<p>Can I move this discussion to Federer’s between the legs shot? wow! Does he have eyes in the back of his head or what?</p>
<p>justamom, foootage I saw and commentary I heard indicate it wasn’t a foot fault.</p>
<p>Despite being totally irrelevant to the BEHAVIOR exhibited by Serena, numerous replays DO indicate that there was a foot fault. While there was a question if players and spectators ever expect a line judge to call afot fault at such important part of the match, it remains that the officials need to call what they SEE. </p>
<p>However, even if the line judge HAD made a mistake, there are NO words that could excuse the behavior of Serena William, who continues to easily the least sportmanslike professional in tennis. </p>
<p>Indicative of her attitude is the statement she released TODAY. From [Serena</a> Williams fined $10,500 for rant at U.S. Open - Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com](<a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1232135.html]Serena”>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1232135.html)</p>
<p>
As usual it all about ... her own persona. Here we have again an explanation, an excuse, and a request for ... understanding. Where is the hint of an apology?
To "grow for the experience, she should perhaps start with a simple. "I was so wrong and I am truly sorry for my behavior."
At least, some commentators have it right:
[quote] CBS commentator Mary Carillo believes Williams should be suspended from Monday's doubles final. Williams and her sister, Venus, are scheduled to play Cara Black and Liesl Huber.
That woman [the line judge] was threatened and humiliated, and I think it's important that the sport make a concerted effort to say this is not allowed in our sport,'' Carillo said.Otherwise you're saying what she did -- threatening a linesperson and cussing her out repeatedly -- are without our rules.
``If they let her play doubles, that's really a joke. She should be out. How can you let her play?''
Added ESPN reporter Pam Shriver: Every one of us loses control of our emotions during our careers and do things we regret. But after a night of sleep, I think it's really important for Serena to offer an appropriate and complete apology.'' Shriver agreed the foot fault came at anawful'' time, but ``It's ultimately the responsibility of the athlete to remain in control.''
She and Patrick McEnroe agreed that Williams probably would have been tossed from the match no matter what point in the match the offense occurred. ``It's what she said, and the manner in which she said it,'' Shriver said.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Of course, why would Serena ever change her usual behavior? All she gets is a paltry slap on the wrist in the form of a $10,000.00 fine, when she will esily make about $500,000 this week. Combined with the knowledge that there were will be plenty of people looking for an excuse, or even blaming it on poor officiating, she will simply move on. </p>
<p>Truly pathetic but entirely expected.</p>
<p>Agreed that foot fault or not, there is no excuse for her behavior, but what are the stated rules for such misconduct in tennis? She already got kicked out of her singles match because of the point penalty, but her doubles match is a separate issue. Why penalize her partner? Unless there’s a stated policy on this, I don’t see why they should carry one event’s actions on to another.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with most of you. I don’t find her language or threats any worse than what McEnroe did, and he did it all the time!!! I remember everybody used to always chuckle a bit, “Oh, did you see McEnroe go OFF on that judge?” It was constant! Serena has a meltdown that she obviously felt strongly that she was correct…and we all think it was unbecoming, and she should issue an apology? Seems like a double standard here.</p>
<p>“John, you really should apologize for your boorish behavior.”</p>
<p>“sdlfkjsdlkfjlsdkjflskdjlfkj **** off!!!”</p>
<p>Yeah, I can see that happening.</p>
<p>Actually McEnroe has been ejected from matches for misconduct more than once, after the current Code of Violations was enacted.</p>
<p>It looks to me like the US Open recovered with Kim winning and her daughter stealing the show afterwards. Some nice pictures of the family at the news sites.</p>
<p>We’ve still got the doubles matches to go. So far sounds like Venus and Serena will be allowed to play together.</p>
<p>So happy to see two positive role models play last night. Kim was precious with her daughter and Caroline won lots of fans with her gracious attitude.</p>
<p>I have respected Mary Carillo’s match analysis for a number of years, but I am really liking this woman now for her willingness to take a strong stand on Serena’s behavior and to call for maximum penalties. She has been a big supporter of Serena based on her abilities through the years, but I love that she recognizes that behavior is just as important. In fact, I appreciate all the commentators who are calling Serena out for her statement that fails to apologize for her behavior. I hope her sponsors will call her out on this as well and perhaps we’ll see her book on the sale table at the bookstore a little sooner now!</p>
<p>I think Serena’s behavior was absolutely inappropriate and that she deserved to be fined. I also think that much of McEnroe’s behavior over the course of his career, and which extended to matches as recently as a couple of years ago, was also inappropriate. I don’t recall the outcry against McEnroe. I think it was particularly ironic that through all of Mary Carillo’s comments, McEnroe was sitting there silently next to her.</p>
<p>I think by the USTA saying that they’re “still reviewing” the incident, they’re allowing the doubles match to go on (to avoid additional controversy), so they can still suspend Serena after the US Open is over. Altho as one of the commentators said, Serena plays few of the non-majors, so what would a suspension mean?</p>
<p>I remember McEnroe’s outbursts. A regular event. Totally inappropriate. He deserved every point penalty and default he got. BUT, I really do think Serena’s outburst was different. John berated the umpires (with obsenities thown in) …Serena not only berated but physically threatened the poor women. With her words AND her behavior…my goodnesss…I would be terrified to have that women raising her racket at me with those words.<br>
I understand that the incident will get further review and she may get suspended and up to a $250,000 fine. The suspension won’t mean much practically, but I support it.
Kim was terrific last night. Both women on the court seemed like good role models. Chris Fowler said " sometimes the nice one DOES finish first."</p>
<p>I agree with toneranger. Yes, McEnroe was offensive and he paid the price many times (along with Jimmy Connors) BUT I felt Serena’s outburst was far worse in that she threatened physical injury to the line judge and seemed to be moving, in an intimidating/threatening manner, toward the judge. (Whether she would ever do anything physical or not is irrelevant.) I don’t recall McEnroe or Connors ever doing that.</p>
<p>If I was that line judge, I would have run far, far away.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>McEnroe never physically threatened violence on an official, much less a linesman whose decisions can be theoretically intimidated into changing to benefit a player.</p>
<p>I recall a story of McEnroe spitting at a woman in the audience - her boyfriend then decked him.</p>
<p>Moving to a more positive note, these pictures of Kim and her daughter are priceless:</p>
<p>[Photo</a> Gallery - Yahoo! Sports](<a href=“Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos”>Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos)</p>
<p>thanks scualum. I tuned in but it appears they didn’t they show the ceremony last night :(</p>
<p>One of the commentators voiced that Serena was signed up for additional tournaments in hopes of returning to the #1 ranking. I hope they will consider suspension as much as an additional fine to prevent this from happening.</p>
<p>Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki - not only great tennis players, but classy ambassadors for their countries and women’s tennis as a whole. Kim has always been a respected pro, but I was pleasantly surprised with the calm demeanor and poise of the 19-year old. She showed class and grace in both victory (esp. the one over Oudin) and in defeat. </p>
<p>on a side note: I wonder if there will be corporate sponsors who in the next few days might pull their ads/endorsements of Serena in light of this recent incident.</p>
<p>American women’s (and men’s) tennis has been pretty dry outside of the Williams sisters in this century. Serena did win Wimbledon and was an invited guest of the President and his family recently. </p>
<p>What matters in sponsorships?</p>
<p>Wozniaki replaced Maria Kirilenko for the Stella McCartney line of clothes this year. The reason given? Tournament performance. Role Model or not, Serena is the best US player on the Women’s tour. Suspending her only hurts the WTA.</p>
<p>I don’t recall McEnroe or Connors losing sponsorships over outbursts. In fact what they did was actually good for tennis, both in terms of publicity and for turning what used to be a staid sport into something that the fans could get into. Connors was as much a showman as he was a performer in his final US Open and the New York fans ate it up.</p>