Serena Williams has gone through quite a rough time in the recent year. The birth of her child in itself was challenging, as she experienced complications during labor. Williams' return to the tennis court has also been difficult, resulting in a tearful loss last month. This public failure was followed by aggressive drug testing for the athlete, a process that was deemed to be discriminatory against her.
It seems like all of these factors might have culminated in her display of anger during her US open match against Naomi Osaka. The referee who was overseeing the dual called William's out for a violation, which was unwarranted from her perspective. Carlos Ramos accused the champ of making hand signals to her coach. After being handed a game penalty, Williams lost her cool for a moment.
She smashed her racket on the court, garnering herself another violation, then addressed Ramos directly.
"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 don't cheat to win. I'd rather lose."
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The match was a losing game for Serena from the start. Her opponent carried an advantage throughout their sparring. The way in which the young player's victory was received is bittersweet. The crowd was clearly upset about how Williams was treated and sided with her. Osaka was booed, despite her opponent's clear support of her talent, showing true sportsmanship.
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