Furious US Open star mangles racquet while opponent celebrates victory and faces huge fine

IT WAS an image that summed both the contrasting emotions of ecstasy and fury felt by players at the end of a Grand Slam tennis match. On one side was the American Emma Navarro, a semi-finalist from two years ago, who punched the air in delight as she celebrated her safe passage into round two of the US Open. Emma Navarro celebrates after winning at the US Open with Lois Boisson reacting in the background Credit: Reuters Navarro reacts after winning her first round match as Lois Boisson smashes her racquet behind her Credit: Reuters On the other side of the net was the fuming Frenchwoman Lois Boisson, who took out her anger on her equipment following a second successive first-round loss in New York. Eagle-eyed TV viewers might have noticed that while American Navarro saluted the home fans on the Grandstand, Boisson was in the background, by her chair, smashing a spare racquet on the ground. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Not once, not twice but three times the poor piece of reserve equipment was mangled on the hard court surface. Prior to that, when the match was over, the woman from the land of Dijon mustard had launched her original racquet in anger across the court. And given her strength – she is one of the most muscular players on the WTA Tour – the racquet flew all the way to the foot of the net from her position on the baseline. She went over and shook the hand of the No.26 seed but left the racquet lying on the ground. It is likely she will be fined for her petulant behaviour by Grand Slam officials. And any sanction should make a significant dent in her £103,000 purse for being in the last 128. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Navarro celebrates her first-round win at the US Open with Lois Boisson reacting in the background Credit: Reuters Tennis players are known for breaking racquets, so this is not uncommon, but TV cameramen captured the two stars, with contrasting feelings, at precisely the right moment. Boisson, 23, made the semi-finals of the French Open in 2025 in a breakthrough moment. But she has struggled to replicate that achievement, losing in the first round of three Slams since. Injuries have not helped as she has dropped to 237 in the world – she is only here in the main draw via a protected ranking. In April 2025, British player Harriet Dart sensationally claimed Boisson STUNK and should “wear deodorant”. Dart was caught on court-side microphones attacking Boisson’s personal hygiene during a 6-0 6-3 defeat in the first round of the Open de Rouen. At a changeover, Dart, 30, rose from her chair and then told the official: “Can you tell her to wear deodorant?” She then repeated the question, saying: “Because the smell. Can you tell her to wear deodorant? She smells really bad.” Comment now