Different standard?: pro sports penalties for cussing, unsportsman-like behaviour

[smilingcat]

oh forgot about John McEnroe.

Well Serena should have been tossed out if she had made physical threats. You don't go around threatening people.

[GLC1968]

Oh, yeah, Johnny Mac got fined back in the day, LOL. If memory serves, he even had to forfeit a match once due to his behavior. Honestly I think what Serena did was worse -- she threatened physical violence against a linesperson. No defense for that.

Yes - Serena was worse. Much worse. It didn't even come off as a crime of passion during the event and her commentary after it was over was pathetic. Honestly, it was like she was on drugs or something...totally out of character. Even John MacEnroe was stunned (he was a commentator). And Serena's outburst did actually cost her the match. She wasn't thrown out, but her second outburst in the same match cost her a point (by the rules) and that point happened to be match point.

I actually felt really bad for Kim Kleisters who was her opponent for that match. She had no idea what was going on (too far away to hear what was being said to the line judge) and she kind of had a stunned look on her face when they told her she'd won by default.

[lunacycles]

I actually heard that Serena is wanting to develop a Bad Girl image, and hence the lack of genuine apology or taking responsibility after this incident.

I LOVE tennis. I watch the majors in a frighteningly obsessive manner. I saw this match and was absolutely blown away she had the lack of presence to so blatantly go off on (and threaten) someone who was so obviously just doing her job. It was beyond out of character, it was weird. I also agree about racism being a huge problem in tennis, and golf, but if any player did anything remotely like what she did, they would definitely be expecting exactly what she received.

Does anyone remember when Serena was on the receiving end of some really, really bad calls? I think it was the U.S. Open, or the French Open semis or finals maybe five years ago, and she lost the match after having been given a few very, very bad calls--I think there was at least one incident when the umpire over ruled the line judge, and she was clearly wrong to do so. Serena was remarkably composed during that incident, and it also clearly cost her the title.

[GLC1968]

It was beyond out of character, it was weird.

Yes. It totally was odd. I mean, my husband and I (we also watch tons of tennis) just stood there with our jaws hanging down. It was a train wreck for sure...