus Manchester United’s return to the senior women’s game, the 2018-19 campaign promises much.

So, after England and Scotland qualified for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, BBC Sport looks ahead to the return of England’s domestic league.

A completely full-time, professional league

The WSL’s first season in 2011 featured eight predominantly semi-professional sides. In contrast, this year there will be 11 strictly full-time teams in the top flight.

That comes after the Football Association – which runs the women’s leagues in England – brought in new licence criteria for clubs, meaning all teams had to re-apply for their places.

Closed and then open application processes followed, before promotions, relegations and multiple appeals, but the outcome is that 11 top-flight sides will all provide:

• A minimum of 16 contact hours per week for players this season;
• An academy, which is compulsory as part of the licence.

“Everyone knows that year-on-year this league has got stronger, and that is very much the case this year,” Everton boss Andy Spence told BBC Sport.

“Standards will go up again and the demands and expectations go up every year. That’s something that you drive yourself too, as a manager.”

The second tier – previously known as WSL 2 – has been rebranded as the Women’s Championship and is made up of 11 teams required to meet part-time criteria.

New teams – who has moved divisions?

Newcomers Brighton and West Ham have joined the top tier this term after successful bids for full-time licences.

Sunderland, who finished seventh in tier one last season, have been moved down to tier three after not receiving a licence and making an unsuccessful appeal.

Meanwhile, Manchester United, who reformed their women’s side for the first time since 2005, plus Charlton, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Lewes FC and Sheffield United have all joined the Championship.

United’s return has been welcomed by the FA’s Baroness Sue Campbell, who said their application was “a natural next step” and added that the FA were “delighted they have chosen to step in” this year.

However, last year’s second-tier champions Doncaster Rovers Belles were among those to drop down to the rebranded third tier, the National League, along with Oxford United, Sheffield FC and Watford.

Palace were not initially awarded a licence in May, but their original bid did meet the criteria and therefore they were promoted after the Belles joined Sheffield FC in withdrawing for financial reasons.

New managers, familiar names

Matt Beard – a two-time WSL winner in 2013 and 2014 when he was Liverpool boss – has taken charge of West Ham following their move up from tier three to tier one.

Bristol City appointed former Doncaster player Tanya Oxtoby as their new manager following the resignation of Willie Kirk, who has since become the assistant manager at Manchester United.

Former Leeds United men’s boss Neil Redfearn left the Belles to take the Liverpool job after Scott Rogers’ departure from Merseyside.

A further managerial change in the top tier saw Lee Burch appointed at Yeovil Town after Jamie Sherwood moved to become director of football of the Somerset side.

And, having been appointed in November 2017, Australian coach Joe Montemurro will begin his first full season at Arsenal after reaching two domestic cup finals and winning a trophy – the Continental Tyres League Cup – last term.

New signings – who did the best business?

Having made vast additions to their squad to strengthen for top-flight football, West Ham’s summer arrivals included England left-back Claire Rafferty, as well as Scotland striker Jane Ross and Rafferty’s ex-Chelsea team-mate Gilly Flaherty.

Title hopefuls Manchester City, who finished second last term, have added to their forward line with Canada’s Janine Beckie.

Defending champions Chelsea’s new recruits include Birmingham defender Jess Carter and New Zealand’s Ali Riley, while striker Eniola Aluko left to join Juventus and heavily-decorated midfielder Katie Chapman retired.

Arsenal saw long-serving right-back Alex Scott also retire and they brought in Austria captain Viktoria Schnaderbeck, but she needed surgery after sustaining a knee injury in August.

There was a significant switch between the Merseyside clubs as Everton striker Courtney Sweetman-Kirk joined Liverpool, while Brighton snapped up Yeovil’s Wales star Kayleigh Green.

Birmingham City signed Sunderland’s Lucy Staniforth, while last season’s fourth-placed side Reading recruited England winger Gemma Davison from Chelsea.

“Gemma has that experience, understanding and knowledge of what it takes to win things,” said Royals boss Kelly Chambers.

“Every team she has been in, she has come away with medals and awards. She brings us something different.”

New names, as more clubs drop ‘ladies’ title

Another off-field aspect of the WSL that has evolved rapidly in recent months is that further teams have opted to change their names from “Ladies” to “Women”.

Nine of the 11 top-flight sides now either have “Women” in their name or have dropped a gender-distinguishing title altogether.

Upon changing their name in May, champions Chelsea said the move underlined the “ever-growing status” of the women’s game and was a move away from referring to the men’s side as the “first” team.

New, one-off rules on promotion & relegation

Finally, with this summer’s structural changes leaving 11 sides in each of the top two leagues, the FA confirmed in August their adjusted arrangements for promotion and relegation.

From the top flight, one side will be relegated at the end of 2018-19.

The top two sides in the Championship will be eligible to win promotion up to the WSL – providing they can meet the professional criteria for a licence next summer.

There will no relegation from the bottom of the Championship down to the third tier – the regionalised FA Women’s National League.

And, for one season only, up to two sides could win promotion from tier three to the Championship next summer – with both the Northern and Southern winners initially eligible, rather than just the winners of a traditional play-off between the two.

That is with view to seeing 12 teams in each of the top two divisions by 2019-20.

If the winner of either the Northern or Southern sections is unable to meet criteria for promotion, then the runner-up in that division will be offered the opportunity to apply to go up instead.

The FA then hopes to implement a consistent one-up, one-down system between the top three tiers from the 2019-20 campaign onwards.