Williams fined $10,000 for outburst at U.S. Open

I have always disliked the Williams sisters. Even more so now. Not sure why I dislike them. They just irk me.

At least John McEnroe would throw tantrums that were entertaining, and he would never deny saying anything. Maybe Serena and the line judge can have a beer with Obama to smooth things out...

I have always disliked the Williams sisters. Even more so now. Not sure why I dislike them. They just irk me.

Sounds like those folks in West Virginia who couldn't really explain why they don't like President Obama. Like him people are trying to find excuses to not like these ladies because they are the Best in Tennis despite not looking like the majority of the demographic that likes Tennis. Basicly they are hating on them. She was a little bit emotional so a monetary fine is justified but take away the match is uncalled for.

They never did that to John McEnroe and others who were equally outspoken a bout a bad call.

Actually I think I don't like the Williams sisters coz I always back the underdog.

Come on guys.........Lets put ourselves in her shoes.......i would have blew my top too if i was called to have foot faulted with the match the way it was. Don't know if i would have gone the "ball down the throat" speech but i sure would not have been happy. And who the heck knows what good ole Johnny Mc would have done in that same sitaution (Grand Slam semi / 1 set down / 2 points from losing)....I guess it wouldn't have been pretty. The heat of the moment i say. Bad sportsmanship my ar&e. Bad sportsmanship would have seen her pack up her bags without shaking Clijsters hand.

Williams is nothing but disgusting trash: How on earth could any kid look up to that? $10,000! She probably spends more on food each time she eats out at a restaurant! I say, 6 month ban...and then she must re-apply to play pro tennis again.

Ugly American.

@Bobbafett,

I never thought you were I wrote it to show you how somethings are perceived when type on here. Especially with explanation or when moderators edited and the original meaning is lost.

I didn't like McEnroe either but he and others have had countless tantrums worst than this and yet very little was done to them. Considering the sister are also tennis players, more likable than McEnroe and more talented. The only differences are gender and ethnicity. The people who are most opposed to them playing tennis fit a similiar demographic. The same demographic who will support the other opponent even if the spectator is American and Williams opponent is not. Usually that opponent is similar to the spectator in demographics.

Actually I think I don't like the Williams sisters coz I always back the >underdog.

Not really sure? Not liking someone because they are really good doesn't make sense. Why train really hard to be good at anything then?

@Bobbafett,

You never hear many folks saying they don't like Michael Phelps because he is winning too much or they like the underdog. See my point? You do also hear it about Tiger Woods etc....

Not liking someone because they are really good doesn't make sense. Why train really hard to be good at anything then?

again an over dramatic take on things. you tell me what made a nicer story. Kim coming back and winning on a wild card ticket or one of the Williams sisters picks up another boring victory?

So I support the underdog in sports events. I love big upsets and nice stories rather than predictable dull outcomes.

I also agree with Altria so that makes it even more satisfying.

of the two of the sisters, Venus seems to be more self-possessed.

She is a strong girl. She could have easily made a simple error and beamed the line judge with a freekin hard serve.

It appears the lineswoman who made the call was a Japanese national, and this is getting some play in the vernacular media.

http://www.asahi.com/sports/update/0914/TKY200909140089.html

The lineswoman was wrong to call a ticky-tacky foot-fault at a climactic part of the match. It's like calling a ticky-tacky foul in basketball at a last-second buzzer shot. Officials shouldn't decide the outcome of a match.

However, what Serena did was even more wrong. Her first tirade was bad enough, but the second tirade after she was already getting ready to serve was just too much. She was already given a warning earlier for breaking her racket, so a second warning meant losing a point - it just so happened it was match point.

The $10k fine is the maximum on-court fine under WTA policy, but that will likely be increased later for action detrimental to the sport. A ban is not likely as that's pretty rare, usually reserved for cheating or using performance enhancers.

John McEnroe had thrown much more fits before, but I don't recall him ever being straight-out defaulted for it.

Anyways, tomorrow, Roger Federer will win another Grand Slam.

John McEnroe had thrown much more fits before, but I don't recall him ever being straight-out defaulted for it.

Actually, SuperBrat was defaulted out of the Aussie Open, 1991(?) from memory. Basically the umpire had had enough of his threats and tantrums. These overpaid brats lacking class set an appalling example.

Thank God for Federer and the demenour he shows at all times. The guy is all class. I am looking forward to the champ winning yet another one tomorrow!

Serana acted stupidly.i guess we also need a Sports Czar.

BurakuminDes,

But people wouldn't like it. Federer is far from an underdog. It's like rooting for Sampras.

I hate when celebrity enters sports.

“In my opinion, you can’t call a foot fault there. Just out of question. Can’t do it. It was so close. Not as if it was an obvious foot fault—it was minuscule,” TV commentator John McEnroe said.

Thats crap, you are allowed to break the rules at top level? Total BS from this guy.

@Bobbafett

Again, why hate someone for training to make themselves the best athlete possible? Why dislike them because those around haven't pushed themselves to step their game up.

That's like she should be mediocre because everyone else is. You should be mad at the others for not improving.

Again I don't see people complaining or hating on Michael Phelps?

Heh, I can imagine a Japanese lines person calling this foot fault.

Rules are rules, learn to serve properly Serena!

I'd have never known there was a little tennis game going on if this hadn't happened. They should be paying her for the publicity. It is entertainment after all, sportsmanship doesn't make any money.

lol^^^ "typical Japanese" right? Actually sportscenter said after review it wasn't even a foul. She never touched the line. In my book a foul is a foul. If she toed the line call it. Whether it's matchpoint or opening point. But Serena simply lost it. Happens to the best of em. Fine her and move on.

Again I don't see people complaining or hating on Michael Phelps?

The Williams sisters lack humility and are ungracious in defeat even with each other. Thats why people hate them. They are arrogant, have chips on their shoulders, and have very bad attitudes when losing.

Moderator: Phelps and other athletes are not relevant to this discussion.

Super Brat had some tantrums, but I dont recall him threatening and abusing the officials in such a manner, "Are you blind?" and his all time classic "You cant not be serious?" are tame compared to the threatening to either kill and/or stuff a ball down the throat.

She can be fined post tournament after an inquiry $250,000 or her prize money which ever is greater. I would like to see her lose the full $350,000 and slap a suspension from the tour. Make it so the fine s to be paid to a charity. A DV group would be worthy.

This is nothing racial, no one - black, white, brown or olive, can be allowed to behave so disgustingly in a major televised sporting event, a supposed "role model" too no less.

The lines person shouldn't have called the foot fault?? Why not? first set or final set, a foot fault is a foot fault! The official may have made an error, but nonetheless she didn't have a dozen replays in slow mo to dissect it, she saw it once and did the best job she could at the time. Officials must be fair, impartial and play to the letter of the rules, whether it be Tennis, Baseball, Cricket Football whatever. Serena shouldn't have been so close the line in the first place, let alone what followed. This is absolutely 100% on Serena Williams.

She has made the bed now let her lie in it. I have zero sympathy for her.

No class - whatsoever.

She is supposed to be a professional! How come she gets away with a mere $10,000 dollar fine? That's NOTHING for her.

Curious which people hate the Williams. Williams'actions were downright disrespectful,but she was worse than my favorite player Johnny Mac ? Leave the closet, color issues when pretending to be objective,out of it.

gogogo,

You're calling John McEnroe a celebrity who enters sports? Do you know who John McEnroe is (regardless of what you think of his tantrums)?

And yes, people, rules are "bent" depending on the situation. I play the sports. Nobody calls ticky-tacky fouls at the end of a close basketball game. (Note the keyword ticky-tacky meaning not clear, could go either way.) If it's not a clear foul, the officials just let it go because officials do not like to be the deciding factor of the outcome of a game - they'd rather let the players play and decide the game on the court. If it's a clear foul, call it - if not, just let it go.

And yes, it was a ticky-tacky foot-fault on Serena. It was not a clear foot-fault. It could've gone either way. The lineswoman should had just let it go. Let the players decide it on the court. That's just the way the game is played. Everybody who plays the sports understands that.

But still, what Serena did afterwards was more wrong.

Same thing with baseball BTW. A questionable hit/questionable error will always be scored an error in the middle of a no-hitter bid. It must be a clean hit to break up a no-hitter.

gogogo- Show me one person who enjoyed watching the match end that way. Not only did that nerd of a line judge miss the call, she in effect made the match about her. Real sportsfans know that umps, refs, et al put the whistle away on borderline calls when important games are on the line.

What people fail to see here is that tennis is not boxing or wrestling or football, it is still supposed to be a gentleman/lady's sport. That is, it is not enough to play well, one still has to BEHAVE on the court in order to win.

Pete Sampras was always very polite and accepting decisions without complaining. A long silent look from him at the umpire meant 1000 times more than the screams of a hysteric Williams, and umpires usually got it immediately.

You can challenge line calls....why can't you challenge foot faults and head to the big screen with a camera angle of your feet?????

The chairman and CEO of the women’s tennis tour, Stacey Allaster, issued a statement calling Williams’ conduct “inappropriate and unprofessional.”

The conduct of the line judge was also inappropriate and unprofessional. That was an unprecedented bad call. Way over the top. No wonder Serena was upset. Looks like the match was fixed. What a disgrace. And now they will divert attention to Serena's tantrum. But they're not fooling everyone with this.

ratpack,

The Hawk-Eye challenge system only follows the track of the ball, not the track shoes.

Cicada,

There's no fix. Nobody in the sport even credits that.

The Williams sisters are usually known for decorum on the court (off the court, they can be prone to gamesmanship and issues, but on the court, they're well-behaved) - they hardly argue line calls, they hardly even use the Hawk-Eye system, etc. That's why this extraordinary outburst was a surprise to many. Even when the lineswoman was wrong to call a ticky-tacky foot-fault in that situation, 2 wrongs do not make a right.

A substantial fine later on Serena is expected. A ban though is rare for non-betting and non-PED and thus unexpected. Plus kinda counterintuitive: the WTA imposed new rules to require top players to play more tournaments to draw in more crowds, while the Williams sisters already prefer to play less. A ban would just suit Serena's preference and would not be welcomed by tournaments losing one of their main draws.

Anyways, Serena issued another apology, this time particularly to the lineswoman. We'll see how this affects her status as the season winds down.

lostrune2

There's no fix. Nobody in the sport even credits that.

Oh, well golly, that is solid proof that the match was not fixed. Maybe the line judge decided on her own to make an outrageous unprecedented horrific call that would put Serena at a big disadvantage and very likely upset her.

Serena issued another apology, this time particularly to the lineswoman.

Wonderful, but the lineswoman owes everyone an apology too, and should publicly urge that Serena not be punished. For, as you say, 2 wrongs do not make a right. Let her admit clearly that she was wrong too.

Looking at the video, we see Serena angrily using profanity. Big deal. Frankly, tennis could use a little more on-court excitement like that. Those judges are too pompous and smug. How pathetic the way the lineswoman ran over to the referee like that, bawling about a temper tantrum directed at her when she well deserved the harsh words.

Frankly, tennis could use a little more on-court excitement like that

This did happened many years ago (just look at Ilie Nastase ;) ) - but that guy when he was not The Genius he was The Clown - everybody expected something from him, and I think he launched the "demonstrative, for entertainment only" tennis games. Incidentally, he seldom got punished (more than making him pay fines) for what he was doing but he never behaved with the arrogance shown by Williams here...

ebisen:

but he never behaved with the arrogance shown by Williams here...

I did not think she was arrogant at all. The line judge struck me as an arrogant and cowardly too, the way she ran to the referee with her cock and bull story, how supposedly Serena was threatening her.

Sure, Serena was angry, but who wouldn't be after such an extraordinarily "incompetent" call at a crucial point in an important match. Even so, she looked quite cute waving that racket around and clenching the ball.

Watching replays you can easily see, as was reported in the end, that it was not a foul at all, and a very bad call. All the same, Williams was WAY out of line with some of the comments she made, and isn't there even talk of threats to the linesperson?

I don't usually agree with bobbafett, but I do here. The Williams sisters behave like spoiled brats on a lot of occasions, and give off an air of pompousness that is undeserved.

biglittleman: Aside from what I just mentioned as being reason enough, why do you insist that you MUST like someone because they try hard? Some people just don't like some other people -- or said people just get on said other people's nerves. There is in many cases no rhyme or reason to it, even if there SHOULD be.

@smithinjapan

biglittleman: Aside from what I just mentioned as being reason enough, why do you insist that you MUST like someone because they try hard? Some people just don't like some other people -- or said people just get on said other people's nerves. There is in many cases no rhyme or reason to it, even if there SHOULD be.

No where in any of my writing have I said you must like someone because thy try hard. You are putting words in my mouth. I have raised the question of why would you hate someone because they are trying to be the best at their job. Because the general excuse for most of her opposition is she just too good so I hate her. Same thing with Tiger. The logic doesn't make sense. Because as I have pointed out several times before there are other athletes who dominate like her and makes mistakes like her but don't receive any such criticism. The only difference usually is ethnic background. Which supports my reason there is more too it than meets the eye.

There is always a reason for something. There is no EFFECT without a CAUSE. The tricky part is truly understanding what it is.

smithinjapan:

and isn't there even talk of threats to the linesperson?

You're just repeating the nonsense spread by bigoted tennis people who think people like Serena should "know their place". There was no threat whatsoever, and yet that gets repeated over and over.

This is all the more reason to think that the outrageous call was made as a last resort, in order to ensure that Serena could not win.

The line judge was desperately looking for something and she had to resort to this unprecedentedly incompetent call.

Watching replays you can easily see, as was reported in the end, that it was not a foul at all, and a very bad call.

Yes, we can easily see.