US Open tennis: Serena Williams coach admits signalling to her during loss to Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams doubles down on her mid-match meltdown over tennis “sexism”, despite being contradicted by her coach | WATCH
Serena Williams v Naomi Osaka in the US Open women’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York. Osaka has beaten Williams 6-2 6-4 to win her first grand slam title
Serena blasts tennis sexism
Serena Williams insisted she was not cheating in the US Open final on Saturday before accusing the sport which has made her a global icon of sexism, AFP reports.
Williams’s bid for a record-equalling 24th major title was delayed in dramatic fashion. However, the final was overshadowed by the American’s angry and tear-filled meltdown in the second set.
She was handed a code violation for coaching, a penalty point for racquet abuse and a game penalty for calling umpire Carlos Ramos a “liar and a thief” and insisting “you owe me an apology”.
Williams insisted that her coach Patrick Mouratoglou had not been coaching her even though the Frenchman told ESPN that he had and that all coaches do it.
“I just texted Patrick, like, What is he talking about? Because we don’t have signals. We have never discussed signals,” said Williams.
Williams said women players are treated differently to their male counterparts in the sport.
“I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things. I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality,” said the 36-year-old.
“For me to say ‘thief’ and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark.
“He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief’. For me it blows my mind. But I’m going to continue to fight for women.”
Williams made reference to the incident last week when French player Alize Cornet was warned for removing her shirt on court.
Cornet was accused of “unsportsmanlike behaviour”.
“Cornet should be able to take off her shirt without getting a fine. This is outrageous,” said Williams warming to her theme.
“I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that want to express themselves, and want to be a strong woman.
“They’re going to be allowed to do that because of today. Maybe it didn’t work out for me, but it’s going to work out for the next person.”
Williams meltdown mars historic final
Playing for a place in history at the US Open, Serena Williams has imploded in an emotional meltdown in a final that will now forever be known for its outburst.
But the superstar’s behaviour has also overshadowed what should have been a celebration of a brilliant performance from Naomi Osaka, who became the first Japanese player to win a grand slam when successful 6-2 6-4.
In remarkable scenes, the 36-year-old was ultimately issued with a game penalty when trailing a set and 4-3 after calling umpire Carlos Ramos a thief for an earlier code violation that cost her a point penalty.
She was previously angered when Ramos issued her with a code violation for receiving coach from Patrick Mouratoglou, which drew a warning.
And regardless of how wronged Williams may feel, that is patently unfair to Osaka, who was nerveless from the opening game and held her composure through the incredible sideshow that erupted in the second set.
Osaka insisted she was mystified by Williams’ spectacular meltdown.
“I didn’t know what was going on, I was just trying to focus. Since it was my first Grand Slam final, I did not want to get overwhelmed,” she said.
“Serena came to the bench and told me she had a point penalty and when she got the game penalty I didn’t know that either.”
Playing in her first major final, Osaka claimed the title on her second match point with a thunderous serve to the backhand and is a worthy champion.
And she deserved far better than for her triumph to be greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I know everyone was cheering for her. I am sorry it had to end like this,” Osaka said. “I want to say thank you for watching the match.
“It was always my dream to play Serena in the US Open finals and I am grateful.”
In the second game of the second set, with Williams leading 1-0, she was issued a warning for coaching, which angered her.
“I know you think that is coaching. I don’t cheat to win. I would rather lose,” the American told the umpire Carlos Ramos.
Her coach acknowledged he was guilty immediately after the match, but said it was hypocritical for the umpire to issue a warning, stating Rafael Nadal regularly got away with similar behaviour.
After relinquishing a 3-1 lead in the set, the 36-year-old drew a second code violation — and point penalty — when she slammed her racquet into the ground at 2-3 after serving successive double-faults.
She was then issued a game penalty at 4-3 when, among other things, she called Ramos “a thief” for stealing a point from her.
Williams demanded referee Brian Earley he called to the court, but the violations were correct and stood.
It is not the first time Williams, who was seeking to join Margaret Court as a winner of 24-grand slam titles, has imploded.
Previously Williams has threatened line judges and umpires in other eruptions on centre court in New York, though it had been many years since a meltdown so ferocious but also atrocious.
A dramatic encounter looked possible early on, though nobody could have predicted what unfolded.
Williams threw in a double-fault in the opening game but was able to close it out with a forehand volley.
Playing in her first major final, Osaka settled immediately and was able to break the 23-time winner in the third game when Williams double-faulted.
Impressively, she was able to consolidate the break when stretching the 36-year-old around the court before closing out the game with an ace.
Williams continued to err off the ground as the first set began to slip away. In particular, the backhand wing was awry, with an error allowing Osaka a double-break.
Osaka saved a break point at 4-1 with an ace, and then another when Williams erred again on the backhand wing.
An ability to hold firm when under pressure on serve had been a feature of the Osaka run to the final, with those two saved chances taking her streak to 18.
Another indication that Williams was struggling with the occasion was the fact she served four double-faults.
In an ominous portent about the task now facing Williams, Osaka had won all 31 matches after claiming the first set.
The second most successful woman in all-time looked to be working back into the match when finally breaking Osaka to lead 3-1 in the second set.
Then came one of the more bizarre meltdowns seen on court.
Still clearly emotional, Williams pleaded for the crowd to support the champion.
“I don’t want to rude and I don’t want to take questions. she played well and this is her first grand slam,” Williams said.
“Let’s make this the best moment we can. We should give everyone the credit that is due. Congratulations Naomi. No more booing.”
Osaka holds her nerve
Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese woman to win a Grand Slam title on Saturday as her idol Serena Williams angrily imploded, calling the chair umpire in the US Open final “a thief”.
Osaka, 20, triumphed 6-2 6-4 in the match marred by Williams’s second set outburst in which the American enraged by umpire Carlos Ramos’s warning for receiving coaching from her box.
She tearfully accused him of being a “thief” and angrily demanded an apology from the official.
When a second code violation for racquet abuse was handed out to her — along with a point penalty — Williams exploded.
“You’re attacking my character,” she said. “You will never, ever be on another court of mine. You are the liar,” she fumed and Ramos handed her a game penalty that put Osaka one game from victory at 5-3 in the second set.
Williams won the next game, and continued her tearful remonstrations with a supervisor on the changeover but Osaka — who displayed remarkable poise throughout — held serve to seal a historic win for her country.
Williams hit with crucial penalty
Serena Williams’ bid for a 24th Grand Slam title imploded in a furious tirade against umpire Carlos Ramos, calling him a thief after he docked her a point for two code violations.
Her outburst then earned her a game penalty, prompting a further outburst to tournament officials and putting Naomi Osaka within one game of victory
Williams was given a second violation, this one for smashing her racket, and again yelled at the chair umpire who had given her a first warning for coaching.
The second code violation cost Williams a point, meaning Naomi Osaka had a 15-0 even before hitting her first serve in the sixth game of the second set. Williams had been given a first violation by Carlos Ramos for coaching earlier in the set, telling him that she’d “rather lose” than cheat. She resumed that argument after the second violation, still angry about the first violation. She unwrapped a new racket and then took the court to argue again some more about coaching.
“You owe me an apology,” she said. “I have never cheated in my life!”
‘I’ve never cheated in my life’
Serena Williams angrily responded to a code violation for coaching by telling the chair umpire that she’d “rather lose” than cheat.
Williams was given the violation by Carlos Ramos of Portugal in the second game of the second set while Naomi Osaka was serving.
Williams approached the chair and told Ramos that she was not being coached but rather being given a thumbs up from her box, which she said she not have been a violation.
“I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose,” she told Ramos.
Later in the second set, Williams’ anger boiled over again in a heated exchange with the chair umpire.
“I didn’t get coaching. You need to make an announcement that I don’t cheat. You owe me an apology. I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what’s right for her. I have never cheated.”
Serena stunned in the first set
Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equalling 24th major singles title is off to a rocky start. Japan’s Naomi Osaka, in her first grand slam singles final, has shown no signs of nerves, overpowering her opponent early.
Osaka broke for a 2-1 lead after Serena came up with a double fault, then added another break of serve to go up 4-1.
The 20-year-old confidently served out the opener 6-2 after 34 minutes, sending a hush through a crowd that was clearly expecting a comfortable Williams triumph.
Serena came up with 13 unforced errors to Osaka’s five in the opening set.
Chasing history
Williams is trying for her 24th major singles title, which would tie Margaret Court’s record. Osaka is trying to win Japan’s first Grand Slam singles title.
Williams, who will turn 37 this month, would break her own record for the oldest Grand Slam women’s champion. Osaka, 20, would become the youngest US Open champion since Maria Sharapova was 19 in 2006.
Roof closed
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are playing the US Open women’s final with the roof closed at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Tournament officials announced that because of a high probability of rain from the afternoon through evening, the roofs at Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium had been closed and would stay that way for the remainder of Saturday’s play.
Matches on outer courts that were affected by rain were to be moved indoors. A year after giving birth, Williams has made a memorable run to another US Open final, where she will play first-time finalist Osaka of Japan on with a chance to win a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Williams lost in the Wimbledon final, but has given herself another chance even faster than perhaps she could have imagined last September. She had four operations following the birth of her daughter, Olympia.
Williams has won six of her 23 major titles in New York, and with a victory would equal Margaret Court’s record.
On the other side, the 20-year-old Osaka could be the first grand slam singles champion from Japan and the youngest women’s champion at the US Open since Maria Sharapova was 19 in 2006.
Williams hasn’t won the US Open since 2014 and hasn’t won anywhere since the 2017 Australian Open, when while pregnant she became the oldest Grand Slam female champion at 35.
Additional reporting: AFP/AP
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