Serena Williams Press Conference After Tirade at US Open 2009 (Video)
Tennis player Serena Williams tried to explain the unexplainable after her US Open 2009 semi-final loss to Kim Clijsters due to a point penalty on a match point for yelling and threatening a line judge (read more and watch Serena’s outburst video here).
“I used to have a real temper, and I’ve gotten a lot better,” Williams said in her postmatch news conference. “So I know you don’t believe me, but I used to be worse. Yes, yes, indeed.”
“I didn’t threaten [her]. I don’t remember anymore [what I said], to be honest. I was in the moment. And, you know, everyone’s fighting for every point. It was a really crucial point,” Williams said.
Asked if the line judge deserved an apology, Williams added: “An apology? From me? Well, how many people yell at linespeople? Players, athletes get frustrated. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that happen.
“All year I’ve never been foot faulted, and then suddenly in this tournament they keep calling foot faults. I said something that I guess they gave me a point penalty for. Unfortunately it was on match point.”
Does Serena owe the judge and apology or not!?! Serena’s arrogant answer to that question shows she has no respect for the game, the judges or her adversaries. It really doesn’t matter if everyone yells at “linespeople”. It is wrong and deserves an apology!
Unfortunately, after so much drama and hype about this incident, it will seem like Serena could have won the match if it wasn’t for that line judge “wrong” foot fault call. The truth is Kim Clijsters was stronger and totally deserved to win the match.
Serena William Press Conference Video
[image: wenn.com]
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You say Serena has no respect for the game? Wow, I think this clearly shows YOU don’t know what you’re talking about and need to stop cover tennis. No one is saying she would have won the match on that point but ask Roger Federer how many times he’s been down a crucial point, wins, it, then goes on to win the match. Please make sure you understand tennis and the importance of each point at the professional level before making uninformed comments.
I think the judge was diffidently wrong to call an incorrect play. I also think Serena had every right to challenge this call. I pacifically heard her say on the video that I did not say that. ( I”ll Kill you) So whose word is the greater. I don’t think she needs to apologize for challenging a bad call. The video shows the judge had it in for Serena I think she should have been a bigger person and allowed a replay to see if she had made a bad call. I did not feel at any time that the opponent of Serena Williams was stronger, faster, or a better player. I thought they were equal. One thing that will always haunt me is if this was another tennis player and not Serena Williams who has been so great since she was 17 years old, would we have made these accusations and would we have allowed someone else to finish the match fairly and not make a statement” she would have lost anyway.” (What is the purpose of the replay system?} May God Bless you all.
Who wrote this article? Serena has no respect foor the game? Give me a break. Serena is the game. You are the one that’s disrespectful.
I don’t blame Serena for being upset at the foot fault call. The timing of the call was terrible and obviously she was furious. She still should apologize for her actions, because she handled it terribly, but the US Open needs to get more experienced line call judges on the lines. McEnroe did this, football coaches do it on TV, baseball coaches do it. She is a female and shouldn’t act the way she did, but the men are not crucified like Serena. I still respect her as a person and as an American tennis player. I know she has major regrets today and the lines “woman” should too. I am watching the Federer/Djokovic match right now and the line calls have been terrible throughout the match.
Serena needs to keep her mouth in check, it finally caught up with her. Too bad, but she sure did deserve to be called for a foot fault. If she can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Some of you who are writing that Serena has respect for the game have no idea what you’re talking about. Serena has been out of control for a while and in case you don’t know the history of tennis, it’s supposed to be a gentleman’s sport, which means, one shows the utmost sportsmanship, with good conduct and respect for everyone. If she had issue with the call, then she should have gone straight to the chair umpire and asked to review the call. Instead, she goes off on the lines person who’s just doing her job. She wouldn’t have called a foot fault for no reason and she doesn’t care if it’s at match point. A foot fault is a foot fault and Serena had already been warned when she smashed her racket after losing the first set. She knew she was going to lose so she let loose on someone she knew couldn’t fight back. She didn’t want Kim to be able to celebrate the victory. What a jerk. And you can say I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I’ve been playing this game and watching it since I was 5 years old. I think I know a little something about tennis and about the people who play it.
I totally agree with this article, she was very unprofessional. She lost because of her own actions ,Serena would have lost anyway, she was playing poorly, Kim was playing much better so it was well deserved match for Kim. She should have apologized during the press conference instead she was even more defiant saying that she did nothing wrong. I kown that she apologized today on written statement, but I still think she should apologize in person, a real apology is the least she can give.
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Advertisements keep showing tennis players screaming and making a fist. I think this makes tennis players like Serena believe that violent emotion is what people expect of them.
Junior tennis players are now imitating this screaming after every point and pumping their fist at their little opponents. The problem is that tennis is not a team sport.
No parent wants to sit for two hours watching his child, all out there alone, be bullied by the more psychologically insidious player. That is, be yelled out for two hours every time the child makes a mistake.
And yes, the yelling and fist pumping is used by untalented junior players when the game is close.
So advertisers can keep celebrating fist-pumping, screaming and throwing rackets but, in the end, parents will quit paying for their child to enter tennis tournaments. They will put their kids in soccer.
Because it cannot be made fun to be yelled at for two hours.