Tennis player's tantrum reflects society changes
Serena Williams, the greatest women's tennis player of all time, played Naomi Osaka for the 2018 women's U.S. Open championship. During the match, Williams was warned for receiving coaching. Williams immediately turned on the chair umpire, stating that she didn't need to cheat to win.
Commentator and former champion Chris Evert said Williams was coached and won several points from receiving the coaching.
At the end of the match Williams' coach admitted to coaching, stating others do it.
Later in the match, Williams destroyed her racket in a fit of rage related to dissatisfaction in her performance and received an automatic point deduction penalty. Williams went on the attack again, railing the chair umpire, pointing her finger and calling him a "liar" and "thief," claiming he stole a point from her, and demanded an apology. As the umpire tried to speak to Williams she ordered him not to speak to her. It's obviously not just what Williams says, but the threatening way she says it. She was then penalized a game by the chair umpire.
Williams wasn't finished. She called for tournament officials to come out where she continued with her arguments, stating how unfairly she was being treated, claiming sexism because male players are treated differently, and continuing to disparage the chair umpire.
Williams would lose the match due to her inability to control her own emotions and simply was outplayed by Naomi Osaka, as was noted by Chris Evert and Patrick McEnroe.
Sadly, what was seen was a 36-year-old women's tennis champion throwing a tantrum because she was angry at her own level of play, taking that anger out on the chair umpire. There was no evidence that the umpire was biased and the penalties were fair and part of the rules. It has also been said that the umpire has called others on coaching in the past.
It's clear that Williams should sincerely apologize to the chair umpire.
The trophy presentation was miserable to view because Osaka didn't get to enjoy her accomplishment. Instead of celebrating the moment, the 20-year-old was in tears after having the most important moment of her career stolen away. To use Williams' words, "So unfair!"
Many excuses have been offered up for Serena Williams' behavior. The one that stands out the most was she is fighting against sexism for women players. A worthy cause, but at the wrong time. This was a huge failure on Serena Williams' part. However, the most rational thing that may come out of this situation is either changing the coaching rule or fairly enforcing it.
As a society, have we become so indifferent to inexcusable behavior that we applaud it and boo those who are charged with upholding the rules?
Perhaps as a nation we need to step back and re-evaluate our ideals and convictions.
We need to reject the ideology that anything is acceptable and there are no rules for behavior.
Terry Stewart
Springdale
NW News on 09/19/2018