Posted on 09/13/2009 4:56:25 AM PDT by SkyPilot
Serena Williams, of the United States, argues with a line judge over a foot fault call during her match against Kim Clijsters, of Belgium, at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. Clijsters beat Williams in 2 sets. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
NEW YORK -- Serena Williams walked toward the line judge, screaming, cursing and shaking a ball in the official's direction, threatening to "shove it down" her throat.
On match point in the U.S. Open semifinals Saturday night, defending champion Williams was penalized a point for unsportsmanlike conduct -- a bizarre, ugly finish that gave a 6-4, 7-5 upset victory to unseeded, unranked Kim Clijsters.
The match featured plenty of powerful groundstrokes and lengthy exchanges. No one will remember a single shot that was struck, though, because of the unusual, dramatic way it ended.
With Williams serving at 5-6, 15-30 in the second set, she faulted on her first serve. On the second serve, a line judge called a foot fault, making it a double-fault -- a call rarely, if ever, seen at that stage of any match, let alone the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament.
That made the score 15-40, putting Clijsters one point from victory.
Instead of stepping to the baseline to serve again, Williams went over and shouted and cursed at the line judge, pointing at her and thrusting the ball toward her.
"If I could, I would take this ... ball and shove it down your ... throat," Williams said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvu.com ...
Are you disrespecting me?
Fox News to show the vid in a few minutes.
"I used to have a real temper, and I've gotten a lot better," Williams said later. "So I know you don't believe me, but I used to be worse. Yes, yes, indeed."
Glad we didn't see her on one of her "bad days."
WOW and the Jon Stewart media has been crying about lost civility. Have we not heard this somewhere before right out of the bowels of our government????
Don't make me Fight you!
She’s just keepin it real, homie.
Meltdown: Official Says Tennis Star Serena Williams Told Her "I Will Kill You" - Video 9/12/09
roidrage
She lost 6 weeks ago cause she didn't train hard enough and didn't have the foot speed to run down Clijster's shots or take over points off her serve.
Tennis is the "fairest" of sports. You have to win by 2 points and two game unless you go to a tie-breaker. But you still have to win by 2 points even then.
There is no "running out the clock", no lucky one shot or knock out punch.
Serena knew she was getting owned by Kim and just took the easy way out. It's her way of saving her ego. It's almost as bad as Marcelo Rios tanking matches. In fact it's worse cause she was the champion and I believe she had a b#tch fit cause she wasn't #1 in the world ranking and Kim Clijsters wasn't just bowing down and losing like she'd done 7 out of the last 8 times they played.
Just a sad pathetic moment in Women's Tennis and in American Tennis. pathetic.
Looks like Serena has been infected with that Michelle Obama spirit.
Enough with the slander. She’s 100% female Klingon.
She now qualifies as obamas physical fitness czar.... or at least an important post in acorn
The eyes, its the eyes. I got no problem with Michelle except her politics and her f*****g agathokakological eyes !! Every picture it’s like that.
The judge is quite obviously a racist. I mean really, what other explanation is there these days when things don’t go right for the Obamatons?
I suspect William's camp is going to contemplate using the race card to get her out of the mess she put herself into.
I’m waiting to see ARRRGH!! on that pic by the end of the day.
Sounds like she could play in the NFL...National Felon League.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.