Why I'm Not Mad at Serena Williams
by Charing Ball
Have you ever been in the heat of a situation? Been at work where you have a deadline to meet, where a coworker is getting on your last nerve? Or have you been on the phone with the telephone company, who transfers your query call from country to country,until you just reach the point that you snap and let someone have it?
No needs in lying or attempting to play the sanctified, Mother Teresa role because I know we all have been there. It’s okay, it happens to the best of us. Sometimes all the meditation, happy thoughts and Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo chanting in the world can’t stop the sudden release of raw emotion. Matter of fact, I went off on an employee of a hardware store recently, who tried to ignore me when I kept asking for his assistance. I yelled, “look here, got dammit, ya’ll got me in here waiting like I’m a damn waiter.” It didn’t make sense but it was effective. And it ain’t right to verbally abuse people but sometimes in the heat of the moment, you just have to turn into the mad rapper and tell ‘em why you mad, son.
Which is why I wasn’t too mad at Serena Williams, who recently “went off” at an umpire during her most recent U.S Open tournament. After losing the first set to Sam Stosur, Williams, who said that she was in the zone, yelled out, “come on!” before Stosur hit the ball. This act apparently violated a little known “point hindrance” rule in tennis, where you are not suppose to do anything that might distract the other player on their return. The umpire, who made the call, deducted a point from Williams, which gave Stosur the first game. And that’s when all hell broke loose. In an act of sheer emotion, Williams let the umpire have it with such statements as: “You’re out of control,” “You’re a hater, and you’re just unattractive inside” and “Really, don’t even look at me.” Williams was fined $2000 for her outburst. Also, she lost the game.
Yawn. Besides being one of the most awkward curse-out moments in history (“You are unattractive on the inside” -seriously what was that?) frankly, William’s outburst wasn’t that bad. Before I saw the video of the incident, which has sent shockwaves around the web, I had expected some truly vulgar language unbecoming of a superstar athlete, only to discover that what she said was safe enough to say in front of my grandmother, without being embarrassed. I heard better put-downs from Ned Flanders on The Simpsons. Call me when she really “goes off” McEnroe-style.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Williams went semi-H.A.M on an ump at one of her matches. At the 2009 Open, she was fined $82,500 and put on probation for threatening to shove a ball down the throat of a referee who kept giving her poor calls including a minor foot fault, which some argue should have been called in the first place. And as such, some folks – mainly Fox News and company – see this, as well as the other incidences, of Williams’ apparent sense of entitlement, even going as far as to suggest that her rant had some racial undertones, particularly the hater part.
And then there are others, particularly from the Afro-sphere, who wonder if her outburst has helped to reinforce stereotypes of the angry black woman. For one, tennis has a long history of whiney crybabies throwing temper tantrums. And yes the media tends to overblow things related to black people, especially regarding anger, because who isn’t scared of an angry Black person right?
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Black athletes, serena williams, serena williams outburst, serena williams umpire, tennis, us open- 14 Comments
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Are you serious? I am a Williams sisters' fan from way back.
Some people were appalled at McEnroe, but leave him where he is – in the history books.
Serena is a grown woman and a professional. There are rules of conduct. Showing passion is allowed. Throwing a tantrum because you did something incorrect is uncalled for. I hate when folks are loud AND wrong!
After the last time, she should be better equipped emotionally to deal when the calls aren't going your way.
Just wondering how the heck can you hit a ball at 140 miles per hour and not make a noise…weird rules!
The rules is not against making a noise as you hit the ball. The rules prohibits making a noise or distraction while your opponent is hitting the ball. Serena thought she had the point and exclaimed as her opponent went to hit the ball.
Her behavior was unprofessional, no question about it…however her behavior was nothing compared to the person that everyone in tennis and outside of tennis respects and loves. John McEnroe. Everyone forgets the yelling, screaming and tossing of rackets that happened not so long ago. So once again the reaction of America is "we are appalled" by Serena's behavior, yet never appalled by John McEnroe's nonsense.
McEnroe ranted when he was winning and ranted when he wasn't – so he was a ranter. Serena prances and preens when she is winning, and rarely shows her opponents any respect. Then she throws hissy fits mid-set when she realizes that she hasn't brought her A game, thereby tarnishing her opponent's victory. By now she really should have learned to be gracious as a winner and as a loser especially given that she has won more or less everywhere already. Forget race or discrimination; this is disgraceful, childish behavior of the kind that Serena should rise above at the level of professionalism she is at.
Well said and thought, been there done that. Thank you.
I disagree with you completely. She is a professional athlete who makes enough $ thru competition and endorsements that she could use it as toilet paper. As such, she is a role model to our youth, and I for one won’t have my child idolize anyone who cannot control his or her temper, black or white. She knows better, period. Verbally abusing someone for doing their job, especially when they do it correctly is over the line. Maybe Ms. Williams ought to consider that her behavior in the past has prompted some officials to view her game in a biased light. Either way, it’s her fault for acting like a petulant, entitled child!
Be a role model to your own children.
Her behavior was ATROCIOUS and it doesn't matter how long of an article you write she is WRONG and proved that you can take the hoodrat outta the hood but NOT the hood outta the hoodrat
"You are unattractive–inside". So funny. I have a feeling Serena can be really pretty funny. And I've committed the same error on court—talking during a rally–many times. It is wrong and the ump. did the right thing. The problem is, Serena never apologizes to the ump, who is doing her job and did it well and it matters to her how she is treated. Serena should have the decency to apologize. Why doesn't she? Because, she doesn't realize how her words and actions affect people. It matters to the ump. Serena is, in affect, treating "little people" badly. "Not cool", as Serena would say.
Your not mad this time because your BLACK.
Well Ms. Bell have you ever heard of a pattern of behavior ? Serena is a great tennis player. She is also a racist and inferiority complex filled. "World is against me…" and so forth. Both you and her need therapy.