Posted on 09/13/2009 4:45:56 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Reporting from New York - Serena Williams will be fined $10,500 for behavior deemed "unsportsmanlike conduct," and also for racket abuse after her obscenity-filled and aggressive reaction to a critical foot fault called during her 6-4, 7-5 U.S. Open semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters on Saturday night.
There will also be further investigation of the incident according to a statement released by the U.S. Open, "The Grand Slam rule book also allows for an investigation to be conducted by the Grand Slam Committee Administrator to determine if the behavior of Ms. Williams warrants consideration as a Major Offence for which additional penalties can be imposed. This investigation has now begun."
Williams earned $350,000 for her singles semifinal finish.
After an unidentified lineswoman called a foot fault on a second serve which gave Williams a double fault and put her a point away from the loss, Williams approached the lineswoman, shook a tennis ball in the direction of the woman's face and threatened to shove the ball down the women's throat.
Because Williams had already received a warning after breaking her racket at the end of the first set, her actions in confronting the lineswoman resulted in another code violation and a penalty point. That point was match point and gave Clijsters the win.
Through a public relations agency, Williams said Sunday, "Last night everyone could truly see the passion I have for my job. Now that I have had time to gain my composure I can see that while I don't agree with the unfair line call in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly."
Serena and her sister Venus will play the women's doubles final today,
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The simple solution is not to give a hoot about spectator sports.
I’ve always thought the Williams sisters have been pretty well behaved. Richard Williams is a buffoon (he called one player a ‘white turkey’ once after a testy match with Serena), but I give him a ton of credit for coaching them to their great success.
Serena’s problem is that she went after the line judge a second time.
Funny how with all of the technology on line calls now, there was still a controversy in a big spot.
She took questions from the press immediately after the match.
Should putts that almost go in be counted as having gone in?
For Tiger Woods, yes?
Late in a tournament, yes?
(you can take..) but she’s still fat and obnoxious. Of course, who actually watches tennis? A knitting match would be at least as interesting.
It was a foot fault pure and simple. She profanely threatened a line judge. What don’t you get?
I don't know about the court but she could probably take him out in the ring.
Nope, Montag has it right. Really bad officiating. As a fan, I wanted to see what was going to happen in the rest of the match. Instead, a poorly trained or supervised line judge decided the match.
This thread has been fascinating to read and observe Freepers who will argue passionately about the importance of Constitutional government and the rule of law and lament its ongoing destruction suddenly "depart from the way" when it comes to sports... /g
But she didn't answer them.
Yep!
I wouldn’t willingly watch any of these oafs do anything on television anytime, anywhere. Whatever their associations will tolerate is okay with me. Fine her $4.95, shoot her in the buttocks with a “triple ott wind whipper” or carry her home to ole virginny. I won’t care. I never cared, I didn’t care this time. I shall not care. In other words, I don’t care.
I do not think it was a foot fault. Not even close.
Well duh. Of course she would say that, because then the focus is not on her getting her ass kicked by a Mom from Belgium.
But she didn't answer them.
The poster implied that she had not faced the media. I thought her answers in a difficult situation only 15 minutes after the heat of the moment were pretty reasonable.
It is my understanding that you were not calling the match so therefore what you think about the legitimacy of the call is irrelevant to the discussion.
Serena acting like a horse’s ass is relevant and should be the focus of the thread.
I guess I missed that part where she acknowledged what she said/did and apologized.
Here is what columnist Bill Dwyer had to say about the interview:
---------------------------------
As bad as this incident was, leaving a three-quarters-filled Arthur Ashe Stadium in near stunned silence, worse was Williams' handling of the aftermath in a news conference. There, she had a chance to apologize, or maybe even fake some remorse. She did neither.
Instead, we got the usual, phony, sing-songy deflections and silly answers -- all done with a big smile, as if she had just won, 6-0, 6-0.
Even on Sunday night, she still can’t apologize thanking her fans for “understanding”.
“Last night everyone could truly see the passion I have for my job. Now that I have had time to gain my composure, I can see that while I don’t agree with the unfair line call, in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly. I would like to thank my fans and supporters for understanding that I am human and I look forward to continuing the journey, both professionally and personally, with you all as I move forward and grow from this experience.”
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