Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018 | 2 a.m.
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A double standard exists in professional tennis. Men can behave much worse than Serena Williams did at the recent U.S. Open. They can stream obscenities, smash their rackets and so on. Yet they often get by with only a warning from the umpire. Williams was assessed a point and then was forfeited a game for arguing with the umpire and breaking her racket.
Williams is a player of integrity. In her 20-year career, she has never cheated. Was it not understandable that she felt that her character was under attack when she was penalized for her coach’s signals? She wasn’t even looking at her coach as he was trying to signal her.
Not surprisingly, the International Tennis Federation and U.S. Open backed umpire Carlos Ramos’ decisions. They must keep their institutionalized power intact. They are entrenched in historical “norms” and do not change with the times or with individual circumstances. Williams only tried to defend herself after the charge that she took coaching. Williams never asks for coaching during her matches, even when it is allowed on the regular WTA circuit.
Why are Ramos and other umpires above reproach and exempt from apologizing? Sometimes they will enforce rules. Other times, they ignore them. And if you watch enough tennis, it is obvious that there is sexism involved in some of their decisions. Arbitrary enforcement of rules, sexism and even subtle racism — not Williams’ forceful expression of anger — are what warrant punishment.
