«Breaking News» Serena's shame: Williams calls umpire a 'thief' in shocking US Open final meltdown

Serena Williams claimed she was the victim of sexism after her extraordinary meltdown and vicious tirade at umpire Carlos Ramos during her US Open final defeat by Naomi Osaka.

Osaka became the first ever Japanese Major singles champion after winning 6-2, 6-4 but the contest will be remembered for the total meltdown of her opponent, whose abuse of Ramos saw her – correctly – docked a game and flirt with disqualification.

Williams was furious when she was given a coaching violation early in the second set after a hand gesture from her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, telling Ramos she would rather lose than cheat. She was then docked a point for a second violation when she smashed her racket. Continuing her argument with Ramos at the next change of ends, Williams accused him of being a 'thief' for taking a point away from her.

Serena Williams (left) received a game penalty after calling the umpire 'a thief', which was deemed verbal abuse

Williams hits out after being handed a coaching violation and calls umpire 'a thief' for 'stealing' a point away from her

Williams lost her cool midway through the second set after two code violations that ultimately cost her a game

Ramos gave her a third violation, which resulted in a game penalty, putting Osaka 5-3 ahead. A tearful Williams argued her case with tournament officials but, although she held serve in the next game, Osaka served out the victory 6-2 6-4.

Asked in her press conference what she would have done differently in hindsight, Williams became increasingly emotional as she said: 'I can't sit here and say I wouldn't say he's a thief, because I thought he took a game from me.

'But I've seen other men call other umpires several things. I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff. 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". It blows my mind.

'I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that wants to express themselves, and wants to be a strong woman.

'They're going to be allowed to do that because of today. Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it's going to work out for the next person.'

Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, including four US Opens, was among those who jumped to back Williams as the sexism row escalated.

King said on Twitter: 'Several things went very wrong during the Women's Finals today.

'Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn't, and as a result, a player was penalized for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.'

'When a woman is emotional, she's "hysterical" and she's penalized for it. When a man does the same, he's "outspoken" and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.'

Williams also received a violation for breaking her racket on the court after serving double faults back to back

Williams threw her racket at the ground in anger before demanding the umpire apologise for insinuating she cheated

Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian open winner and former world No 1, was also supportive of Williams.

She tweeted: 'If it was men's match, this wouldn’t happen like this. It just wouldn’t'.   

However, former world No 1 Margaret Court was heavily critical of Williams.

As reported by The Australian, Court said: 'It's sad for the sport when a player tries to become bigger than the rules,' Court said. Because the young player (Osaka) out played her in the first set, I think pressure got her more than anything'.

Former British player and now BBC tennis commentator Andrew Castle believes that Williams' actions were indefensible.

He tweeted: 'Serena Williams was fined $175,000 after the 2009 US Open s/f meltdown v Clijsters. This will be hefty too. Not sure how any unbiased observer who knows the rules and history of tennis can look at what happened and defend Serena.'

Meanwhile, Mouratoglou admitted to ESPN that he had sent Williams a signal during the match - but claimed every coach does it.

Responding, Williams said: 'I literally just heard that too. I just texted Patrick because we don't have signals, we've never discussed signals. I want to clarify myself what he's talking about. I wasn't being coached.'

Naomi Osaka wins the US Open in straight sets after beating Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows

Osaka was left in tears for the wrong reasons after Williams stole the show with an angry outburst at the umpire

Osaka lowered her cap prior to post-match interviews as she cried with the crowd booing as Williams tried to console her

The row has completely overshadowed Osaka's maiden Grand Slam victory. Through all the chaos, the 20-year-old kept her nerve, and served it out with remarkable sangfroid despite the mayhem in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, she was left in tears as her triumph was met with a chorus of boos, even if not directed at her.

The whole incident had been reminiscent of Williams's loss of control on the same arena when she threatened to ram a ball down a line judge's throat in 2009.

It detracted from a magnificent performance from the American-raised Japanese player, and made for an embarrassing trophy handover, at which Williams was described as a 'role model'. Not in this particular case she wasn't.

Ramos, a highly experienced official, had little alternative, given the abuse that was being thrown his way from Williams, who also angrily pointed her finger at him. 

Williams had to ask the crowd to stop booing so that the 20-year-old Osaka could try to enjoy her first Grand Slam title

Osaka poses with her trophy after an emotional night for both her and Williams but in the end she was a deserving winner

'I don't cheat, I would rather lose,' she had initially said, constantly demanding an apology and also remonstrating that she had a daughter as if that was relevant. The thief accusations started coming at 2-3 down in the second as she started riding the violation escalator in earnest.

Boos rang out around the stadium – most seemingly in sympathy with her – as she brought gender into the argument, now remonstrating with tournament Referee Brian Earley, who she summoned to the court.

'You'll never sit on a court with me as long as you live!' was another threat to the umpire, who was only following long-established procedures.

Williams had herself broken for 3-1 in the second, firing herself up after Ramos spotted gesticulations from Mouratoglou.

He later embarrassed himself by blaming the umpire for wanting to get too involved, while his player embarked on a rant about sexism in her post-match press conference, despite admitting Ramos has been a 'great umpire' in her previous matches. 

Williams picks up her racket after venting her frustration with her serves and the way the game was going

Williams demands the umpire Carlos Ramos apologises for penalising her for 'cheating' following coaching violation

Williams' rant continued throughout the second set as she got more and more incensed with things going against her

Williams tries to explain her view to referee Brian Earley after umpire decideds to dock her a game for verbal abuse

Yet as more sane and knowledgeable voices within the game concurred via social media, she did not really have a leg to stand on.

Amid an increasingly febrile atmosphere Osaka was momentarily rocked when broken for 3-1 in the second set but her composure was admirable throughout.

Williams's behaviour is what the contest will be remembered for which is unfortunate for the world No 19, who was visibly upset on the podium after beating her childhood idol – even though she had just received a cheque for $3.8 million.

She had been nerveless from the start, and bravely held her nerve in a totally alien situation. History ought to record that she was a completely worthy winner.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF SERENA'S SENSATIONAL OUTBURST 

After being penalised for throwing her racket early in the second set:

'This is unbelievable. Every team I play here I have problems.

'I didn't get coaching, I didn't get coaching. I didn't get coaching. You need to make an announcement that I didn't get coaching. I don't cheat, I didn't get coaching. How can you say that?

'You owe me an apology. You owe me an apology. I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what is right for her and I've never cheated. You owe me an apology. 

After being broken to trail 4-3 in the second set:

'I never got coaching. I explained that to you and for you to attack my character then something is wrong. You're attacking my character. Yes you are. You owe me an apology.

'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. Then don't talk to me, don't talk to me. How dare you insinuate I was cheating? You stole a point from me. You're a thief too.'

After being docked a game:

'Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Because I said you were a thief? You stole a point from me. I'm not a cheater. I told you to apologise to me. Excuse me I need the referee, I don't agree with that.

With tournament referees:

'This is not right. INAUDIBLE. He said I was being coached but I was not being coached. That's not right. You know me. You know my character. This is not fair. This has happened to me too many times. This is not fair. To lose a game for saying that is not fair. Do you know how many men do things that are much worse than that? This is not fair.

'There are a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things and because they are a man it doesn't matter. This is unbelievable. No I don't know the risk because if I say a simple thing, a thief, because he stole a point from me.

'There are men out here that do a lot worse and because I'm a woman you're going to take this away from me. That is not right. And you know it and I know you can't admit it, but I know you know that is not right. I know you can't change it but I'm just saying that is not right.

'I get the rules but I'm just saying it's not right. It happens to me at this tournament every single year and it's not fair. That's all I have to say.

Post-match press conference: 

'I can't sit here and say I wouldn't say he's a thief, because I thought he took a game from me.

'But I've seen other men call other umpires several things. I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff. 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'. It blows my mind.

'I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that wants to express themselves, and wants to be a strong woman.

'They're going to be allowed to do that because of today. Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it's going to work out for the next person.'  

Osaka became the first person from Japan to win a Grand Slam after a great tournament on the east coast of America

Japanese starlet Osaka was winning the match before Williams' outburst after taking the first set 6-2 at Flushing Meadows

Osaka makes a return to Williams during the singles final match at Flushing Meadows

Osaka celebrates a point on her way to her first Grand Slam victory at 20 years old

Williams and Osaka go head-to-head at Flushing Meadows before things got heated

How Serena's furious confrontation with the US Open umpire unfolded

• Serena Williams was handed a code violation when her coach Patrick Mouratoglou appeared to make a gesture to her, in what the umpire said was off-court coaching.

• Serena told the umpire 'I don't cheat' before the game continued.

• A few games later Williams smashed a racket after losing a game to go 4-3 behind. This led to a second code violation and her opponent was given a point. Williams then went on a bizarre rant, in which she called umpire Carlos Ramos 'a thief': 'You are a liar. You will never be on a court of mine as long as you live. When are you going to give me my apology? Say you are sorry,’ she screamed. 

• This resulted in another code violation and her opponent, Naomi Osaka, was awarded a game. 

• Williams called for the tournament referee as she cried on court. No further action was taken and the referee left the court.

• Williams went on to lose the match 2-6, 4-6, and continued to stew on court during the prize ceremony to heckles from the crowd.   

• An on-court interviewer had to order the crowd to stop booing until Williams regained her composure. She then also called for the jeering to stop and congratulated her opponent.

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/09/serenas-shame-williams-calls-umpire-a-thief-in-shocking-us-open-final-meltdown/
Main photo article Serena Williams claimed she was the victim of sexism after her extraordinary meltdown and vicious tirade at umpire Carlos Ramos during her US Open final defeat by Naomi Osaka.
Osaka became the first ever Japanese Major singles champion after winning 6-2, 6-4 but the contest will be remembered...

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Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves Sport HienaLouca





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