Why Serena made a racket

I HAVE a theory about why Serena Williams lost it so comprehensively with the umpire during the women’s final of the U.S. Open — and it has nothing to do with feminism or civil rights and everything to do with the fact that she has a one-year-old child. When my daughter was that age, I was as mad as a box of frogs, too, struggling to balance work and motherhood and experiencing levels of exhaustion I had hitherto never even imagined. But at least I wasn’t also trying to win a major tennis tournament.

I’m no expert, but I’d say Williams has the look of a woman on the verge about her. She has already spoken about struggling with ‘postpartum emotions’. Those close to her need to watch that it doesn’t turn into something more sinister.