The Serena Saga – Ellie Hewes
It is hard to not know who Serena Williams is (even if you aren’t particularly sporty or tennis just doesn’t take your fancy). She is a legend of not only tennis, but one of the greatest legends of women’s sport overall. Having won 4 gold medals, winning 38 major titles (14 of which were with her sister, Venus Williams), winning all 4 of the world’s grand slams many times and being ranked number one for 318 consecutive weeks, it is hard to not call her a legend despite the controversy which took place on Saturday 8th September.
After reaching the final at the US open, Serena played Naomi Osaka from Japan. As crowds came around to support their legendary queen, Williams didn’t leave them short of drama (to say the least)! Usually a player who lets her tennis do the talking, Williams was… let’s just say, a little more vocal. After Carlos Ramos took a point away for “coaching”, Williams quickly vocalised that: “ if he gives me a thumbs up, he is telling me to come on. I know you may not have known that and thought that it was coaching, but I am telling you it is not”. She further went onto say that: “I don’t cheat to win, I’d rather lose”. However, the coach seemed to be making different actions; coaching. Ramos soon picked up on this. She further told Ramos the same point in a non- aggressive fashion. However, after a quick run of points (due to not being able to execute her shots) , Williams aggressively smashed her racket, after looking desperately at her box. Following this, a code violation was given.
Desperately trying to recoup herself, Williams’ emotion came out aggressively to Ramos. She explicitly said that he needed to make an announcement that she didn’t get coaching because she didn’t want to be portrayed as a cheat. She later went onto shout “You owe me an apology, I have never cheated in my life, I have a daughter and I know what’s right for her, and I have never cheated and so you owe me an apology”. She started shaking her head and went onto say to the crowd (booing) that “it is okay”. She stated “you’re attacking my character and for you to do that, that it wrong”. She further expressed that “you will never be on a court of mine for as long as you live. You are a lier. You owe me an apology, say you’re sorry. If not, don’t talk to me… You stole a point from me… you’re a thief too”. Verbal abuse was then given and a game was taken. She then took the argument to the tournament referee: Brian Early – WTA supervisor. She said, whilst crying “you know me, you know my character and you know that that is not right. This has happened to me at this tournament too many times, it is not fair… it is not fair”. She further went on to talk about women’s rights in tennis “you know how many men have been out here… they have said a lot of things, and it hasn’t applied to them. There are men who do a lot worse but because I am a women, because I am a women, you are going to take a point away from me. That is not right and I know that you know that that is not right, and I know you can’t admit it, but I know that you know it is not right or fair”.
However, within the presentation, the crowd booed the 20 year old Osaka (first Japanese person to get a Grand Slam title), leaving her in tears. Williams said “ she played well, and she has just won her first grand slam… and I know you guys were here rooting, and I was rooting, but let’s make this the best moment we can. We will get through it, but let’s give everyone the credit where credit is due and let’s not boo anymore. Congratulations Naomi”. Osaka went onto apologise for her win, crying even though her dream was to play in a Grand Slam final and against Serena. She thanked the crowd for watching the match and thanked Serena for being able to play with her.
The behaviour displayed by Williams was disgraceful. Her coach may not have coached and, even if so, it may not have been her fault as it wasn’t her actions but to further consult the referee in such aggressive terms, smash her racket to shredding sand ultimately make a fool of herself in front of the world, it is her own actions that brought her to that position. Even within the press conference, she stated that she didn’t do too much wrong and that when her daughter might bring up this video later in life, she would say that she did what she believed thought was right. To overshadow her actions with referring to women’s rights, is wrong. Many people have died over trying to get women’s rights and so for her to turn around and talk about a tennis match (which overall in the real scheme of things doesn’t really matter as she has already got the titles, the money, the fame), I think is truly disrespectful. The fact it, we all say things in the moment that we don’t mean but for her to carry on this saga portrays a lack of perspective. A lack of perspective that other things are happening in the world at the moment that are much more important than a tennis match. As a squash player myself, I know that in a big tournament, it is hard to lose to somebody you are not expected to lose to but you have to put it into perspective. Surely, she would rather lose and not make a fool of herself than win and make a fool of herself. I know I definitely would. The money doesn’t matter: if nobody likes you in life, what is the point. If I were Williams now, I would be ashamed. I would be thinking all the good I have done may not all be remembered and some may not remember me for my tennis but for my bad actions. It will not go away quickly.
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