US Open Controversy

[wesw]

again, the truth can be vile.

my salty language was PERHAPS un necessary, but those were true observations nonetheless.

[Econoline]

Ms Williams feels umpires are keener
To punish a girl's misdemeanour,
While stars who are boys
Can kick up a noise,
A woman must act much Serena.

[RayThom]

Ms Williams feels umpires are keener
To punish a girl's misdemeanour,
While stars who are boys
Can kick up a noise,
A woman must act much Serena.

Burma Shave

[Joe Guy]

[wesw]

I dream of the day when a player is judged not by the color of their skin but by the contents of their underwear

[Lord Jim]

for the most part this is tolerated because it puts asses in the seats and pays the salaries of the officials and hangers on.

Gee, those tennis hooligans must be a tough bunch...

I didn't realize that they were paying those high seat prices at those toney locales so they could delight in watching the players abuse, bully, and humiliate the officials...

They must be a lot like pro wrestling fans...Maybe if the players started throwing their racquets at each other, they could charge even more for the seats at the matches...

I'd like to come back again to the full quote of what Serena said that drew the third penalty:

“You will never, ever, ever be on another court of mine as long as you live. You are the liar. When are you going to give me my apology? You owe me an apology. Say it. Say you’re sorry,” Williams then told Ramos. “And you stole a point from me. You’re a thief, too.”

If an NFL, MLB, NBA, or NHL player walked up to an official to complain about an earlier call against them by first telling that official they would see to it that they would never officiate another game that player was competing in, and then called that official a "liar" for making the earlier call (impugning not just their judgement or competence but their integrity and honesty) then berated the official by repeatedly demanding an apology for the earlier call, and then topped it all off by calling the official a "thief"...

That player, whether they were a major star or a third stringer would immediately find themselves on the way to their locker room...

They would additionally probably receive a fine and possibly also some suspension time...

It occurs to me that Serena Williams could have done so much more for her own image, the cause of gender equality in her sport, and the overall benefit of pro tennis, if instead of whinging about how she was punished for saying things that male players would have gotten away with, she had owned up to being in the wrong for saying those things, and then made a call for all players to be held to the higher standard of conduct she was held to...

Rather than making the whole focus her unhappiness about not being held to a lower standard...

The ITF and all the national pro tennis governing bodies should get together and issue a statement like this:

"Henceforth it shall be completely unacceptable for any player participating in our events to speak to game umpires like an oafish restaurant patron talking to a waiter, or Naomi Campbell berating a personal assistant, or Donald Trump humiliating his Attorney General...

No, from now on we are going to expect professional tennis players to exhibit at least the level of restraint, decorum and maturity expected of professional hockey players. Failure to do so will result in severe sanction."

If they did this and actually meant it, I'm sure the officials would be more than happy to enforce the new standards (since surely they can't be happy about the abuse; I can't imagine they'd put up with it if they knew ITF would have their back.) and the sport of tennis would be much the better for it.

[Big RR]

That player, whether they were a major star or a third stringer would immediately find themselves on the way to their locker room...

you really think so? I've seen it happen, and I've also seen stars get a pass again and again on many penalties. and the NFL tacitly agrees, because the stars are who people come to see.

As for

Gee, those tennis hooligans must be a tough bunch...

I didn't realize that they were paying those high seat prices at those toney locales so they could delight in watching the players abuse, bully, and humiliate the officials...

your classism is showing. These were the same people who could pay for the high price seats were booing Osaka when she was declared winner. Face it, having enough money to pay for a good seat doesn't automatically make you above being an ass (our president proves that) whether at a tennis or boxing match. and the sports, for he most part, accommodate them.

[wesw]

they were booing the umpire, not Osaka, from what I saw.

[Big RR]

Well, I only saw it on the news, but it didn't look like that, it looked like they were booing the result. And the person from the tournament saying "This is not the result many of us wanted" or something like that didn't change that perception.

[Big RR]

Personally, one thing I would say is that I get sick and tired of a lot of the sports stars acting link the rules don't apply to them, and the officials acting to bolster that view. I also don't like the sometimes seen strategies of officials to target some players over others, whether based on gender or race or just because the officials don't like them. If the rules were enforced fairly and across the board I would never object to it (other than to say a rule was stupid and should be changed), but when they are selectively applied to some and not others, then here are no real rules.

[ex-khobar Andy]

they were booing the umpire, not Osaka, from what I saw.

I watched the game and I think some of the boos were directed at the umpire for what the crowd deemed his unfair treatment of their star, and some of the boos were directed at S Williams for her antics. I think none were directed at Osaka.

It's difficult to make the case that the umpire was prejudiced against black women when her opponent was a black woman.

[rubato]

Serena didn't behave worse than John McEnroe, Nastase, Connors. She was wound up and losing a tough match, and she had less practice with losing than almost anyone.

yrs,
rubato

[ex-khobar Andy]

And the rules - progression of penalty: warning; lose a point; lose a game - were created because of those three. I did enjoy watching Nastse at his peak - who knew what an asshole he would become, or probably already was.