[Teeppoodiug]

Agree, play Indian Wells.

[Muramoursuard]

Fine her. If they suspend her for this, then everytime a player has an outburst against a linesperson or an umpire then they should be fine. I'm not saying Serena's reaction is acceptable, but I am saying that this isn't the first time a player has yelled/lost their temper/and probably threatened a linesperson.

We'll never know for sure if Serena did actually foot fault for there hasn't been a camera angle that can do this justice. Until we know all the facts we won't be able to make a proper judgement, but I think the concept of suspending Serena is unthinkable.

[bobibnoxx]

Fine her. If they suspend her for this, then everytime a player has an outburst against a linesperson or an umpire then they should be fine. I'm not saying Serena's reaction is acceptable, but I am saying that this isn't the first time a player has yelled/lost their temper/and probably threatened a linesperson.

We'll never know for sure if Serena did actually foot fault for there hasn't been a camera angle that can do this justice. Until we know all the facts we won't be able to make a proper judgement, but I think the concept of suspending Serena is unthinkable.

Regardless of what the punishment is, should it really depend on whether Serena did or did not footfault?

[gardenerextraordinaire]

Regardless of what the punishment is, should it really depend on whether Serena did or did not footfault?

Nope.

[Muramoursuard]

Regardless of what the punishment is, should it really depend on whether Serena did or did not footfault?

Well, if Serena didn't footfault and it was for sure a bad call then the linesperson essentially instigated it all and she needs to get in trouble as well. And while that won't justify Serena's outburst it will add up better.

Serena's going to get a nasty fine, she's been embarassed in the world of sports, and she's made her apologies, her foot faulting or not won't change that part of the problem, but I think if it's proved one way or another Serena and the linesperson will probably be able to let it go easier.

[gardenerextraordinaire]

As I've said many times, anyone or their dog can call himself a "sports journalist" these days. Here's a classic example. I haven't laughed this hard in quite a while.

*****

Serena Williams—with the help of sister Venus—today made a mockery of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the 2009 US Open and insulted fans around the world with their actions following a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the US Open's women's doubles final over Cara Black and Liezel Huber.
Outstanding female ambassadors of the sport, people such as Pam Shriver, Mary Carillo and Mary Jo Fernandez expressed dismay and disbelief that Serena would even be allowed to participate in today's match following her disgraceful actions against a lines woman this past Saturday in her match against Kim Clijsters.
Serena's boorishness earned her a point penalty and cost her the match, and justly so.
After her epic meltdown on Saturday night, Serena held a surreal press conference where she talked about "moving on" from the ugly actions which only took place mere moments before she was talking. Note to Serena: You can't move on from something which hasn't been processed. That's the reason you were at the press conference, to help people understand what happened and thus give them the ability to actually move on from what you chose to do in your semifinal match.
Then, in a statement released yesterday, Serena took another shot at the lines woman, still didn't apologize for what she had done and came across as just another spoiled athlete who does not understand the magnitude of her actions. It was an embarrassment.
Finally, after someone (almost certainly someone high up in the USTA) mercifully intervened and told Serena her first statement wasn't going to be nearly enough, Serena put out an amended statement which had the right tone, expressed contrition and was kind to the lines woman who was merely doing her job.
So, whether or not you felt that Serena Williams deserved to play in today's doubles final with Venus—and I do not feel she should have been allowed to participate—things had seemingly been made right between Serena, the lines woman, the USTA and tennis fans around the world.
And then Serena, and Venus, took a mountain of dynamite to the remaining or rebuilt goodwill in their post-match interview with ESPN's Patrick McEnroe.
Serena refused to publicly apologize for her actions on Saturday night. When Patrick McEnroe attempted to follow-up on the issue which has generated well over 1,000,000 YouTube hits in little over one day, the sparse crowd (many apparently Williams partisans) booed him and then Venus inappropriately interceded and condescendingly told McEnroe that the crowd's reaction meant that it was time to move on from discussing Serena's actions.
Disgraceful.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...maximum-amount

[JeremyIV]

Well, if Serena didn't footfault and it was for sure a bad call then the linesperson essentially instigated it all and she needs to get in trouble as well. And while that won't justify Serena's outburst it will add up better.

Serena's going to get a nasty fine, she's been embarassed in the world of sports, and she's made her apologies, her foot faulting or not won't change that part of the problem, but I think if it's proved one way or another Serena and the linesperson will probably be able to let it go easier.

I don't think you can say the linesperson instigated anything. She was doing her job. It may have been a bad call, it may not have been. We don't really know. But if every linesperson who made a bad call got in trouble we'd be sorely lacking for linespeople. It would be helpful if there was a way to challenge foot fault calls but at this time there isn't.

I think I have to agree with Venus and say it's time to move on from here. She lost the match, got fined and I think we should be done.

[Speareerfug]

Serena bounces the ball and thinks:

"Mmmm I'm getting thrashed by a wild card. How can I get out of this situation? Can I try to blame it on the officials? Oh look at this baseline. I think I got an idea!"

[SannyGlow]

Serena bounces the ball and thinks:

"Mmmm I'm getting thrashed by a wild card. How can I get out of this situation? Can I try to blame it on the officials? Oh look at this baseline. I think I got an idea!"

??

[payporanymn]

As I've said many times, anyone or their dog can call himself a "sports journalist" these days. Here's a classic example. I haven't laughed this hard in quite a while.

*****

Serena Williams—with the help of sister Venus—today made a mockery of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the 2009 US Open and insulted fans around the world with their actions following a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the US Open's women's doubles final over Cara Black and Liezel Huber.
Outstanding female ambassadors of the sport, people such as Pam Shriver, Mary Carillo and Mary Jo Fernandez expressed dismay and disbelief that Serena would even be allowed to participate in today's match following her disgraceful actions against a lines woman this past Saturday in her match against Kim Clijsters.
Serena's boorishness earned her a point penalty and cost her the match, and justly so.
After her epic meltdown on Saturday night, Serena held a surreal press conference where she talked about "moving on" from the ugly actions which only took place mere moments before she was talking. Note to Serena: You can't move on from something which hasn't been processed. That's the reason you were at the press conference, to help people understand what happened and thus give them the ability to actually move on from what you chose to do in your semifinal match.
Then, in a statement released yesterday, Serena took another shot at the lines woman, still didn't apologize for what she had done and came across as just another spoiled athlete who does not understand the magnitude of her actions. It was an embarrassment.
Finally, after someone (almost certainly someone high up in the USTA) mercifully intervened and told Serena her first statement wasn't going to be nearly enough, Serena put out an amended statement which had the right tone, expressed contrition and was kind to the lines woman who was merely doing her job.
So, whether or not you felt that Serena Williams deserved to play in today's doubles final with Venus—and I do not feel she should have been allowed to participate—things had seemingly been made right between Serena, the lines woman, the USTA and tennis fans around the world.
And then Serena, and Venus, took a mountain of dynamite to the remaining or rebuilt goodwill in their post-match interview with ESPN's Patrick McEnroe.
Serena refused to publicly apologize for her actions on Saturday night. When Patrick McEnroe attempted to follow-up on the issue which has generated well over 1,000,000 YouTube hits in little over one day, the sparse crowd (many apparently Williams partisans) booed him and then Venus inappropriately interceded and condescendingly told McEnroe that the crowd's reaction meant that it was time to move on from discussing Serena's actions.
Disgraceful.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...maximum-amount

This is faux right? You wrote it...