u.s. open - Jezebel

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Grand Slam Issues Fine For Serena's Rant
Serena Williams On Sibling Rivalry, Apologies
Doubles/Tennis
Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
What A Racket
Serena Williams Apologizes For U.S. Open Incident
Roger, That
Mommy & Me
Serena Williams Fined $10,000 For U.S. Open Incident
"I Didn't Say I'd 'Kill You' — Are You Serious?"

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morninggloria
11/30/09

In reply to Grand Slam Issues Fine For Serena's Rant
$82,500 : Serena Williams

cab fare : me
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Trulymadlyme
11/30/09

In reply to Grand Slam Issues Fine For Serena's Rant
Such bullshit. How much did John Macenroe have to pay? Because I fucking call shenanigans all over this bullshit.
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CrapCommentFromADude
11/30/09

@Trulymadlyme: Did MacEnroe directly threaten a ref with physical violence on the court? And male players/coaches get fined for this sort of thing all the time, so I wouldn't guess that there'd be some sort of gender-based double standard at work here.

Either way, I think these fines need to increase if anything. If as a society, we're going to be silly enough to pretend that hitting a ball around is srs business, we should at least pull the strings we've got to keep those we've designated as 'sports heroes' on a tight leash in terms of how they conduct themselves.

Though I did buy my friend, a huge France fan, a "Don't Fuck with Zizou" shirt for his birthday, so I'm complicit as well.
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Trulymadlyme
11/30/09

@CrapCommentFromADude: There are so many to choose from but I'm willing to wager he probably threatened to kick someone's ass at some point.

[video.google.com]
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bluebears
11/30/09

@Trulymadlyme: cue commenters coming out of the woodwork to inform you that you know nothing about the refined game of tennis and its long history of politeness.
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harperpitt
11/30/09

@Trulymadlyme: Back in '87 McEnroe got fined $17,500 plus two months' suspension for an "outburst" at the US Open. That's ~$33,000 accounting for inflation. So she got fined way more - but didn't get suspended.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about tennis, I just really like playing with inflation calculators. (In the 1800s, my salary would've been $2750!)
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CrapCommentFromADude
11/30/09

@Trulymadlyme: I've done some googling, and it sounds like they're getting roughly equal treatment:

"[McEnroe] was also suspended for 2 months for one of his many profanity laced tirades at the 1987 US Open, which seems light considering his track record. He was also disqualified for another profanity laced tirade at the 1990 Australian Open."

Though a lot of people have asked the same question I did, and a lot of googling hasn't found anyone who knows of McEnroe threatening a judge as opposed to simply berating one.

Both incidents split people into the "He/she went too far" and "Leave McEnroe/Serena/Britney alone!" camps.

All in all, it sounds like she's getting about what she should historically expect to get for this.
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ozu
11/30/09

@Trulymadlyme: The winner of the US Open in 1987 when McEnroe was fined took home $250k. At the 2008 US Open, Serena took home $1.5m.

I think the fines have scaled up mostly because there is so much more money in the sport today.
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Trulymadlyme promoted this comment Edited by ozu at 11/30/09 12:09 PM ozu was starred ozu was unstarred

Rooo sez BISH PLZ
11/30/09

@CrapCommentFromADude: "I wouldn't guess that there'd be some sort of gender-based double standard at work here."

You don't have to guess. Roger got off with, I think, a grand for using the "f" word at the same tournament (and I don't mean "forty") during his championship match, and Jimmy Connors practically threatened the ref with death in '91 and wasn't fined at all.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/23/09

In reply to Serena Williams On Sibling Rivalry, Apologies
Serena apologized twice at her post-doubles championship press conference and was fined $10K.

Roger was fined $1500 for swearing at the chair umpire during his championship final, but never apologized.
(Also, his "outburst" was not brought up again -- particularly in light of his assisting the Swiss team in sweeping to victory over the Italian team in the Davis Cup this weekend.)

Jimmy Connors was not fined for his 5-minute rant at the chair umpire in the 1991 USO the weekend of his 40th birthday.

So hopefully we can all get over it now and celebrate the sisters' relationship and their great tennis (although more core work may be in order if they want to beat Kim Clijsters again now that she's back on the pro tour).
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topsy
09/23/09

In reply to Serena Williams On Sibling Rivalry, Apologies
The Williams sisters are a shining example in the world of sports. They both have such good heads on their shoulders and consistently show grace under pressure. What happened at the US Open was a freak incident; worse behaviour has been displayed and TOLERATED. The media went out of their way to paint their father as a buffoon but unlike many other tennis parents he was never abusive or took advantage of his daughters emotionally or financially. The proof is in the pudding and I am euphoric that the Williams family is having the last laugh.
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andBegorrah
09/23/09

In reply to Serena Williams On Sibling Rivalry, Apologies
"I swear to God, I'm fucking taking this love and support and I'm shoving it in your fucking heart."
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tailfeather
09/23/09

@andBegorrah: "I didn't threaten to KISS you! Are you serious!?"
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dreamweave
09/23/09

In reply to Serena Williams On Sibling Rivalry, Apologies
Serena deserves a damn trophy for not backhanding a ball into the faces of those assholes at Indian Wells.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/15/09

In reply to Doubles/Tennis

Your eyes do not deceive you.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/15/09

@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Hey - I'm sure there are lots of Roger fans among the editors (I am one too) but is it necessary to cut off JDMP's head?
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Edited by Rooo sez BISH PLZ at 09/15/09 8:19 PM Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred

AmbivalentAlumna
09/15/09

@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: I only half watched the first two sets because I thought JMDP was gonna let Roger take it like he did in Australia. I was so excited when it got interesting.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/15/09

@AmbivalentAlumna: You're not the only one who did that, I think.
All props to JMDP; not only did he get over his Roger awe (I really think you're right that he let him have the match in Melbourne) but he had to beat Rafa in order to even get a chance to.

(Of course I'm still sad there was no Roger-Rafa final ... *sniff*)
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AmbivalentAlumna
09/15/09

@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Yea, I think this was the best things could have gone in lieu of a Roger-Rafa final. I was really impressed Rafa made it to the semi's though I didn't expect him to get through Monfils and Gonzo with the stomach thing.
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hfree
09/15/09

In reply to Doubles/Tennis
Justin Bartha doesn't get a tag? That's sad. I find him amusing.
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marimari
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
Everyone's apologizing for something so if I do something bad will I get a pass by publicly apologizing and clarifying my apologies by apologizing again?
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Harlot Brontë
09/15/09

@marimari: YES.

Wait. It depends. Are you female and well-muscled? Do you have a significant amount of melanin in your epidermis? If so, you may be put on probation for an unspecified amount of time. Please check with your local forgiveness provider for more details.
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marimari
09/15/09

@Harlot Brontë: Maybe I'll just apologize in advance for my unacceptable behavior and cover all my bases.
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Micaela Almonester de Pontalba
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
She's a very physically intimidating person -- in size, not in *color* -- and she got up in the face of a much smaller person and threatened her with physical violence... "I want to shove this ball down your f'ing throat." I think she's getting off fairly lightly.
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Tchotchke
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
Oh, for the love of Zeus! Serena Williams was not reprimanded or fined for being a woman or for being black. She was docked points and fined because she acted out, mouthed off to an undeserving line judge and frankly, did not seem the least bit sorry in her press conference afterwards. To retroactively claim sexism or racism as her interview implies, and as commenters have outright mentioned on this site only denigrates instances where both of those forms of bigotry are actually at play.
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Ailatan
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: I agree completely with you.

I also think it's wonderful that she has apologised.
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DexterHaven
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: For the love of Mike, nobody is saying that the punishment she received was either unmerited or motivated by race or gender. The question was over the media flare-up of this, and why such disproportionate attention was focused on Serena's mistake. And I'm sorry, but race and gender were big factors in that coverage.
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marimari
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: I haven't seen her interview but she might be referring to the media blitz put on her bad behavior. Yes, men and women receive the same types of penalties but Serena is receiving the media/public backlash, sometimes based on race or her gender, when the same type of behavior by men in the sport is often overlooked, e.g. Federer's expletive laced rant to the chair umpire last night which I haven't seen in any headlines.
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joiful
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: I didn't think that she was blaming sexism for the docked points or the fine (which were both justified). I think she was referring to the uproar that followed as people acted like they had never seen a tennis player, or athlete for that matter, lose it on the court. I do think people made a bigger deal about it because of WHO she is (half of the Williams sisters) and WHAT she is (a black woman). Just because she was dead wrong, doesn't mean that her race and gender don't influence the way people react to her. Either way, she has apologized for her terrible behavior multiple times...what else can she do?
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Penny
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: I don't think you understand how subversive racism and sexism can be. Of course she was not reprimanded for being black or being a woman, we're talking about the reaction from the media and general population.
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Tchotchke
09/15/09

@DexterHaven: Yeah, that or the fact that she is arguably one of the biggest athletes of the last decade, that her tirade may have cost her another title, and that it was the first huge temper tantrum by a tennis star of her stature since McEnroe and Sampras were breaking rackets and making foul comments to the judges. And yes, I have read and heard plenty of comments that her punishment was due to her gender and race. There were plenty of people asserting that a white man would not have lost points or money for this behavior in previous threads.
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Tchotchke
09/15/09

@Penny: Please don't assert that I am unaware of how pervasive and subversive racism and sexism(or any other breed of bigotry) are. A differing opinion on this issue does not mean that I am naive or poorly versed on those issues. It's really patronizing.
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Penny
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: Please don't claim that a black woman is blaming her race/gender on her punishment. I will assert that you seem unaware of it, because your initial statement pretty much screams that you are. Or are choosing to be.
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DexterHaven
09/15/09

@Tchotchke: What is patronising is that you seem to think you are the arbiter of what is racist or sexist and that anyone else's interpretation of it is not only incorrect but detrimental to the causes of anti-racism and anti-sexism.
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morninggloria
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
The Summer of Death is transitioning obnoxiously into the Fall of Rude Outbursts, which will lead to the Winter of Public Vomiting and the Spring of Divorce. To everything there is a season.
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sassyredhead
09/15/09

@morninggloria: Thank goodness the Vomiting is in the winter. At least it will freeze and keep the stench down.
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Jack_Burton
09/15/09

@morninggloria: On that note...
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morninggloria
09/15/09

@Jack_Burton: ... we interrupt this interruption for a special interruption!
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
It is times like these that I am glad I am not in the public eye. I have definitely had moments when I have snapped and lashed out people while completely stressed out. There is no excuse for it of course, but it happens to the best of us- you apologize, promise to do better next time, and move on. Serena apologized, so let's move on.
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Edited by Sputnik_Sweetheart at 09/15/09 3:50 PM Sputnik_Sweetheart was starred

Sputnik_Sweetheart
09/15/09

@Sputnik_Sweetheart:
Serena apologized, so let's move on.

I should clarify that is a criticism of the media outrage, not Jezebel. :)
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confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
Am I the only person who saw Roger Federer swearing at the umpire last night?
Maybe the outbursts are due to something in the water out in Queens...
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sassyredhead
09/15/09

@confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!: "Don't tell me the fucking rules." Oh and he also threw a shit in there.
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Edited by sassyredhead at 09/15/09 3:40 PM sassyredhead was starred sassyredhead was unstarred

Wit is periodically disensouled
09/15/09

@confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!: I saw it too, although at least he was sitting down and not approaching the ump, I suppose. Tensions are high, and there's quite the history in sports of getting in the faces of umps/refs/line judges and/or swearing. I don't understand why people act like Serena Williams is the first person to ever do so.
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Aesop's Foibles. YES.
09/15/09

@Wit is periodically disensouled: It's because she's a lady, silly! And ladies are s'posed to be demure and soft-spoken, no matter the circumstance. It's basically the boys-will-be-boys thing, which means showing anger is acceptable-and even expected-in guys, but for a woman to show her emotions is just not ok.

Oh! I forgot to say: I don't think it's ever ok to threaten someone, but I am a hypocrite, because I've done it myself when angry. See: Driving.
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bluebears
09/15/09

@confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!: well thats odd...all week I have been told that tennis is the one sport that is refined and dignified and that Serena's outburst was a besmirch-ment on this sport of kings.
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sassyredhead
09/15/09

@bluebears: As someone who has watched tennis since 1979, I must say...bwahahahahaha.

They like us to think it's all dignified. But it's just a boxing match with rackets and a ball.
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confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!
09/15/09

@sassyredhead: Yes, indeed he did. And I was struck by how not-so-outraged the commentators were. But I was glad it happened - it brought balance to the whole deal.
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confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!
09/15/09

@bluebears: I think people just want an excuse to use the word besmirch. I mean, can football ever be besmirched?
Besmirch makes me think of smudged lipstick.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/15/09

@confusedforahotsecond is a sodemombeech!: No. No, you are not.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
09/15/09

@sassyredhead: Heh.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred

Aesop's Foibles. YES.
09/15/09

In reply to Serena Williams: "I Had Really Just Lost Control"
She apologized, right? And everyone, including Serena, agreed that this was unacceptable, unsports(wo)man-like conduct, right? And she's admitted that she was extremely frustrated with the timing of the call and while that doesn't excuse her reaction, it makes sense. Because she's a human being. And human beings can get really riled up when involved in a competition. I don't like how she conducted herself, no, but I HATE how this is being made into such a big fucking deal when there are male sports figures who've acted the same (or worse) without receiving such a public spanking. She apologized, now let's move on, k?
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