Like or dislike Serena Williams, she is the greatest force in tennis. The greatest intimidator.
She is globally respected and idolized for her great athletic ability on a tennis court.
Nevertheless, going into a racket tirade is not something that should be accepted in any form of tennis, not in juniors and not at the highest level.
NADAL DOESN’T BREAK RACKETS
I guess that’s why I like Rafa Nadal so much. I have never seen the Spanish great abuse a racket.
In league tennis, I don’t see many of my colleagues and foes throwing rackets, and certainly not breaking them. They have to pay for their rackets.
But the stars of the game break rackets at their wish, then go to the bench and pull a new one out of their bags, compliments of their racket sponsors.
If a player at any level in competitive tennis breaks a racket on purpose, the player should be punished in some manner. I would disqualify the player from the match, but I know that’s not going to happen and might be just a little too stiff a penalty. But the loss of a game might be the appropriate penalty for such bad conduct on a court.
RACKET BREAKING ON A COURT IS DISGRACEFUL
I think it’s disgraceful and unacceptable for a player to intentionally destroy a tennis racket during competition. International tennis, as well as the USTA, should start cracking down more seriously on players for such conduct on a court.
If the juniors get away with it, they will continue the trend at whatever level they play.
But about Saturday’s U.S. Open women’s singles final, I don’t know what Serena Williams did or didn’t do other than brutally destroy her racket.
The outburst cast a dark shadow on a shining moment for 20-year-old Japanese powerhouse Naomi Osaka. Of course, the $3.8 million paycheck for her 6-2, 6-4 win over Serena and Japan’s first Grand Slam singles title more than covered the damage.
OSAKA NEVER BUCKLED UNDER SERENA’S PRESSURE
There was remorse by Osaka for her older opponent’s misfortune, but Osaka never buckled under the pressure of Serena. I wasn’t surprised to see Osaka shield herself from Serena’s symbol of greatness and invincibility.
Osaka was quicker, covered the court better and virtually matched Serena’s power without repeatedly over-hitting. When she’s in her zone, Osaka obviously is among the greatest players in the women’s game.
OSAKA WAS A DIFFERENT PLAYER AT VCO
But I’ve seen Osaka when she wasn’t at her best mentally. Most notably, no longer ago than April’s Volvo Car Open in Charleston, Osaka lost it all on the court.
Coming off the second largest payday in U.S. women’s tennis at the Indian Wells event, Osaka might not have fully accepted her place as a rich young woman, and how such paydays could change her life.
At the VCO, Osaka played awesome tennis in the early rounds, then in a round of 16 match against Julia Goerges, she was a different Osaka, even while appearing to be in charge of the match.
It was hot that day out on the Althea Gibson Court at Family Circle Tennis Center when Osaka told her coach that she didn’t want to be there. And she wasn’t a little later when she allowed Goerges to take the victory from her.
OSAKA WAS A PICTURE OF COOLNESS ON SATURDAY
Then, of course, Roger Federer hit the wall in the U.S. Open and Nadal retired from his semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro. It can happen.
Maybe that’s what happened to Osaka that hot day in Charleston.
But Saturday, and throughout this U.S. Open, the explosive and unpredictable Osaka was a picture of coolness. You can excuse her for her tears at the end.
Of course, you can. She’s now one of the stars of the game. Hopefully, she will treat her rackets better than Serena.
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James Beck is the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his Post and Courier columns at