Serena rages on Osaka’s parade
Serena Williams thought she was treated more harshly by the chair umpire in the US Open final than a man would have been.
Williams was cited by official Carlos Ramos for three code violations during her 6-2 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in New York yesterday day: for getting coaching signals; for breaking her racket, which cost her a point; and for calling the chair umpire a thief, which cost her a game.
‘‘I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things. I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff. For me to say ‘thief’, and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief’,’’ Williams said. ‘‘For me, it blows my mind,’’ Williams said. ‘‘But I’m going to continue to fight for women.’’
Earlier, as Williams pleaded her case on court with tournament referee Brian Earley, calling the penalties unfair, she said: ‘‘Because you’re a woman, you’re going to take this away from me?’’
‘‘There’s a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things,’’ Williams said, ‘‘and because they are men, that doesn’t happen.’’
Two-time Australian Open champion and two-time US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka backed up Williams’ stance, writing on Twitter: ‘‘If it was a men’s match, this wouldn’t happen like this. It just wouldn’t.’’
There have been a series of recent happenings that illustrate the ways in which tennis does do things differently for men and women.
Just before the US Open, the French tennis federation president said that the black catsuit
worn this year by Williams at the French Open would not be allowed at that tournament in the future. During the US Open Alize Cornet, was incorrectly admonished by a chair umpire for changing her shirt during a match, which is allowed – and which men do all the time.
‘‘I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that want to express themselves, and want to be a strong woman. They’re going to be allowed to do that because of today,’’ Williams said. ‘‘Maybe it didn’t work out for me but it’s going to work out for the next person.’’
Williams’ coach said Ramos should have used better psychology instead of creating drama, because you ‘‘don’t screw a grand slam final’’.
Patrick Mouratoglou acknowledged coaching during the match but that ‘‘in 99 percent of the cases, he would have told Serena, ‘I’ve seen your coach do a movement, tell him to stop, otherwise you’ll have a warning’. I don’t understand why he didn’t do that, where all the other chair umpires do this all year long, including him’’.
The Women’s Tennis Association will look into the dispute between Williams and Ramos.
"There’s a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things, and because they are men , that doesn’t happen."
Serena Williams