If you are on any social media platform or follow any news company, you are aware that Serena Williams lost the US Open to Naomi Osaka, a 20-year-old Haitian-Japanese woman. During the match, the umpire, Carlos Ramos accused Williams of cheating when her coach threw her hand signals from the sidelines. Williams denied the accusations and demanded an apology from him. Later in the match, Ramos docked her a point after smashing her racket after missing a shot. Because of this, Williams called him a thief, which ultimately got her a full game penalty. Williams received three Code of Violations for the incident and was fined $17,000 for the violations.
People around the world are outraged. Many male tennis players have called the umpires worse things and have thrown full out tantrums, yet Serena is punished for simply standing up for herself for wrongful accusations. People are calling Serena's defense speech an "epic meltdown," but instead of going on a full rant about the twisted double standards that men and women are faced with, I'll just show you that Serena William's "meltdown" doesn't even top the tennis tantrum hall of shame.
1. Viktor Troicki (2016)
Viktor Troicki makes the list for his outburst towards the umpire during his match in Wimbledon. He then calls the umpire "the worst umpire in the world." To make it even better, he lost the match soon after, and his fury was released yet again on the umpire. Even though he was extremely verbally abusive, no fine was given to him.
2. Mikhail Youzhny (2008)
During a match in Miami, Youzhny had just lost a point and felt that beating himself with his racket was a great way to release his frustration.
Grigor Dimitrov (2016)
During the Istanbul Open, Grigor Dimitrov breaks not one, not two, but THREE rackets out of frustration. He then forfeits the game, making his opponent the winner. He was given a warning and two-point penalties but was never fined.
Xavier Malisse (2005)
In 2005 during a match in Miami, Xavier Malisse has a full-blown temper tantrum. After getting a line call, the player threw himself on the ground and refused to get up. He then kicks a chair and court-side barrier while screaming to the umpire that he didn't do anything. Thankfully, his behavior was punished with a $6,000 fine and was suspended from the men's ATP Tour for four weeks.
5. Marcos Baghdatis (2012)
If you thought that breaking three rackets was bad, think again. At the Australian Open, this dude broke FOUR. One of his rackets was the one he had used in the match but the other three weren't even taken out of the wrapping paper yet.
I'm not saying that Serena Williams is perfect. She's had her fair share of outbursts and has broken rackets before, but in this incident, the umpire was in the wrong. She was simply defending herself against the accusation. Male tennis players have done a lot worse without getting a violation or a fine, so it's frustrating to see that female tennis player being punished a lot harsher than them for doing a lot less.
- The Double Standard In Sports: Body-Shaming Female Athletes ›
- Serena Williams, G.O.A.T. ›
- The Media's Scrutiny of Serena Williams ›
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