[ad_1]
Elsa/Getty Images
Serena Williams didn’t take kindly to a rules violation in Saturday’s 2018 U.S. Open women’s singles final against Naomi Osaka at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York.
In the second set, chair umpire Carlos Ramos assessed Williams with a violation after he said she received illegal coaching from her players’ box. The 23-time Grand Slam champion didn’t agree with the call.
“I don’t cheat to win, I’d rather lose,” she said, per the New York Times‘ Ben Rothenberg. “I’m just letting you know.”
During the broadcast, ESPN analyst Chris Evert said she believed Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, was instructing her to get to the net with more frequency (h/t SportsNet New York’s Adam Zagoria). ThinkProgress’ Lindsay Gibbs also thought the violation was warranted:
Lindsay Gibbs @linzsports
(Okay, we all know that Patrick *was* illegally coaching, right? Serena didn’t need it, I have no doubt, and don’t blame her, but also it was a totally understandable call.)
The violation again became an issue later in the set. Williams slammed her racket on the court after losing serve in the fifth game. As a result of the racket smash, the chair umpire awarded Osaka the first point of the sixth game.
Williams again directed her ire toward the umpire for the ruling and told Ramos he owed her an apology, saying she didn’t receive coaching from Mouratoglou. Things escalated further from there, with Williams exchanging more words with Ramos, per the Guardian‘s Bryan Armen Graham:
Bryan Armen Graham @BryanAGraham
Serena to chair umpire: “You will never, ever, ever be on another court of mine as long as you live. You are the liar. When are you going to give me my apology? You owe me an apology. Say it. Say you’re sorry.”
Ramos then served Williams with a game penalty after Williams called him a “thief,” per SI Tennis. ESPN shared the full discussion between Williams and Ramos:
ESPN @espn
“You owe me an apology!”
Serena was fired up with the official in the final set of the US Open final. https://t.co/r6RSbrirnV
As a result of Ramos’ decision, Osaka was awarded the eighth game, giving her a 5-3 lead in the second set.
Jill Martin @ByJillMartin
This answer by Serena Williams speaks volumes. I too was thinking about what had happened to Alize Cornet after this match. She wasn’t fined, but that was controversial, too. https://t.co/63Puj0unL1
Williams held serve to stay alive in the ninth game, but Osaka eventually took the set 6-4 to win her first Grand Slam title.
[ad_2]
Source link