The U.S. Open women’s final was a hell of a match, while it was played. Naomi Osaka came out firing, taking the first set 6-2. Then, after receiving a coaching violation warning in the second set and registering her complaint with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, Serena came to life, and both women traded breaks.
Serena vented her frustration on her racket, but as that was her second violation, she lost a point heading into the next game:
Serena lost that game, and the discussion bled over to the changeover, and Serena called Ramos a thief.
That was Serena’s third violation, meaning she was assessed a game penalty, in the final of a Grand Slam. It put Serena down 5-3, and after a lengthy discussion with tournament officials, Serena continued to play. She held her serve, but it still meant she was down 5-4, and Osaka did what she’d done for most of the match: hit expertly placed serves.
Serena’s point with tournament officials was that men get away with a lot more in terms of what they can say to an umpire without repercussions, and she’s definitely right. There’s also the point that Ramos could have understood the moment, and the emotion involved from the players, and been a bit tougher than to lean down to his microphone and essentially guarantee Serena’s defeat with the verbal abuse penalty given the relative lack of severity of Serena’s comments.
Most blameless: Naomi Osaka, who played phenomenal tennis in what amounted to a hostile road environment; multiple times she aced Serena beautifully to essentially zero applause. Tom Rinaldi was booed for opening the trophy celebration:
To her endless credit, Serena didn’t even bother with Tom Rinaldi’s on-court question, instead taking the moment to congratulate Osaka on her play, and to implore the crowd to be positive and give Osaka the credit she deserved.
Osaka as well clearly felt uncomfortable winning the way she did, also blowing off Rinaldi’s opening question a:
What a weird, unfortunate way for the U.S. Open to end.
Serena the professional victim
This is a stupid rule. The only sport where a player can get penalized for the actions of someone off the court. I mean what is the harm if you have a coach on the court
Or, you know, you could follow the rule
Ahh. But she thinks she above the law!
it’s absolutely a stupid rule, but it’s still a rule.
Not the first time she’s pulled one of these when she gets spanked and about to lose. Remember the 2009 and 2011 embarrassment.
This Umpire was an ASS to her all day to call her coach on that simple of an infraction is chicken shit and to call her out for verbal abuse what a soft jackass it is the final of the US Open have a better umpire who is not all about them selves ump that match.
Yeah, its all the Ump’s fault, NOT! Unbeleivable how so many PC folks are removed from reality.
I am not a Williams fan as a person I dislike her as much as I dislike LeBron James as a person, but this UMP was way in the wrong and all the stupid UMPS that are calling out the WTA because they will not come to the aid of them just shows we a have a real problem. it is like the umps in MLB that think every thing is all about them. They are not the show. do not be so quick to call out a top player in the biggest match because you want it to be about you. I am not PC. I hate that people on either side make swinging accusations based on nothing I just think this UMP is soft and wanted it all about him
Serena does not deserve “endless credit” for trying to turn around the booing during the trophy ceremony. That was damage control, first and foremost.
I am amazed that this has been turned into a story about gender and race, rather than the actual issue, sportsmanship. Osaka was basically left in a position where she more or less apologized for winning. And Serena Williams is a victim?
No, she’s a poor sport when things don’t go her way, and not for the first time.
Could the chair official have ejected Serena’s coach?
Cheaters almost always get mad when they get caught.