Serena Williams Verbally Abuses Linesman at U.S. Open – Video

Sunday, September 13, 2009, 12:20 AM | Sports
Tags: Serena Williams, U.S. Open, Verbal Abuse, Video

Nice controversial ending Serena Williams.

Kim Clijsters won the first set. Serena threw down her racket and got a warning for racket-abuse.

In the second set, Clijsters leads Serena 6-5. Serena is serving.

Down 15-30, her first serve is a fault. On her second serve, the linesman calls a foot fault, setting up match point.

Then Serena tells the linesman: “I swear to god I’m f***kin going to take this ball and shove it down your f**kin mouth.” Then continues with more profanity-laced threats.

Chair umpire calls the linesman and asks her what Serena told her — and then calls the tournament officials.

Serena is called to the chair and is heard saying “I didn’t say ‘I was going to kill you’.” (Gasp)

Officials talk to her, telling her she was just handed a point penalty for her second violation of tournament code of conduct. Being that it was match point, Kim Clijsters just won.

Serena Williams goes over to Kim to shake her hand.

John McEnroe later says that ‘you can’t defend the indefensible.’ Sure it was a bad call, but you can’t just shoot off your mouth like that in a public match and not expect some consequences. In the press conference, Serena admitted that she was not aware that she was in danger of getting a point penalty.

Watch the video here:

28 Comments for Serena Williams Verbally Abuses Linesman at U.S. Open – Video

1

wow that is a horrible way to lose a match. what a waste.

silentmacaroni on September 13, 2009 at 12:56 am
2

was that really a foot fault?

nlkt on September 13, 2009 at 12:59 am
3

It was a foot fault. She was wrong. Bottom line is you can take the girl out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the girl…lol

wowurcrazy on September 13, 2009 at 2:23 am
4

She is fugly biach w/ fugly attitude. She needs help.

keith on September 13, 2009 at 2:41 am
5

rickey,i can’t see the vedio with the firefox brower,u guys have the same problem with me?maybe i should download an IE

peter on September 13, 2009 at 5:25 am
6

the end of serena’s winning streak?

shay on September 13, 2009 at 5:27 am
7

Is it ironic that JOHN MCENROE was commenting on shooting your mouth off in a public match?

Nornny on September 13, 2009 at 9:05 am
8

Serena might have gotten away with the verbal diarrhea if she hadn’t gone back toward the linesman a second time.

It was a very competitive match. It’s a shame it had to end that way, but players cannot be allowed to behave in such a manner toward the officials.

Congratulations to Kim Clijsters! She has played brilliantly throughout the entire tournament. Serena’s meltdown should not diminish Clijsters’ victory.

Fletch on September 13, 2009 at 9:45 am
9

how can she be that irrespectful to the poor scared judge…that show what kind of ppl she is!!shame

yassine on September 13, 2009 at 11:21 am
10

I love how they make a big deal out of this. Seriously. Of course she’d be pissed. Why do we expect every single public figure to be so perfect, that is bullshit.
Who doesn’t lose their cool in games at least once in a while?
OMG SERENA CURSED OMGGGGG HOW HORRRIBLE CUZ NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD DOESSS!

rachel9isfine on September 13, 2009 at 12:39 pm
11

Wow…I can’t believe you don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s one thing to lose your cool, but to actuallyu threaten a lines judge??? She really deserved the point penalty. She never thought she could get one because in her head she’s the queen at the US Open. I hope that teaches her something.

Catherine on September 13, 2009 at 12:51 pm
12

Andy Roddick would lose his cool constantly and nobody says a DAMN THING? Wonder why….

desiree on September 13, 2009 at 1:10 pm
13

Once again, here is a sport that you would like to have your celebrities be roll models for children. Soooo disappointing!

Karon on September 13, 2009 at 1:24 pm
14

She didn’t threaten the judge :-/
If you were playing a tennis game for fun or something, and you lose your cool like that, no one would think anything of it, but because she’s a celebrity its a big deal.

rachel9isfine on September 13, 2009 at 2:23 pm
15

The event wasn’t nearly as big a deal EXCEPT for the fact that it cost her the match. Had she not previously been giving a warning for poor sportsmanship (tossing her racket) she would not have been penalized to the point where she lost the match.
Many, many sports figures have had occasions like this; what will really show her true nature is how she responds.

cc on September 13, 2009 at 3:04 pm
16

Imagine that, 99% of the linesmen are decent and try to do a good job however, they are the most inflexible people on the planet. How about reviewing the call and be flexible.

Guardian on September 13, 2009 at 3:52 pm
17

I actually believe with the one who said “you can take the girl out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the girl”. Serena as profissional player and celebrity like others would keep her fairy play whole the game…and show hers fans and all the people she act in good way.

Didio on September 13, 2009 at 6:08 pm
18

what a shame!
she just lost a game and a fan here

wanabidabida on September 13, 2009 at 6:57 pm
19

Yeah, there’s pretty much no way to defend her on this one… sorry. She didn’t like the call and threw a freakin’ tantrum (apparently for the second time during the match). She got what she deserved. And how is “I’m going to shove this ball down your throat” not a threat??!? I’m sure she wouldn’t have really done it, but that’s not something you say when you have that many people watching you! What a moron.

Sarahv2480 on September 13, 2009 at 7:11 pm
20

I am not surprised at all. And I watched the press conference afterward; there will be no apology to the line judge. Did she forget that she can challenge the call. Hello!!!! Thank God we have Melanie Oudin to put a fresh perspective and attitude back into American Tennis.

NotSurprisedinCA on September 13, 2009 at 8:30 pm
21

Sorry Rachel9, but I must disagree. If someone threatened you or someone you care about in that fashion you would be outraged. To say it didn’t happen is ridiculous and shameful. Disagree with the call, get angry, but don’t threaten someone with shoving a ball down their throat. When this happens in any other sport that person is fined and suspended. If they do this now it’s unfair to Venus and the fans who paid out hard earned dollars in a bad economy to enjoy an evening out. Nevertheless, it must be done. The fine is nothing to her, but the time away will give her time to think about a different way to behave.

NotSurprisedinCA on September 13, 2009 at 8:58 pm
22

Serena did go over the line, but I would have been mad too. Being competitive isn’t all love and bunnies. It’s hard to keep your cool.

Lia on September 13, 2009 at 10:49 pm
23

Get as mad as you like, but don’t threaten anyone with bodily harm.

NotSurprisedinCA on September 13, 2009 at 11:21 pm
24

She is expected to behave well no matter what pressure she is under. I love watching the Williams play, and expect them to be role models. What Serena did is unprofessional and deserved the punishment meted out and hope this will serve as a deterrent in her future tournaments.

Mambwe Lungu on September 14, 2009 at 5:56 am
25

When a player thinks he or she is bigger than the gane itself, then this happens..Well done Kim

Graham on September 14, 2009 at 8:42 am
26

Reply to desiree: Yes, Roddick does lose his cool (although it’s a lot less than when he was young), but I don’t ever recall him threatening a line judge…and he usually talks badly to the umpire and not the line judge(not that I think it’s ok to do so) But anyway…

Catherine on September 14, 2009 at 3:28 pm
27

Wow … Jehovah’s Witnesses have sure gotten mouthy!

Daryl O. on September 15, 2009 at 10:22 am
28

it was a bad call period and if i were in serena’s shoes i would have lost my composure and verbally abuse that ugly lineswoman. that lineswoman did not deserve to be there in the first place. viva serena.

joecad on September 22, 2009 at 10:18 pm