Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
While we are on the subject of tennis, the US Tennis Association really need to address the level of fines levied on players that behave badly on court.
In the US Open women’s final, Serena Williams, twice abused umpire Eva Asderaki of Greece, having been given a point penalty for ‘intentional hindrance’ having screamed as eventual winner, Australian Sam Stosur, was playing a shot. While this may have been a questionable call, there can be no excusing Williams’s ranting response.
Her actions, and the resulting fine, were particularly pertinent due to her actions the last time she played at New York in 2009. On that occasion she was called for a foot-fault during her semi-final with Kim Clijsters, and then deducted a point for threatening to ‘ram a ball down the throat’ of the line-judge.
The USTA really needs to send a strong message to Williams, and other players, that this behaviour is unacceptable.
The $2,000 fine is a joke. I believe that they should introduce discipline in line with cricket where players can be fined 100 per cent of their tournament income and banned. While she picks and chooses her tournaments anyway, a significant ban would demonstrate that the USTA believes the match officials should be treated with the respect they deserve.
It would also be nice to see some of her sponsors withdraw funding on the basis that she does not portray the right image for their brand, in my opinion.
