Serena’s US Open final meltdown: Who’s saying what on Twitter
Serena Williams, right, talks with referee Brian Earley during the women’s final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament against Naomi Osaka, of Japan. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Serena’s US Open final meltdown: Who’s saying what on Twitter after Naomi Osaka defeated the American in a stormy final on Saturday:
Thank you @serenawilliams total class at the speech and you truly are the goat.
— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) September 8, 2018
If it was men’s match, this wouldn’t happen like this.
It just wouldn’t— victoria azarenka (@vika7) September 8, 2018
The star of the show has been once again the chair umpire. Second time in this US Open and third time for Serena in a US Open Final. Should they be allowed have an influence on the result of a match ? When do we decide that this should never happen again ?
— PMo (@pmouratoglou) September 8, 2018
.@espn just showed Serena and coach while he was “coaching”. She wasn’t even looking. Believe what you want.
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) September 8, 2018
Congratulations on winning the 2018 @usopen, @naomi_osaka_. This win is just the beginning of a bright future. Tennis is in an exciting place right now with players like you. #Champion #usopen
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 8, 2018
Serena is a champion& doesn’t deserve it- the same way that Naomi is a champion & doesn’t deserve this atmosphere for her first GS title!
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) September 8, 2018
I also agree with what Patrick said that pretty much all players receive coaching on court. The first warning for me is the most questionable one. Also hard that coaching at WTAs and qualies of slams is okay but not MD slams
— Liam Broady (@Liambroady) September 8, 2018
Serena Williams insisted she was not cheating in the US Open final on Saturday before accusing the sport which has made her a global icon and multi-millionaire of sexism.
Naomi Osaka won the final 6-2, 6-4 to become Japan’s first ever Grand Slam singles champion and delay Williams’s bid for a record-equalling 24th major title.
However, the final was overshadowed by the American’s angry and tear-filled tirade in the second set.
It has already been dubbed ‘The Mother of all Meltdowns’ by the New York Daily Post.
The 36-year-old was handed a code violation for coaching, a penalty point for racquet abuse and a game penalty for calling umpire Carlos Ramos a “liar and a thief” and insisting “you owe me an apology”.
“He alleged that I was cheating, and I wasn’t cheating,” Williams told reporters later.
“I don’t use on-court coaching (where it’s allowed at WTA tour events).
“One thing I love about tennis is being out there. It’s the one time I don’t want to hear anyone tell me anything. You have to figure out. You have to problem-solve.”
Williams said that her coach Patrick Mouratoglou had not been coaching her even though the Frenchman told ESPN that he had and that all coaches do it.
“I just texted Patrick, like, What is he talking about? Because we don’t have signals. We have never discussed signals,” said Williams.
Williams said the incident strengthened her belief that women players are treated differently to their male counterparts in the sport.
“I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things. I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality,” she claimed.
“For me to say ‘thief’ and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark.
“He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief’. For me it blows my mind. But I’m going to continue to fight for women.”
Williams made reference to the incident last week when French player Alize Cornet was warned for removing her shirt on court during a heatwave.
Cornet was accused of “unsportsmanlike behavior” before tournament chiefs apologized, admitting the umpire made the wrong decision. (Agence France-Press)
Tags: Billie Jean King, Kristina Mladenovic, Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams, US Open final
