Littlefield: Where Does Serena Williams Go From Here?
Serena Williams talks to officials after arguing with a line judge during the U.S. Open. WBUR sports commentator Bill Littlefield says the question now is how Williams will endeavor to rehabilitate her image. (AP)
BOSTON — Where does Serena Williams go from here?
Well, first, to the bank. She earned $350,000 for making it to the finals of the singles competition, and half of another $420,000 for winning the doubles title with her sister.
Williams has so far been fined $10,500 for what she said to a line judge while losing the singles final, so she’ll have to ask for some cash back when she makes her deposit, or perhaps buy a cashier’s check.
In the real apology on Tuesday that followed her previous “sort-of” apology, Williams said she would like to give the line judge whom she apparently threatened “a big hug and put it behind us.”
So far the line judge has not said whether she would like to be hugged. If she goes along with Serena’s offer, it would provide the disgraced tennis player’s rehabilitation with a wonderful photo op, at least until the line judge fell, insensible and blue, at Serena’s feet.
But seriously, what should Serena Williams do to put last weekend’s shame behind her and regain her image as a gloriously accomplished, albeit curiously unassuming and hugely admirable, role model?
She could make a sizeable contribution to SPISO, the Society for the Prevention of the Intimidation of Sports Officials. Or perhaps in her next match, she could call a foot fault on herself, then smile at the line judge, as if to say, “I know your job is difficult and anxiety-provoking. Why not let me help?”
Bill Babcock, the Executive Director of the International Tennis Federation, has said that the investigation of the Williams Affair will take weeks, if not more. Why that should be so, since there is no longer any dispute about what happened, is a little mysterious.
But the delay means that Serena Williams will have plenty of time to visit hospitals, speak out on behalf of healthy foods and in opposition to people who are mean, and bang in a nail or two at a house being built for a family that would otherwise be living in a van by the river.
The result? When the ITF does announce whatever additional punishment will be assessed, most people will regard Serena Williams as a victim.
Bill Littlefield comments on sports for WBUR and hosts “Only A Game” each Saturday at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
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I am tired of people thinking that Serena is the victim in all of this. She is the one that threatened the Line Ref, and said quite a bit more than that. Serena is the one has an extremely poor attitude unless she is winning. I have seen her many times, and I am not impressed. I for one am tired of these people that don’t think the rules apply to them, that they are more important then the rest of us, better than we are. I would like to see her fined the $350,000, and suspended from next years U.S. Open. I would like to see the rules tightened up a bit, and every time, yes everytime they broke a racket they would be fined. Yes, let’s take care of business, and then we can move on. By the way Federer was fined for his language.
Jim Smith, who brought tennis to the lives of 1000s of inner city kids tennis in Boston, was clear to all of us that tennis was about respect for self and others. Jim Smith would not have excused Serena’s words. Arthur Ashe was his friend and our mentor. Serena should have admired Arthur not MacEnroe.
There seem to be two issues here. First, the low class/no class behavior of someone who functions as a role model for others. She may be a great tennis player, but hardly a great person. People who are “great” in the larger sense of that word dont demean and/or threaten others, with expletives that make her sound like the egocentric, entitled and false person she really is. Her apology was so vacuous, so false as to why bother. Remorse, zero; arrogance, A plus. Second, aside from embarrassing herself, bullying another human being, and being totally and publicly crude and rude, who gives a crap. Does it occur to anyone that young men and women are being blasted to sitherines, losing legs, arms and their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, while we opine on how wonderful this spoiled, insensitive athlete is. It is truly sad to read these comments as it attests to how shallow we are on the inside. And how lacking in compassion, or a sense of reality.
I, too, am tiring of all this. Ms. Williams should be fined heavily for threatening the official. I couldn’t hear what she said, but I did see her actions. Federer, McEnroe, and other men who have yelled at judges have simply yelled at them. Yes, they threw their rackets, but not at the judge. The fines for these actions were levied and, I assume, paid.
What Ms. Williams should do is not offer a hug. It is to admit that she was definitely wrong in her actions.
The USTA will make a decision about further discipline if deemed necessary. The men should take notice. We tennis fans will not tolerate bad behavior. I would not watch a McEnroe match until recently because of his bad behavior. There is no reason for such outbursts from people who play a civil sport. Maybe there’s just too much money involved. I think that sports in general have become so self-centered and athletes are given too much adulation for giving us entertainment.
After all, “it’s only a game”.
One mistake: Serena did not get to the finals, as Bill reported. She lost in the semi-finals.
Iam very shock people are still going on about this case for christ sake move on and let the girl be.There is more important things going on in the world right now then this rubbish.LEAVE HER ALONE1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just want to correct you. Serena didn’t make it into the final. “She earned $350,000 for making it to the finals of the singles competition”. Thats what you started with on your article.and Yeah your personal attacking her leave her alone. we have seen federe sayin “F” word an s**t but no one mention it.
Leave Serena alone! So what she yelled at a line judge, big deal.
Federer did it in the final and it hasn’t even been mentioned. It’s ridiculous! This is a perfect example of how this is a sexist issue. Serena’s the greatest tennis player/athlete on the planet and her outburst was just an example of how passionate she is. If she gets suspended there will be an uproar and I will boycott watching any tennis tournaments without her in it.
I’m not the biggest Serena fan–never have been. She’s very talented, but not my favorite tennis player–Steffi Graff was. Having said that, I feel that some are taking this TOO far. Sure Williams should have received the fine she got, and she should have to apologize to everyone and YES, she most definitely embarrassed herself and surely what she did will be part of her career. But my God, some of you–especially your sports writers are making this woman out to be Jack the Ripper for God’s sake. I’ve seen several of John McEnroes’s outbursts up close and personal, and this type of behavior went on for McEnroes’s entire career. I mean for 10 plus years. In fact, he embarrassed the US several times abroad also–at Wimbledon, and in the Davis Cup championship one year. It got so bad during Davis Cup, he even went toe to toe with Arthur Ashe of all people on television. Yet people’s recollections seem to be getting very fuzzy in that they really DON’T want to remember McEnroe’s tirades–all 10 plus years of them, yet Williams is being raked over the coals for ONE incident–sure it was bad–but when in her career did she EVER do anything like this? I don’t recall there being another time she’s ever done something like this. I feel there could be a bit of underlying racism going on here–and no, I’m a white male saying this because I’ve seen the blogs and heard people using racial slurs when talking about and discussing this. Everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath. The world is still turning, the oceans are still rushing to the shore and the sun WILL come up in the morning. Although what Williams did WAS wrong and extremely embarrassing and like I say WILL be part of her tennis legacy, it was NOT the end of the world either. At some point, we have to move on here.
This isn’t a “minor incident.” I’ve been a tennis fan for 40 years. In all that time, I’ve never seen a player stand over an official, racket pointed at them, yelling “So help me God, I’m going to take this [expletive] ball and shove it down your [expletive] throat. I don’t expect to watch a USTA event of the caliber of the US Open and see behavior like this. USTA, protect the sport we all love. Impose a hefty fine and a period of suspension. Tell Ms. Williams and all professional players that codes of conduct will be strictly enforced. I’m so tired of the Roger incident being compared to this. Did he ever threaten an official? EVER? No he hasn’t, and I’m certain, would never do so. Let’s look on this with the seriousness it deserves. If they hadn’t been on a tennis court, criminal charges could have been filed by the official.
I love Serena!
Just cuz serena isn’t a petite (anorexic) blonde of european descent you feel justified in reveling in her fall from grace. Serena and Venus have been curtsying and grinning and tap dancing for 10 years while winning grand slam after grand slam. They will never be accepted by the vast majority of y’all out there. Roddick, Safin, Gonzo, Sharapova,Federer, Capriati,…the list is long, have all cursed out officials and thrown racquets. Apparently the rules are only for “those who don’t really belong” Don’t give me that “but she was threatening” crap. No one in their right mind believes she was truly going to kill that woman. It was a FIGURE OF SPEECH said in the heat of the moment when a million bucks was on the line and a ridiculous call was made. If that had happened to FEDERER, RODDICK, SAFIN, MCENROE, CONNORS that woman would have been rolled out on a stretcher. That call was unprecedented and so is the so called punishment being metered out to Serena.
Just move on fro Christ sake, willya, its ridiculous to keep picking on a minor incident like this.