For the life of me, I have no clue why people are selectively omitting the part where Williams has a history of outbursts like these when a match isn’t going her way. Based on a pattern of previous behavior, it seems she was throwing a tantrum like a bad loser -which is common for people that are always accustomed to n…
PeteRR
PeteRR
It’s a beautifully paradoxical paragraph isn’t it...
A third option is that Williams was intentionally ratcheting up the situation in a fruitless attempt to heighten her own level of play and intensity, and to intimidate her young opponent, because those things have worked in the past. They didn’t work yesterday.
Definitely yes to the first part, and kind of on the second. Because the racket breaking was the second warning, I think the point penalty was required. And when she melted down and started calling the dude a thief, I don’t think the game penalty was too crazy.
even more suspect game penalty for “verbal abuse”
given the circumstances and what was being penalized
I feel like Serena’s supporters (i.e. Thompson here, everyone on Jezebel) are also feeling freaked out because they’re getting annihilated, like calling a Forbes column “Gamergate-esque scalp hunting” and throwing their respective fits while tripping over themselves to come to Serena’s defense.
“You owe me an apology,” she said. “I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what’s right for her. I’ve never cheated, and you owe me an apology. You will never do another one of my matches.”
All this victimizing of Serena’s poor behavior just makes men doubt that sexism exists or more prone to ignoring legitimate complaint. Serena’s directing the crowd had nothing to do with recognizing the better player at all and she made the most meager attempt - “she played well.” “Let’s get through this.” Please.…
Yes lets all focus on the strawboogieman of the old racist, sexist overlords of tennis who have it out for Serena. Lets not focus on the fact that Serena acted like a petulant child and used all the victim cards under the sun and ultimately RUINED what was supposed to be the crowning achievement in the career of Naomi…
I’m a big fan of Serena, but this is embarrassing. She was getting outplayed, got frustrated, and decided to take on the umpire because she was struggling to take on Osaka. It happens. She’s not the first competitor to lose their temper at an official in the heat of the moment. But to pretend that this is about sexism…
Jezebel is straight up propaganda. Don’t act like when you were about to write this article you didn’t catch a clip of Serena absolutely berating the umpire. I am a big Serena fan, but I am not blind. She had one debatable warning, and she broke her racket, which is just poor sportsmanship. But she would not let them…
I imagine I’m on Jezebel’s shitlist already, so here’s another paradox of ‘internet feminism’ (the psychotic cousin to actual, useful feminism)-Women are just as good and strong and composed as men BUT THE MEAN MAN MADE SERENA CWY! SEXISM! Which is it? Is she strong, or can’t she hack being punished for what is…
One minor clarification on this:
Yup. No man in tennis has ever gotten the worst of an easily offended ref. Clearly, the only possible answer to Serena getting punished for pushing the ref verbally is SEXISM. Sexism exists. Go fight it where it does. For fuck’s sake, the coach admitted cheating, and name ONE ref who’s totes cool with being…
14-16 was the hardest time (as a guy) for me to date because all the girls in my age group wanted to date guys that were 18-20. It was fairly common (and creepy looking back on it). One of my friends who was 14 and sleeping with a 19 year old who got walked in on by her Dad. He called the cops and he did a few months…
So I have one where I’m kind of an asshole.
My worst breakup was with a boy who didn’t exist. In middle school, the last thing I wanted was to date but my mom was frequently accusing me of having a secret boyfriend. She’d barge into my room and wake me up at 3 AM just to question me/check if I was hiding a boy in my room. Finally, I got fed up with it all and…
6th grade. Elementary school. I was “going out” with a guy named Paul for about a month. He would walk me home from school everyday. One day we’re walking out of school and this other kid walks up to us and says “hey, I want to walk her home.” A fight ensues. They’re beating each other up. Really going at it. I’m…