Serena Williams’ Meltdown
WOW! What are your thoughts on Serena Williams’ recent verbal meltdown during tennis play?
What I hear is that she was fined $10,000, which is the maximum allowed for this violation. And she was supposedly fined an additional $500 for some racket infraction.
Saturday’s outburst came when the lineswoman called a foot fault on Williams in the final game of the second set, a call that resulted in a double fault and put Williams one point away from losing the match against her opponent.
The 27-year-old Williams exploded into a racket-waving, ball-thrusting, finger-pointing, obscenity-filled rage as she walked in a somewhat threatening manner to the lineswoman. She was then assessed an additional penalty point, which then gave the match to Clijsters.
On Sunday, Williams was fined $10,500. She earned an incredible $350,000 for reaching the singles semifinals here. She and her sister Venus also split a tidy $410,000 for winning the doubles championship.
The International Tennis Federation is currently investigating Saturday’s incident. Penalties as severe as a $250,000 fine and further action as harsh as permanent suspension from Grand Slam events, could still be forthcoming according to Bill Babcock, executive director of Grand Slam events.
On her press conference interview which was right after her meltdown Saturday, she refused to issue an apology. But realizing afterwards what effects being permanently banned from Grand Slam events would have on her career and checkbook, she did offer a seemingly well rehearsed apology on Sunday.
But when asked why she waited almost 24 hours to offer an apology, she just smiled and her sister Venus immediately interceded with a, “let’s move on” remark in her behalf.
Serena Williams made over $500,000 for reaching the singles and for being one of the winners in the Grand Slam doubles. Tennis has been very good to her and her sister Venus.
She was clearly out of line on Saturday, but was that enough to permanently ban her from Grand Slam events? No, I think not. Maybe suspend her for one season of tournament play at the most… but not a permanent suspension.
Remember, athletes at all levels of all sports often lose their cool in the heat of battle and most of them pay with fines and game suspensions, but hardly ever with permanent bans. I don’t think it would be justified in this case either. The International Tennis Federation, I feel, would be hard pressed in convincing anyone that such action is truly justifiable.
Let me hear what you think?