Embattled Ramos ‘good’ despite US Open controversy

UMPIRE Carlos Ramos has made his first public statement since the US Open, saying he was “good” despite the firestorm of controversy that followed his officiating of last weekend’s women’s final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka.

The 47-year-old Portuguese handed out three code violations to runner-up Williams on Saturday, prompting a heated on-court argument with the 23-times Grand Slam champion and sparking a debate about sexism in tennis.

“I am good, under the circumstances,” Ramos was quoted as saying in Portugal’s Tribuna Expresso.

“It’s an unhappy situation but a la carte refereeing doesn’t exist. Don’t you worry about me!”

Ramos, who told the newspaper that he had avoided walking the streets of New York on Sunday to avoid any “complicated situations”, confirmed he would be back in the chair tomorrow in Zadar, Croatia.

Ramos was unable to defend himself in public in New York as the row escalated over the weekend as ITF rules prevent umpires from commenting on their matches.

The incident sparked another social media storm on Monday when a cartoon was published in an Australian newspaper depicting Williams with exaggerated features, which civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson among others described as “racist”.

The Herald Sun, owned by News Corp, defied allegations of racism yesterday when it reprinted the cartoon on its front page, attempting to portray the controversy as a matter of freedom of speech. – Reuters