Serena approached the chair and told Ramos she wasn’t getting coaching. “I don’t cheat to win, I’d rather lose,” she told Ramos.“I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.” Serena to the chair umpire after she received a coaching violation…
— Bryce Parker (@bryce_parker26) September 8, 2018
But it was blatant coaching whether she saw it or not is irrelevant
Great call by Carlos Ramos #USOpen pic.twitter.com/NJnL6tNXk1
“It’s not something I do,” she told Ramos on the crossover. But Mouratoglou told ESPN’s Pam Shriver after the match he was in fact coaching, but that Serena didn’t see him. He said Osaka’s coach, Sasha Bejin, also a former hitting partner of Serena, was also coaching. “I’m honest, I was coaching,” he said. “I don’t think she even looked at me. I was like 100 percent of the coaches on 100 percent of the matches. Sasha was coaching too.”When someone accuses my elbow of being too close to the beer pong table pic.twitter.com/qALb0GQnj5
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) September 8, 2018
With Serena up 3-2, Ramos gave her a point penalty for racket abuse when she smashed it in anger. At the changeover, after Serena was broken to go down 4-3, Williams was assessed a third code violation for verbal abuse in the judgment of the umpire, which then required a game penalty. “You’re a thief, you stole a game from me,” Williams said. “I need the referee.” Earley then came out and the fireworks continued. “Because I’m a woman you’re going to take this away from me, that’s not right,” she told him. “Every single year that I play, it’s just not right.” She amplified her comments in her post-match interview, saying Ramos was “sexist” for penalizing her in a way a man wouldn’t have been. Still, we’re hard-pressed to find an example of a man calling an umpire a “thief.” “I can’t sit here and say I wouldn’t say he’s a thief, because I thought he took a game from me,” she said. “But I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things. I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff. 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 and to fight for us to have equal — like Cornet should be able to take off her shirt without getting a fine. This is outrageous. “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.” After the match, Mouratoglou fired shots at Ramos on Twitter.Coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, admits he was coaching #Serena. The umpire inserted himself and should’ve made it clear that it was Serena’s box and NOT her, but he was following the rules.
From there Serena made it worse and has to take responsibility for that. #USOpen #Tennis pic.twitter.com/6l8HjnsfVl — A Football Friend (@AFootballFriend) September 8, 2018
Katrina Adams, the USTA Chairman of the Board, issued this statement. “What Serena did on the podium today showed a great deal of class and sportsmanship. This was Naomi’s moment, and Serena wanted her to be able to enjoy it. That was a class move from a true champion. What Serena has accomplished this year in playing her way back on to the tour is truly amazing. She continues to inspire, because she continues to strive to be the best. She owns virtually every page of the record book, but she’s never been one to rest on her laurels. She’s always working to improve; always eager to embrace new challenges; and to set new standards. She is an inspiration to me, personally, and a credit to our sport, win or lose. I know that she was frustrated about the way the match played out, but the way she stepped up after the final and gave full credit to Naomi for a match well-played speaks volumes about who she is.” The bottom line is that Osaka won her first Grand Slam but it will be overshadowed by what happened with Williams. “I know that everyone was cheering for her and I’m sorry it had to end like this,” Osaka said crying. “I just want to say thank you for watching the match, thank you.”The star of the show has been once again the chair umpire. Second time in this US Open and third time for Serena in a US Open Final. Should they be allowed have an influence on the result of a match ? When do we decide that this should never happen again ?
— PMo (@pmouratoglou) September 8, 2018