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Original poster

To not appreciate Serena using sexism in her arguments against umpire

518 replies

user1471517900 · 09/09/2018 10:07

Sorry if there is a thread, I did scan four pages to check.

Serena gets coached (which her coach admits) but claims she didn't see it. Then smashes a racquet in separate fit of temper. Then tells the umpire she can't be a cheat because she's a mother(!), he will never referee a match again with her, and he's a thief.

The punishments all seem fine to me and I really felt for Osaka having to apologise in her winners speech. Serena should be saying sorry today IMO.

OP posts:
catlady3 · 09/09/2018 16:08

Commentator agreed that the punishment was overly harsh. From what I saw (and I'll freely admit to not knowing a great deal about tennis), it seemed like she thought the first warning had been taken back following her very civil discussion with the umpire. So she was surprised to be penalised for the racket, and when complaining about THAT she got penalised again for doing so. It seemed quite strict to me as you definitely see much worse, and Serena is in a much better position to say whether this was sexist / racist (don't know if she's said that, definitely seems like that to me though) than any of us armchair persons. She's the top female athlete on the planet, tbh I don't think she has any need to raise this if she didn't think that's what happned. Just look at the whole bollocks about her suit, when will people stop telling women what to wear... I think it's just another thing that's being dumped on her and she's had enough, so fair play to her. Saying we shouldn't talk about this because it takes away from the winner (who's clearly an excellent player and will go on to be a mega star) is just another way of silencing legitimate complaints.

Bejazzled · 09/09/2018 16:13

It isn't just that she complained, it's the manner and words she used to do it. She acted up like an entitled brat and is now stirring up 'isms' to justify her behaviour.

Actually doing sexism and racism a disfavour imo.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 16:19

You mean she wasn't nice about it? She was angry, loud and aggressive - as in not at all feminine?

Meh

SerenDippitty · 09/09/2018 16:24

Angry loud and aggressive is angry loud and aggressive whether you are male or female. All professional sportsmen have to put up with decisions going against them from time to time. Doesn’t mean they have a free pass to behave like a twat, whoever they are.

Roussette · 09/09/2018 16:27

She has been subjected to the most appalling racism and sexism for years, I'm amazed she's been able to continue under such conditions. I'm with her all the way

This 100%.

For all those saying they've never seen a top player behave like that towards an umpire, you obviously haven't been watching tennis for very long. From McEnroe back in the early 80s to Troicki a couple of years ago.

McEnroe used to scream at the umpire for ten minutes, call him useless, swear under his breath... Troicki hurled insults at umpires repeatedly telling them they were the worst in the world, hit balls into the crowd. Andy Roddick was awful at times, insult after insult to the umpire. The russian player Safin regularly smashed his racquet, swear and was angry a lot. And who remembers Rusedski... he smashed a racquet every game.

And then along comes the brilliant Serena, a woman, who is incensed at being accused of cheating. Yes she over reacted but I'm a huge tennis fan and men over react all the time when they are losing. This tweet sums it up...

"Consider for a minute that John McEnroe had three children near the end of his career.

Not once in a press conference was he asked how he would explain his anger to his babies like Serena just was"

SwordToFlamethrower · 09/09/2018 16:30

Serena is a queen. I love her. I stand with her on this one

bridgetreilly · 09/09/2018 16:32

This is why it was sexist (and also probably racist) and she was totally right to call it out as such: www.thecut.com/2018/09/serena-williams-us-open-referee-sexism.html

Carlos Ramos would not have treated a white man the way he treated Serena Williams. We know that, because he has not, when they have behaved in similar ways on court. He is not the only example, of course. A lot of umpires apply the rules differently to men and women. And to black people and white people.

What I saw last night was Carlos Ramos ruining the US Open for Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams doing her best to comfort her opponent.

TeeJay1970 · 09/09/2018 16:36

The world is so infair on SW.

Yesterday she was only paid 1.4 million pounds.

That poor lamb.

Roussette · 09/09/2018 16:38

Not sure what she was paid in the US Open final has to do with the subject of this thread?

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 16:50

Me either, but I always like to point out how many other people each and every tennis player pays full and part time salaries for, the upkeep of equipment, travel, food etc etc - estimates are that this comes to over £2mill per year for the top 50 players.

RomanyRoots · 09/09/2018 16:59

John mcenroe was sanctioned throughout his career, he was a legend.
serena is a spoilt brat, it isn't sexist just fact.

Ghanagirl · 09/09/2018 17:02

Good for her.

I notice that any black woman that stands up for herself is often said to have gone mad or lost the plot etc
This!

SerenDippitty · 09/09/2018 17:04

Abusing other people is not standing up for yourself. It’s just abuse.

Roussette · 09/09/2018 17:06

Yes john mcenroe was sanctioned but he argued the toss against it on and on and on. Far worse than Serena.

And at times he should've been sanctioned and wasn't. He behaved appallingtly on court every match, unlike Serena.

Serena should not have been called out for the actions of her coach. I agree with this from Billie Jean King who has always been a rational voice in tennis..

'When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.

Inkanta · 09/09/2018 17:13

She was losing, had a tantrum, played the sexist card and was not really fighting for women at that point.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 17:17

Spoiled brat? With her background? OK!

She is a black woman who has trained for decades, who has built more than one career, who has faced all sorts of prejudice and, after some fairly horrendous medical issues, has come back to the top her game very quickly... and still faces people who choose to ignore all of her personal achievements, hard work etc and simply infantilise her in order to rebuke her!

She is not a brat. She is a hard working adult, a mother, who lost her temper in the face of a man who chooses to act out of line with all others in his field, who many other players also have issues with.

specialsubject · 09/09/2018 17:24

mcenroe was an hysterical brat at times. Serena did it yesterday.

and if she really did the 'I have morals because I am a parent' shit then serve her right.

she was losing before the yelling started. As I said on my other thread (sorry) screaming about it doesnt help. If the crowd had not been behind her would she have called them racist or sexist?

great shame as her career ends.

ferrier · 09/09/2018 17:27

Carlos Ramos would not have treated a white man the way he treated Serena Williams. We know that, because he has not, when they have behaved in similar ways on court.

Except that he has. He is known for applying the rules quite strictly and is a top umpire because of this.

Serena has often benefited from umpires not sanctioning her when they would have been well within the rules to do so.

Inkanta · 09/09/2018 17:28

She also called the ref 'a liar'! God sakes.

That's not fighting for women. She was just fuckin furious and throwing everything at him.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 17:34

From her pov he was lying. BOTH coaches were signalling/coaching from the sidelines. SW didn't see her coach, yet she was penalised (not both of them) and her reaction to that set up the rest.

As BJK said, it is a ridiculous rule that needs to be looked at and changed.

DotForShort · 09/09/2018 17:36

I think Serena was absolutely right. Male tennis players regularly get away with far more egregious actions. Imposing a code violation for coaching was ridiculous, as was the final penalty which cost Serena a game. I have never seen such a thing in a grand slam tournament. Perhaps the umpire let his own emotions run away with him.

Having said that, I think the outcome of the match would have been the same in any case. Osaka played extremely well and Serena was clearly off her game. But the drama somewhat overshadowed Osaka's win, which is unfortunate. Serena was very gracious during the trophy presentation.

Inkanta · 09/09/2018 17:37

Calling someone 'a liar' is really upping the anti isn't it. I don't like that kind of name calling.

MesM · 09/09/2018 17:41

I’m TeamSerena all the way.

Jeanclaudejackety · 09/09/2018 17:43

I am horrified for Osaka and hate Serena's "my baby is the first baby to ever exist" attitude she's making such a big deal of popping a kid out ffs when she's a millionaire married to a billionaire jeez must be tough eh!

Roussette · 09/09/2018 17:44

Calling the umpire a liar is absolutely nothing to what they've been called in the past...
'the worst umpire on the planet'
dirty scum (Nick Kyrios)

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