An Australian newspaper has republished a controversial cartoon of Serena Williams on a special front page attacking “self-appointed censors” who found its depiction of the tennis champion racist and sexist.

Melbourne’s Herald Sun defended Mark Knight’s illustration of the 23-time Grand Slam winner, portrayed jumping on a smashed racket as a baby’s dummy lies nearby.

Critics have said the drawing – which depicts Ms Williams with a large figure and exaggerated pink lips – is based on racist and sexist tropes and perpetuates the stereotype of the “angry black woman”.

The cartoon was first printed on Monday following her outburst at the US Open final. The paper republished it on the front page of Wednesday’s edition under the headline: “Welcome to PC World.”

As well as Williams, the page featured Mr Knight’s caricatures of figures including Donald Trump, Kim Jong-un and Australia's prime minister, Scott Morrison.

“If the self-appointed censors of Mark Knight get their way on his Serena Williams cartoon, our new politically correct life will be very dull indeed,” said the paper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.

JK Rowling and Nicki Minaj are among prominent names who have condemned the cartoon since its original publication.

“Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop,” the Harry Potter author wrote on Twitter.

Referencing the other caricatures on the Herald Sun‘s latest front page, Australian writer and comedian Nakkiah Lui said: “The majority of these are totally fine. The argument is surely you can do a caricature that doesn’t rely on racist stereotypes?”

Mr Knight has also been accused of “whitewashing” Williams’s victorious opponent, Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who he depicted as a white woman with blonde hair asking the umpire: “Can you just let her win?”

The cartoonist has denied the drawing is racist, saying “the world has just gone crazy.”

“I drew this cartoon Sunday night after seeing the US Open final, and seeing the world’s best tennis player have a tantrum and thought that was interesting,” he told the Herald Sun. “The cartoon about Serena is about her poor behaviour on the day, not about race. The world has just gone crazy.”

The newspaper’s editor, Damon Johnston, has defended the cartoonist, who deactivated his Twitter account after receiving thousands of critical comments over the image.

“A champion tennis player had a mega tantrum on the world stage, and Mark’s cartoon depicted that,” Mr Johnston said. “It had nothing to do with gender or race. This was about a bad sport being mocked.”

The cartoon references an extraordinary row between Williams and umpire Carlos Ramos during her final match against Ms Osaka at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

After being warned for allegedly violating a rarely enforced rule against receiving coaching from the sidelines, an indignant Williams emphatically denied cheating.

After being deducted a point for a second violation for smashing her racket, Williams called Mr Ramos “a thief,” prompting the umpire to issue a third code violation for verbal abuse and deduct a game.

Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Show all 8 1 /8 Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Serena gets headed Serena Williams was aiming for her seventh US Open title against Naomi Osaka, but things did not go her way. Reuters / USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Naomi Osaka wins first set The 20-year-old from Japan won the first set 6-2, but there was drama ahead Getty Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final First the coach Williams was penalised for what the umpire deemed to be coaching from the sidelines by Partrick Mouratoglou. She disagreed and the war with the official began by Williams saying she was not a cheat. “I don’t cheat to win,” Williams told Ramos after he had issued the code violation. “I’d rather lose.” Getty Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Then the racket Williams took her anger out on her racket after dropping a serve, the penalty was a point deduction. “You owe me an apology. I have never cheated in my life," she told the umpire. "I have a daughter and I stand for what is right.” USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final And finally, the tournament referee A furious Williams received a third code violation for verbal abuse and demanded to see the tournament referee, Brian Early. An increasingly upset Williams told Earley that male players say far worse without receiving similar punishment and said she was being penalised “because I’m a woman”. AP Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Naomi Osaka wins 6-2 6-4 Naomi Osaka won her first Grand Slam, but the match will be remembered for a completely different reason. Getty Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Williams priases Osaka Williams was hesitant to do her on-court interview but praised Osaka's performance. "I don't wanna be rude or interrupt or do questions. I wanna say she played well, it's her first Grand Slam. I know the guys were rooting and I was rooting too." Getty Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka: Story of the US Open women's final Williams calls for fairness "But I've seen other men call other umpires several things. 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'. It blows my mind," she said. "I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that wants to express themselves, and wants to be a strong woman. Getty

Williams, who was fined £13,000 over her actions, later defended herself by saying she was fighting for “women’s rights and for women’s equality.” She pointed out male players were rarely penalised for on-court outbursts.

Speaking on Wednesday for the first time since the row, Mr Ramos indicated he was satisfied with how he oversaw the match.