1. Naomi Osaka has explained why she apologised after beating Serena Williams.
Naomi Osaka has explained why she apologised for winning the US Open women’s final over Serena Williams on the weekend.
During the match, Williams called the chair umpire a “liar” and a “thief” and said he treated her differently than male players.
The tennis champion was handed a warning for a coaching violation before being deducted a point for smashing her racquet. She then had a heated argument with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, which cost her a game.
In an interview with NBC’s Today Osaka confirmed what viewers could already see – that she was “really emotional” while accepting her trophy for the 6-2, 6-4 victory.
“I felt a little bit sad because I wasn’t really sure if (the crowd) were booing at me or if it wasn’t the outcome that they wanted,” the Japan-born American, who represented her birth country, told the hosts.
Osaka, who told the crowd, “I’m sorry it had to end like this. I want to say thank you for watching the match”, explained why she felt the need to apologise for her win.
“I also could sympathise because I’ve been a fan of Serena my whole life. And I knew how badly the crowd wanted her to win, I don’t know, I was just really emotional up there,” she said.
“I just felt like everyone was sort of unhappy out there and I knew it wasn’t the ending that everyone wanted it to be.
“In my dreams, I won in a very tough, competitive match, so I just felt very emotional and that I had to apologise.”
Osaka was comforted by Williams – who has since been handed a AU$24,000 fine for her violations – after her own loss.
“I felt really happy because I sort of felt that she knew I was crying,” Osaka said. “It just made me happy overall.”
2. WA man accused of family murder ‘stayed with bodies’ in house for days.
A man has been charged after he allegedly infiltrated the ABC’s high-security Sydney headquarters before grabbing a Triple J host and kissing her.
Security has been boosted at the national broadcaster while the alleged culprit’s mental health is assessed.
Kieren Gallagher, 31, entered the ABC’s Ultimo offices about 2.30pm last Wednesday, police said in a statement on Monday.
Gallagher allegedly approached lunchtime host Gen Fricker, grabbed her and kissed her before fleeing.
Security guards were alerted and police arrested Gallagher on Monday.
An email circulated to ABC employees, seen by AAP, says Gallagher is believed to have tailgated staff walking through the building’s high-security doors.
There is now an increased security presence at the Ultimo office, the email states.
Gallagher appeared before Central Local Court on Monday charged with stalking and intimidation with intent to cause fear as well as trespassing and common assault.
Court documents show that Mr Gallagher had been stalking Fricker for months “with the intention of causing her physical or mental harm”, Fairfax reports.
The 31-year-old was detained while his mental health is assessed.
He “appears to have significant mental health issues” and “became abusive” while appearing via video link, court documents reveal.
5. Peter Dutton rejects claims of another au pair case.
Peter Dutton is facing claims there could be yet another case where he intervened to help an au pair caught up in immigration detention.
Former Australian Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg has given evidence to a Senate committee, claiming Mr Dutton’s chief of staff Craig Maclachlan asked him to help “the boss’ mate” over a detained nanny.
But the Home Affairs Minister says Mr Quaedvlieg is wrong.
“Mr Quaedvlieg has lost his credibility and his statement today has no more validity than his fabricated statement from last week,” a spokeswoman for Mr Dutton said on Monday night.
Mr Quaedvlieg last week claimed to have had a conversation about the au pair with Mr Machlachlan in June 2015, but it was pointed out Mr Machlachlan didn’t work for Mr Dutton at that time.
So Mr Quaedvlieg updated his evidence to say the call came between October 2015 and December 2016.
He admits he “may have been honestly mistaken in anchoring that conversation to a date in June 2015” but believes that indicates “the only logical conclusion that a second Brisbane ministerial intervention case” might have taken place.
Mr Dutton told him to provide details of the alleged case. His chief of staff Mr Machlachlan is not commenting.
The Home Affairs Minister on Monday tabled an email he got in June 2015 from a former Queensland police colleague Russell Keag.
“Peter. Long-time between calls,” the email starts.
“I need advice on a matter that has occurred today. An Italian student, Michela Marchisio is being held after her visa has been cancelled.
“She was due to stay with my family. There has been a mixup in the visa details.”
Ms Marchisio was detained after officials discovered evidence she planned to work, but she was given a tourist visa after Mr Dutton intervened.
Mr Dutton says he did not have a relationship with Mr Keag, who he had not spoken to since they worked in the Queensland police 20 years earlier.
“He wrote an email to my publicly available email account, which can be accessed by anyone online,” Mr Dutton said.
“A staff member in my office asked me if I knew this person. My initial response was ‘who?'”
Mr Dutton said he also intervened in a similar 2015 case after AFL boss Gillon McLachlan’s staff contacted his office.