Serena Williams Freaks Out at US Open
September 13, 2009 by Jeanne Dupuis
Filed under Tennis
Defending U.S. Open champion, Serena Williams, will not be in the finals this year after losing to Kim Clijsters in the semifinals. As has been the case with many of her most recent battles, Williams seemed to just come unglued out on the court.
image: Zuma Press
Things actually got nasty after a line judge called her for a foot fault. Williams disagreed with the judge and then proceeded to basically freak out on him. She wasn’t willing to take her abuse and promptly complained to the chair umpire and supervisor about her behavior which resulted in Clijsters being awarded the next point since Williams was docked for unsportsmanlike conduct. Unfortunately, that point was the winning one and Clijsters won the match 6-4, 7-5.
“I haven’t really thought if I have any regrets,” Williams said. “I try not to live my life saying, ‘I wish, I wish,’ but I was out there and I tried and I did my best. I was totally fine because I realize at that time I got a point penalty and it was match point. What am I going to do, complain? It is what it is.”
Kim Clijsters will face Caroline Wozniacki in the final. The winner will pocket $1.6 million.
That was by far the worst show by a “professional athlete” I have ever seen. She is a disgrace to a sport that has a great history of role models. I felt so bad for that linesman, she was just doing her job. Totally ashamed to say I liked Serena before!!!
I was just going to update this post, though, to say that the call was determined to be a bad one which is certainly interesting considering the fact that this match was tied up and it was the semifinals. I don’t think Williams should have gone off the rails like that but, then again, I’m not sure what I would have done in that situation. It was a bad call at the end of a very important match.
A bad call? You know I just want to say a couple of things. These sisters have never gotten the recognition from their own country that they truly deserve. Venus and Serena are gentle giants with a fierceness on the court un-matched.
They rarely ever complain….rarely ever and the one time one of these young ladies has a meltdown she’s labeled a disgrace.
I haven’t heard anyone yet say “that’s certainly out of character for her”…”she’s normally not confrontational with the judges”….
Her she is playing in a country that’s hosting the tournament and (even prior to this spectacle – and indeed it was) the crowd WAS CHEERING FOR THE OTHER PLAYER.
Give the girl a break!