Serena Williams’ smashed racket from her infamous US Open final defeat by Naomi Osaka has been sold for $20,910 at a New Jersey auction.
Williams damaged the racket in the bad-tempered 2018 loss, a match which sparked controversy after the 23-time grand slam champion was docked a game for clashing with umpire Carlos Ramos.
The item was one of a number pieces of well-known sporting memorabilia up for grabs at Goldin Auctions.
A Jesse Owens gold medal from the 1936 Olympics was the most expensive lot, fetching $615,000, while a signed LeBron James rookie card from the 2003-4 season sold for $198,030.
“This was truly a remarkable event in both the wide assortment of items and the record prices realized for so many of them,” said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions.
Williams carries her racket off the court during the 2018 US Open final.
In total, 1,500 lots generated $4.3 million in sales, with five pieces of memorabilia closing for more than $100,000.
Williams initially gave her smashed racket to ball boy Justin Arrington-Holmes, who sold it to a dealer in Manhattan for $500 earlier this year, according to the New York Times.
“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.”
Other items that went under the hammer at Goldin Auctions include a canceled check signed by Michael Jordan, which sold for $12,300, and a used Jerry Rice 49ers jerseys from 1995, which fetched $27,060.
