The International Tennis Federation has announced that world number one Serena Williams will receive a fine and probation as a penalty for her unsportsmanlike conduct at the 2009 US Open.
Williams verbally assaulted a lineswoman during her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters after receiving a foot fault.
The ITF’s Grand Slam Committee has ruled that Serena will be fined $175,000 and placed on probation for two years. Should she display similar conduct at a future major during the next two years, Williams could face suspension.
Good behavior will result in her fine being reduced to $82,500 in 2011 if she does not commit another major offense before that date.
A lot of people who are under the impression that this fine is “light” will compare the 82k fine to the amounts she earns (playing as well as endorsements).
I think the fine is light in comparison to the disappointment of the fans (individuals and whole families) who attended the semi-final in NY and who (after repeated rain delays and much suspense) were cheated out of seeing the conclusion of the event due to Serena’s tirade.
I am not a Serena hater or a Williams hater(check my previous posts). Yet, I feel the fine was light. I stand by my previous post and reiterate that I believe Serena should go unseeded at all the upcoming majors. If she was forced to play the qualifiers at each major then this additional physical wear and tear would serve as a lesson that she would feel.
I’m not merely repeating what the chorus is pointing out that 82k is barely a dent in her pocket book, I’m saying 82k doesn’t compare with the disappointment/inconvenience her tantrum caused the fans. And and that sum doesn’t carry with it the physical impact that playing all the extra matches in the qualifiers would.
Forcing Serena to play qualifying would be unfair on the players who would otherwise have a good chance of qualifying, and forcing Serena to play unseeded would be unfair on all the seeded players (as we saw at the Australian Open 2007).
The fine is meaningless when Serena has won more than $28 million in career prize-money (and countless more in off-court earnings), and the probation only scratches the surface of a meaningful punishment.
What sort of message is this sending out? That everyone’s allowed to threaten murder once and get away with it for the loss of a tiny percentage of his/her estate?
Jeff Tarango was banned from Wimbledon 1996 for storming off court at Wimbledon 1995, after calling the umpire “the most corrupt official in the game”. In my view, that was a considerably less major offence than Serena’s threatening tirade.
This is a laughable punishment. I think it will only encourage bad behaviour of big stars in the future. For someone so rich as Serena this is like taking away the pocket money. ITF made a total fool of themeselves. Double standards shining through.
Come on people! I am not saying that she was right, but I still feel that all of this has been blown our of proportion.
I think the fine, while slight, and probation are enough punishment. If you ask for her head, then you have to go back and fine or suspend several others on the ATP and WTA tour. They all said or did some things that could have been interpreted as inappropriate for the public. Serena’s biggest problem is that her tyrade was caught on TV during primetime.
Besides, the WTA, ITF and a host of sponsors cannot afford to have someone of her calibre removed from the game.
While verbal abuse is unacceptble, she did not physically touch the linesperson. Words can be hurtful but I think everyone should get past it at this point. I know I am trying to do just that.
There is a world of difference between the usual audible obscenities committed by many players, and actually threatening (by words and aggressive body-language) to kill someone.
Sadly, I do think the decision not to ban Serena was influenced by her standing in the game. In my view, that’s even more reason why the ITF should have made an example of her.
The ITF banned Yanina Wickmayer for far less than it failed to ban Serena and Agassi.
Thank goodness Caroline Wozniacki is of sufficiently high standing not to have been banned for her sporting gesture at Luxembourg! At the time, I honestly thought she had more to worry about than Yanina.
Unfortunately the ITF’s Grand Slam Committee
didn’t have the courage to throw the book at
Serena Williams for her outrages and despicable
outburst at the US Open. This spineless decision will not serve as a deterrent for bullies like Serena.
You are right. The fine didn’t change her dany-deny-deny attitude, rather the opposite. Serena’s now using it to victimize herself: http://lechics.com/celebritynews/serenawilliams1.php
Ah well, what else could we expect from someone who is never beaten, always discriminated against and always held to “different” standards (I think she got that one right…) than others.
PR stunt at its leasf finest.
ITF is really a laughing stock. I read the article you posted Callais and it’s quite clear she doesn’t care about their opinion at all. After all what happened she should be grateful she got away with just a little fine.
This “fine” is ridiculous. Football managers get banned from games for language and gestures for this. And you can’t even hear what they say on tv because it’s not miked – eg Sir Alex of Manchester United.
The biggest arrogance is the Serena’s fans who are laughing and proud of this.
Gutless ITF!