Williams’ tantrum stole spotlight from well-earned winner Osaka

Serena Williams wants to be treated like a male athlete. OK. I am here to oblige:

She cheated.

She threw a tantrum.

She lost.

Her antics ruined whatever joy Naomi Osaka was able to get from her well-earned victory.

Had enough?

That is how male athletes are ripped whenever they lose a championship and blame the officials while their coaches cheat in the process.

Tennis officials treat female players differently than male players. Tennis has long-standing issues with the way the sport is officiated. Officials should never determine the outcome of a match. Those wrongdoings should have been fixed years ago.

But this needed to be raised by Williams and her apologists before she lost Saturday at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center. To bring it up in defeat reeks of predetermined entitlement and poor sportspersonship.

SPEROS

It reminds me of a certain presidential election where one person was absolutely guaranteed to win. And when that person lost, she blamed everyone but herself.

Williams threw a tantrum? Well, athletes throw tantrums all the time. Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels argue like man and wife when the Patriots offense struggles. Then they kiss and make up.

She smashed her racket? David Ortiz killed a bullpen phone in 2013 with his bat and nearly beheaded Dustin Pedroia in the process. He got ejected for it.

“I’ve never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what’s right . ... I don’t cheat to win, I’d rather lose.” Williams said during one outburst.

Well, someone on her side cheated ... and she lost.

Williams’ comeback this past year has been inspirational. But titles are earned, not given. Just ask Tiger Woods.

And the injustices against Williams — real and imagined — existed before she took the court. Rules are rules. She knew the deal going in. As did her opponent. It’s hard to stay within the lane of logic crying “sexism” after losing an all-women’s final.

If in fact there was a double standard, Osaka was subject to it as much as Williams. But this 20-year-old had the maturity not to lose it while playing against the greatest tennis player ever. Not to mention the greatest athlete of all time not named Bo Jackson, Jim Thorpe, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Tom Brady.

And that’s the only thing we should be talking about.