OT: US Open

[tzznandrew]

This thread; open it up in Twitter and check it out. You can even watch Andy Murray kick a tennis ball at a judge and not get a warning.

 

[Fishy]

After Saturday, there was zero chance that ump was going to give a warning for anything yesterday.

And I'm going to call BS on the idea that someone once did something worse, so Serena should have been allowed to get away with whatever she wanted.

That's an argument every five-year old on earth has put forth and not gotten away with. I give her extra credit for throwing in "People are mean to girls", but that argument is a dog as well.

Here's an idea - don't be an a** hole and you won't lose points.

 

[Stainmaster]

And, of course, we get the racist caricature...

Same as it ever was...

 

[superjohn]

And, of course, we get the racist caricature...

We are pretty racist but we absolutely suck at it compared to Australians.

 

[Stainmaster]

Six years ago, David Nalbandian kicked a wooden board containing ad signage at a judge and gashed the judge's leg open. They ended up finding him $4,000 less for that than what Serena ended up getting saddled with.

I'm not defending Serena's behavior and don't think she should've gotten off scot-free, but to think she's getting fined more than someone who was investigated for criminal assault against an official...

 

[superjohn]

Six years ago, David Nalbandian kicked a wooden board containing ad signage at a judge and gashed the judge's leg open. They ended up finding him $4,000 less for that than what Serena ended up getting saddled with.

I'm not defending Serena's behavior and don't think she should've gotten off scot-free, but to think she's getting fined more than someone who was investigated for criminal assault against an official...

And Serena called the ump a liar and a thief over and over again despite him not lying and not stealing from her.

She acted like an idiot, everyone needs to get over it.

 

[Stainmaster]

And Serena called the ump a liar and a thief over and over again despite him not lying and not stealing from her.

She acted like an idiot, everyone needs to get over it.

In what world should calling someone a liar and a thief merit a larger penalty than physically wounding someone and causing them to need immediate medical attention?

 

[huskyrob1]

And, of course, we get the racist caricature...

What's racist about it?

 

[superjohn]

In what world should calling someone a liar and a thief merit a larger penalty than physically wounding someone and causing them to need immediate medical attention?

I didn't say it did but Serena demanding an apology is ridiculous when she should be the one apologizing. Nalbandian was kicked out of that match, a far larger penalty.

 

[superjohn]

What's racist about it?

I seriously hope this is just a really bad attempt at a joke.

 

[the Q]

I have to tread lightly since it's a touchy subject. Many truly elite athletes, the best of the best, are a-h0les. It kinda comes with the territory. MJ was. Tiger Woods is. Serena is. These folks don't handle failure well; society needs to stop putting them on a pedestal and making excuses for them. MJ was fortunate enough to play in an era where the media protected him and before social media. Tiger is a massive a-h0le off the course and on it. They all behave like spoiled children when things don't go their way. It was interesting, though not surprising, to see so many rush to Serena's defense but that was an embarrassing display and I can't believe she's doubled down and is sticking to her guns.

She waived around her child and fake sexism like a loaded gun.

She’s a scumbag. Plain and simple.

You act like that in any other sport and you don’t even get to finish the game.

 

[Stainmaster]

I seriously hope this is just a really bad attempt at a joke.

It isn't.

 

[Stainmaster]

She waived around her child and fake sexism like a loaded gun.

She’s a scumbag. Plain and simple.

You act like that in any other sport and you don’t even get to finish the game.

You have a very loose definition of "scumbag."

 

[Stainmaster]

I didn't say it did but Serena demanding an apology is ridiculous when she should be the one apologizing. Nalbandian was kicked out of that match, a far larger penalty.

Serena's actions were themselves 100% in the wrong. The only thing compelling me to defend her in any sense is that I don't find this to be a fair penalty. The Nalbandian example was extreme, but there's plenty of evidence of men's tour players berating officials and facing a lot less in the consequences department.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

She’s a scumbag. Plain and simple.

Haha. Love this place.

 

[Robertelamin]

Is Serena elite???

 

[superjohn]

She waived around her child and fake sexism like a loaded gun.

She’s a scumbag. Plain and simple.

You act like that in any other sport and you don’t even get to finish the game.

This was nothing new for her or for tennis players in general. They have always berated umps and the match is almost never if ever stopped. You shouldn't be comparing tennis to other sports.

She had a really bad moment which can happen to competitors on the biggest stage especially when things aren't going right. She screwed up but calling her a scumbag is over the line, she's probably been the greatest ambassador ever for women's tennis.

She's now got Sambo minstrel cartoons of her being posted in newspapers.

 

[the Q]

This was nothing new for her or for tennis players in general. They have always berated umps and the match is almost never if ever stopped. You shouldn't be comparing tennis to other sports.

She had a really bad moment which can happen to competitors on the biggest stage especially when things aren't going right. She screwed up but calling her a scumbag is over the line, she's probably been the greatest ambassador ever for women's tennis.

She's now got Sambo minstrel cartoons of her being posted in newspapers.

Is 5 straight minutes normal?

 

[8893]

Haha. Love this place.

Destroying faith in humanity since 1998.©

 

[Dogdeacon]

I posted where the governing body of the sport admitted the mistake and 3/4 of the people on here are still blaming Serena Williams. You simply cannot hand the opponent a game at that moment. I can't imagine how pissed I'd be if I had paid money to be at that match. As a viewer I felt massively cheated.

That match could have been played and Osaka would have won on her merits, nothing Williams said was directed at her opponent and there is simply no reason not to turn the other cheek. Any setting example or precedent angle is moot, because now they are going to change the rules or enforcement of them.

 

[tzznandrew]

Again, she acted like a petulant baby but you simply can't remove race from the equation when it comes to Serena and tennis. I don't see race being involved at all in what went down on Saturday but just because she's the darling of tennis the last few years doesn't mean she hasn't been treated differently than virtually everyone on tour throughout her career. It wasn't exactly subtle earlier in her career. If she has her back up on this sort of stuff there is a reason.

I'm only talking about race because you brought race into it, to my knowledge Serena didn't.

I mean, the two are friends now and all, but this is about as unsubtle as you get...

 

[intlzncster]

We are pretty racist but we absolutely suck at it compared to Australians.

I'd say it's pretty similar, but they are better at integration (these days that is). They have the same old school yabos who are similar to our southern redneck in views of the world.

Australians are looser with satire, and far better at handling controversial jokes than Americans imo.

Source: first hand experience of over 8+ years.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

This wasn't the first time Serena Williams faced controversy at the U.S. Open - NY Daily News

Alas, when williams stated, "Every time I play here (Flushing Meadows), I have problems.", she misspoke, fibbed, was untruthful, etc. Interesting, common theme williams' over-the-top, emotional overreaction. But, she's a 37-year old adult parent and similar to an infant her child's age melting down. Thr NY Daily News confirmation such problems have not occurred every time williams has played at Flushing Meadows is interesting

 

[intlzncster]

She waived around her child and fake sexism like a loaded gun.

She’s a scumbag. Plain and simple.

You act like that in any other sport and you don’t even get to finish the game.

Meh, 'scumbag' is too much. She's more a petulant, entitled child* than anyone actually bad. Scumbag's assault their wives.

*not sexist, Mcenroe was too.

 

[intlzncster]

Serena's actions were themselves 100% in the wrong. The only thing compelling me to defend her in any sense is that I don't find this to be a fair penalty. The Nalbandian example was extreme, but there's plenty of evidence of men's tour players berating officials and facing a lot less in the consequences department.

The Nalbandian thing was also 6 years ago. So you'd probably expect fines to go up. I'd imagine purses have?