Serena Williams believes sexism continues to be a factor in the world of tennis amid the fallout from her US Open final clash with Naomi Osaka.
Williams was fined a total of $17,000 for committing three code violations during what was an extremely tense match. They were for coaching, which the 36-year-old denied, racket abuse and verbal abuse towards umpire Carlos Ramos. During the confrontation, Williams said that she was have not been given the same punishment if she had been a man. Triggering a widespread debate in the sport.
“There are men out here that do a lot worse, but because I’m a woman you’re gonna take this away from me?” Williams told the US Open referee after being handed a game penalty in the final.
Concerning that specific match, the opinion is split as to if sexism played a factor in the final. Both the USTA and WTA have publicly backed the American over the incident. Although the head of the USTA, Katrina Adams, was later heard apologising to Ramos during the Davis Cup tie between the USA and Croatia. Meanwhile, the ITF has stated that Ramos correctly followed the procedures.
Speaking about the topic on Network Ten’s The Sunday Project, Williams paid tribute to Billie Jean King. One of the founding members of the WTA who has been an instrumental figure in women’s rights for decades. King accused Ramos of ‘aggravating’ the situation.
“I am always supportive of women no matter what and that’s how I’ve always been. I feel like Billie Jean has done the same thing with starting the tour and creating an opportunity for women like me to play.” Williams told interviewer Lisa Wilkinson.
“If you’re a female, you should be able to do even what half a guy could do and I feel right now that we are not, as it is proven, in that position. But that’s neither here nor there.
“I’m trying to recover from that (the US Open final) and move on.” She added.
Wilkinson’s interview was conducted under the watchful eye of Williams’ publicist. At one stage, proceedings were halted when she asked if Williams regretted smashing her racket on the court. A voice away from the camera was heard saying ‘Sorry, that’s four questions about the US Open, so …’ Williams never gave a reply, but she did answer another question related to the US Open afterwards.
The coach got ’confused’
The trigger for the infamous outburst in New York was due to a coaching violation. Williams, who never receives on-court coaching on the WTA Tour, insisted that this was a mistake. Although her mentor, Patrick Mouratoglou, admitted that he was doing such actions during the match.
“I’m honest, I was coaching. I don’t think she looked at me so that’s why she didn’t even think I was,” he told ESPN.
Despite the admission, Mouratoglou’s comments have since been dismissed by Williams herself. Who says that there are ‘no signals’ used between them during matches. Instead she believes that there was a misunderstanding due to a ‘confusing situation’ for her coach.
“I just don’t understand what he was talking about because I asked him, you weren’t coaching, we don’t have signals, we’ve never had signals and he said he made a motion,” Williams told the program.
As things currently stands, Williams and Mouratoglou will continue working together. Their collaboration started in September 2012.
The Network Ten interview with Williams can be watched below
Lisa sits down with Serena Williams to chat about her incredible career, her friendship with Meghan Markle, and how she’s enjoying motherhood. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/mHKmaGM9ux
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 23, 2018
Lisa chats with Serena about the US Open code violation, sexism in tennis, and her new Breast cancer awareness campaign. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/9UzWciU5T1
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 23, 2018
