Sportsmanship

Yesterday was the women's final of the US Open tennis championship, and we were treated to yet another immature outburst of unsportsmanlike conduct by Serena Williams.  This is not just a case of a player being upset because a call didn't go her way; it devolved into an extended tirade against the chair umpire that is unacceptable, and I was sorely disappointed that the commentators didn't appropriately take her to task for her outburst.  So here are my thoughts about what I wish they had said.

First, some context.  Serena has a history of controversy on the court.  For example, most notably in the 2009 semifinal at the US Open against Kim Clijsters.  To recap, upon losing the first set, Serena slammed her racket to the court, breaking it.  The first time a player breaks their racket, this triggers an automatic warning for racket abuse.  A second code violation would result in a lost point.  Then, at the end of the second set, Serena was serving at 5-6, 15-30.  Her first serve was a fault.  On her second serve, she was called for a foot fault, making the score 15-40.  At this point Serena explodes into a verbal assault on the line judge who called the foot fault, in which she shook her racket at the judge menacingly and threatened to "take this <expletive> ball and shove it down your <expletive> throat!  I swear to god", among other things.  The chair umpire asked the line judge what Serena had said, and after consulting with the tournament referee Brian Earley, decided that this verbal abuse constituted a second code violation, the penalty for which was a lost point.  This gave Clijsters the game, set and match, and Serena was out of the championship.

Serena was later fined $82,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct, and put on probation for 2 years.  During the probation if she committed another such offense, she would be banned from the next US Open and her fine would be increased to $175,000.  The New York Times wondered if the fine was fair or too lenient.

Serena's probation ended during this year's US Open.  At a press conference after her first round match, she was asked to reflect on how her last appearance at the US Open ended.  She said:

Serena: I just remember that I lost, and that was that.  And that I got really popular and a lot of people were telling me they thought I was super-cool.  It was awesome!

Reporter: Did you learn anything from that episode, and if so, what did you learn?

Serena: Um, I don't know. I don't think about it. Are you still thinking about it? Oh my god, that was like two years ago.

This exchange begins at the 2:05 mark:

Clearly, Serena didn't learn anything from her experience.  "It was awesome!"  Seriously?  Getting fined and put on probation for offensive and inappropriate behavior was "awesome"?  She should have been fined 10 times as much and suspended; maybe that would have made an impact on her.  What should she have learned?  Um, I don't know, maybe that she should try for a little more sportsmanlike behavior, that she shouldn't verbally assault officials who are doing their job?  That it's better to keep your cool than look like a fool?  That 28-years-old is too old to be having public temper tantrums?  That terrorizing a line judge does NOT make you "super-cool" or "awesome"?

Pam Shriver said at the time:

"People think it's been a slap on the wrist, but I think it's been a hugely impactful learning experience for Serena," said Pam Shriver, a former player who is an ESPN commentator.  "I think she's felt punished by it."

Clearly not.  In the final on Sunday against Sam Stoser of Australia, Serena (older but not wiser at 30) had lost the first set.  She wasn't playing very well, and Stosur had brought her A game.  With a little frustration and determination, at 0-0, 30-40 in the 2nd set Serena hit a scorching shot towards the corner of the court away from Stosur, and when she thought it was a winner, she shouted out, "Come on!"  But it wasn't a winner; Stosur did get to the shot (even though she was unable to keep the ball in play).  Because Serena had shouted out before the point was over, it was deemed to be a "hinderance," the penalty for which is the loss of the point, and hence the loss of the game.

This was like throwing gasoline on a flame.  Serena burst out again, and at one point said to the chair umpire:

"Aren't you the one who screwed me over two years ago?"

"Screwed me over"?  Clearly, it is still on her mind, and what she thinks about it was that she was "screwed over," meaning that she was treated unfairly or cheated out of something she deserved.  That she was a victim, denied her due opportunity to play the final points of the match against Clijsters.  Never mind that she did commit a foot fault; never mind that she did verbally attack the line judge (who was correct) while shaking her racket at her threateningly; never mind that she had already received a warning earlier in the match for racket abuse and that the appropriate reaction was to dock her a point.  It was completely a situation of Serena's making, from the earlier racket abuse, to the foot fault, to the verbal paroxysm and complete loss of control that cost her the point, game, set and match.

On this day her outburst, while costing her a point, did not cost her the match.  Her lack of focus, the poor quality of her tennis and the equally elevated game of Sam Stosur cost her the match.  But this episode should cost her the respect of anyone who cares about the integrity of the sport of tennis, and  the image that these public figures project to the public.  She should be treated as if her probation did not end a couple of days earlier, and she should be significantly fined and suspended, and barred from playing in the next US Open.  I won't be convinced that she's gotten the message until she bursts out in another temper tantrum convulsing about how unfairly she's been treated.  For someone who just made a $500,000 bonus (on top of her 2nd-place winnings), a fine of $175,000 is not going to mean anything.  She should forfeit the bonus, at least.  Short of that, I would like to see her donate that sum to a charity that supports the development of young tennis players (or anger management). 

We as tennis fans deserve better.  Whatever skills she has on the court are overshadowed by her lack of self-control, her nonchalant dismissal of any responsibility or self awareness, and disrespect for her fellow players, tournament officials, and the public.