The events and the arguing and the booing that would make this a U.S. Open final unlike any other began when Serena Williams鈥� coach made what she insisted was an innocent thumbs-up, but the chair umpire interpreted as a helpful signal.

It was the second game of the second set Saturday, in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, and Williams鈥� bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title already was in real trouble because she was being outplayed by first-time major finalist Naomi Osaka.

Chair umpire Carlos Ramos warned Williams for getting coaching during a match, which isn鈥檛 allowed. She briefly disputed that ruling, saying cheating 鈥渋s the one thing I鈥檝e never done, ever.鈥� A few games later, Williams received another warning, this time for smashing her racket, and that second violation cost her a point, leading to more arguing. Eventually, Willams called Ramos 鈥渁 thief,鈥� drawing a third violation 鈥� and costing her a game.

鈥淚 have never cheated in my life!鈥� Williams told Ramos. 鈥淵ou owe me an apology.鈥�

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Soon, Osaka was finishing off a 6-2, 6-4 victory that made her the first player from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles title. That is not, however, what will be remembered about this chaotic evening.

With jeers bouncing off the arena鈥檚 closed roof, both players 鈥� the champion, Osaka, and the runner-up, Williams 鈥� wiped away tears during a trophy ceremony that was awkward for everyone involved.

鈥淚 just feel like I had a lot of emotions,鈥� Osaka said, 鈥渟o I had to kind of categorize what was which emotion.鈥�

Williams whispered something to Osaka and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

鈥淚 felt, at one point, bad, because I鈥檓 crying and she鈥檚 crying. You know, she just won. I鈥檓 not sure if they were happy tears or they were just sad tears, because of the moment. I felt like, 鈥榃ow, this isn鈥檛 how I felt when I won my first Grand Slam.鈥� I was like, 鈥榃ow, I definitely don鈥檛 want her to feel like that,鈥欌�� said Williams, who missed last year鈥檚 U.S. Open because her daughter, Olympia, was born during the tournament. 鈥淢aybe it was the mom in me that was like, 鈥楲isten, we鈥檝e got to pull ourselves together here.鈥欌��

This was the only the latest in a series of high-profile conflicts with match officials for Williams at Flushing Meadows. It all dates back to 2004, when an incorrect call during a quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati was cited as the main reason for the introduction of replay technology in tennis. Then came Williams鈥� infamous tirade after a foot fault in the 2009 semifinals against Kim Clijsters, and a to-do over a hindrance call in the 2011 final against Sam Stosur.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always something,鈥� Williams said.

Osaka is just 20, 16 years younger than Williams 鈥� and grew up idolizing the American, even asking her to pose for a selfie together at a tournament just a handful of years ago. Their age difference was the second-widest gap between women鈥檚 finalists at a Slam in the professional era.

鈥淚 know that everyone was cheering for her,鈥� Osaka told the crowd, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 sorry it had to end like this.鈥�

What was most problematic for Williams on the scoreboard was that she was unable to keep up with a version of herself. Osaka, who happens to be coached by Williams鈥� former hitting partner, hit more aces, 6-3. Osaka hit the match鈥檚 fastest serve, 119 mph. She had fewer errors, 21-14. She saved five of six break points. And she covered the court better than Williams did.

鈥淪he made a lot of shots,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淪he was so focused.鈥�

Indeed, that was what might have been most impressive. Osaka never let Williams鈥� back-and-forth with Ramos distract her, never wavered from playing terrific tennis. The one time Osaka did get broken, to trail 3-1 in the second set, she broke back immediately, prompting Williams to smash her racket.

That cost her a point, because of the earlier warning for coaching. While Williams was adamant that she never receives coaching, her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, acknowledged afterward that he did try to signal Williams, but didn鈥檛 think she had seen him.

It鈥檚 true that it is something of an open secret in professional tennis that plenty of coaches do get away with offering help without any sort of sanction.

鈥淚 never had any warning in my career for coaching. Strange to do that in a Grand Slam final,鈥� Mouratoglou said. 鈥淪econd, we all know that all the coaches coach at every match, all year long, from the first of January all the way to the 31st of December. We all know it.鈥�

When Ramos called both players over to explain the game penalty, which put Osaka ahead 5-3, Williams began laughing, saying: 鈥淎re you kidding me?鈥� Then she asked to speak to tournament referee Brian Earley, who walked onto the court along with a Grand Slam supervisor. Williams told them the whole episode 鈥渋s not fair,鈥� and said: 鈥淭his has happened to me too many times.鈥�

鈥淭o lose a game for saying that is not fair,鈥� Williams said, and raised the idea that Ramos was being sexist : 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things and because they are men, that doesn鈥檛 happen.鈥�

It was the second Grand Slam final defeat in a row for Williams, after Wimbledon in July. She鈥檚 appeared in only seven tournaments this season since returning to the tour after having a baby during last year鈥檚 U.S. Open.

Williams asked what she鈥檒l tell her daughter, Olympia, about what happened Saturday.

鈥淚鈥檒l tell her, first of all, if she sees it, that, you know, I stood up for what I believed in. I stood up for what was right,鈥� Williams replied. 鈥淪ometimes, things in life don鈥檛 happen the way we want them, but always stay gracious and stay humble. I think that鈥檚 the lesson we can all learn from this.鈥�

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AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston and Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

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Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press

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