US Open 2018: Umpire has penalised players of both sexes

Serena Williams says umpires apply different standards to men and women ... but record of man at centre of US Open storm paints a different picture.

Amid the ongoing controversy, Japan’s Naomi Osaka celebrates her US Open win. Picture: AFP

The umpire thrown under a bus by tennis officials over his handling of Serena Williams’ meltdown in the US Open final has a record of handing out code violations to players of both sexes.

In the past two years, Carlos Ramos, who is known as a stickler for the rules, has imposed code ­violations on players including US Open men’s title winner Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios. The players have been pinged for offences including smashing racquets, abusing umpires and receiving ­instructions from their coaches. Williams’ claim that the code violations that sparked her meltdown were sexist, stirred debate. WTA Tour chief executive Steve Simon backed her assertion.

Williams was handed three code violations — and docked a point and then a game — in her 6-2 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in the Flushing Meadows final. Her offences: she received instructions from her box, which her coach admitted; called the umpire a “thief”; and smashed her racquet.

Tennis - CARLOS RAMOS’S DISCIPLINARY CALLS

Simon said the affair brought to the forefront the question of whether different standards are applied to men and women in the officiating of matches.

“The WTA believes that there should be no difference in the standards of tolerance provided to the emotions expressed by men v women and is committed to working with the sport to ensure that all players are treated the same,” he said. “We do not believe that this was done last night.”

Williams was most incensed by the first code violation she received — for coaching from her box, even though mentor Patrick Mouratoglou admitted he was trying to advise her and said all coaches do it.

Simon said the sport as a whole should examine the rules on coaching, noting that the WTA already allows on-court coaching during regular tour events — if a player requests it.

(1/2) Several things went very wrong during the @usopen Women’s Finals today. Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn’t, and as a result, a player was penalized for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 9, 2018

(2/2) When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 9, 2018

US great Billie Jean King addressed both issues, also seeing things Williams’ way.

“When a woman is emotional, she’s ‘hysterical’ and she’s penalised for it,” King tweeted. “When a man does the same, he’s ‘outspoken’ & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.”

Djokovic trod warily when asked to weigh in on matter, noting that it was an “awkward situation” for both competitors and “tough” for the umpire.

“I have my personal opinion that maybe the chair umpire should not have pushed Serena to the limit, especially in a grand slam final,” he said.

“He did change the course of the match. It was, in my opinion, maybe unnecessary. We all go through our emotions, especially when you’re fighting for a grand slam trophy.”

However, he said he wasn’t sure sexism was at the root of Ramos’s decisions. “It’s hard to generalise things,” he said.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley yesterday urged world tennis chiefs to lock in a position on in-match coaching.

“It all centred around coaching … the sport has to really get itself sorted out on what it does with coaching,” Tiley said.

“Are we going to have coaching? Are we not going to have coaching? What is it going to look like? The sport needs to get together and sort it out.

“Once that’s sorted out, we don’t have the issue.”

Young Australian ace Thanasi Kokkinakis, speaking alongside Tiley in Melbourne, disagreed.

The Australian Open and US Open have trialled mid-match coaching in their qualifying events this year.

“It was a bit strange in US Open quallies,” Kokkinakis said. “I know they’re always looking to evolve the sport … I’m comfortable with how it is. The rule is a little grey.

“The sooner they sort that out, the better for everyone.”

Kokkinakis took a pass when asked when asked whether he believed chair umpires acted differently towards male and female players.

Additional reporting: Agencies