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Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:00 pm EDT

'How not to apologize,' by Serena Williams

By Chris Chase

After she was levied a $10,500 fine earlier today, Serena Williams issued a statement through the USTA about her outburst in Saturday's U.S. Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters:

"Last night everyone could truly see the passion I have for my job. Now that I have had time to gain my composure, I can see that while I don't agree with the unfair line call, in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly. I would like to thank my fans and supporters for understanding that I am human and I look forward to continuing the journey, both professionally and personally, with you all as I move forward and grow from this experience."

Is that supposed to be an apology? Aren't the words "I'm" and "sorry" usually necessary in such things? This is nothing but another excuse, which is no accident. If Serena was sorry, she'd have said she was sorry. Since she didn't, we can only assume she's not. 

The line about saying she "handled the situation poorly" is like saying that the weather in New York on Friday "wasn't ideal." There was no handling of the situation. It was more like a throttling.

Serena mentions "passion" twice in her self-serving statement, but she seems to mean it in terms of her enthusiasm rather than her barely controlled emotion. There are degrees to which one can be passionate about something and screaming threateningly at another human being is on the wrong end of that scale. It's never good when passion turns into rage.

If Serena isn't sorry, then she shouldn't apologize. But if she's not sorry, she shouldn't expect people to move on as quickly as she apparently has.

Everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes, but one can only be forgiven when they demonstrate contrition. Serena hasn't gotten there yet. She still seems to think this is about a missed call.

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  1. Mark
    1. Posted by Mark Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:09 pm EDT

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    Tsk tsk. Agreed, everyone's human and makes mistakes and let's their emotion get the best of them, we've all been through that. But if its a mistake do apologize. While I may not know Ms. Williams personally, but from what I've seen when she plays is that when she gets angry about "unfair" calls she cannot accept that she's not always right.
  2. liliths
    2. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

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    Why should she apologize for getting cheated? Why should she stay silent when getting cheated? Theres nothing wrong with what she did, people just like to look for excuses to act morally superior to others. People who can't even dream of what its like to be her, the recipient of more bad calls than any other player in women's tennis. When Connors called that ref an "abortion" we just called that Jimmy being Jimmy. Serena has made these people millions upon millions and gets no protection from a fat slob lineswoman who's probably never even played the game. People hypocrisy, including the author of this article is pathetic.
  3. CookyMonzta
    3. Posted by CookyMonzta Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

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    I guessed right. $10,000. I'm surprised that was the max. I thought there was a slight possibility that they would go as high as $25,000.
    She ain't the first athlete to chew out an official for a botched call. And she certainly won't be the last. We see it all the time in baseball, and we see how often a game can turn into a brawl in hockey.
  4. liliths
    4. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:22 pm EDT

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    Why should she apologize for getting cheated? Why should she stay silent when getting cheated? Theres nothing wrong with what she did, people just like to look for excuses to act morally superior to others. People who can't even dream of what its like to be her, the recipient of more bad calls than any other player in women's tennis. When Connors called that ref an "abortion" we just called that Jimmy being Jimmy. Serena has made these people millions upon millions and gets no protection from a fat slob lineswoman who's probably never even played the game. People hypocrisy, including the author of this article is pathetic.
  5. ade
    5. Posted by ade Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:24 pm EDT

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    the call was horrendous, no doubt. serena's response was horrendous, no doubt. what's also horrendous is the fact that the wta has shown a lack of consistency in punishing players for cussing at umpires and linesmen. i've watched tennis for a long time, and have seen far worse behaviors and heard worse tirades on-court directed at umpires and linesmen, particularly from roddick, where not even a warning was given, and on many occasions, the media has focused more on the call rather than his behavior, and simply given him a slap on the wrist with comments like, "well, he probably shouldn't have acted that way," or' "no telling how i would've responded to such an egregious call myself."
    despite serena's faults, I've also seen her displayed a lot of composure and class in similar situations when calls repeatedly went against her incorrectly...i specifically recall the match against capriatti which potentially cost her a championship title. So this incident is not typical of her, but between the amount of footcalls i've had gone against her this tournament...and i'm not saying they're wrong...compared to numerous tournaments and grand slams she's played before, one has to wonder if the rules are being more strongly enforced when it comes to serena than with others.
  6. ade
    6. Posted by ade Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:24 pm EDT

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    the call was horrendous, no doubt. serena's response was horrendous, no doubt. what's also horrendous is the fact that the wta has shown a lack of consistency in punishing players for cussing at umpires and linesmen. i've watched tennis for a long time, and have seen far worse behaviors and heard worse tirades on-court directed at umpires and linesmen, particularly from roddick, where not even a warning was given, and on many occasions, the media has focused more on the call rather than his behavior, and simply given him a slap on the wrist with comments like, "well, he probably shouldn't have acted that way," or' "no telling how i would've responded to such an egregious call myself."
    despite serena's faults, I've also seen her displayed a lot of composure and class in similar situations when calls repeatedly went against her incorrectly...i specifically recall the match against capriatti which potentially cost her a championship title. So this incident is not typical of her, but between the amount of footcalls i've had gone against her this tournament...and i'm not saying they're wrong...compared to numerous tournaments and grand slams she's played before, one has to wonder if the rules are being more strongly enforced when it comes to serena than with others.
  7. CookyMonzta
    7. Posted by CookyMonzta Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    I guessed right. $10,000. I'm surprised that was the max. I thought there was a slight possibility that they would go as high as $25,000.
    She ain't the first athlete to chew out an official for a botched call. And she certainly won't be the last. We see it all the time in baseball, and we see how often a game can turn into a brawl in hockey.
  8. Lance
    8. Posted by Lance Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    Take another steroid Serena....... Cheater
  9. liliths
    9. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:27 pm EDT

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    Also why if she's getting fined should she also apologize? They stole the match away form the fans and from Serena. She was serving, she might have won that game and turned the match. I hope they do ban her from the Grand Slams, so that they are exposed for the cheats they are.
  10. Garfield
    10. Posted by Garfield Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

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    Her attitude at the press conference afterwards is enough to tell us that she is not contrite or apologetic...more punishment should come
  11. Patrick
    11. Posted by Patrick Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

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    Chris, you're an idiot. You don't call a foot fault toward the end of the match? Since when? Do you let a line violation go in bowling because it's the tenth frame? The rule is clear, and needs to be called. Period. Whether or not it was a bad call is an entirely different story, and worth debating. The angle I saw was inconclusive, so I'm not sure if it was bad or not. And the point penalty to end the match sucked, but she already had a warning, so it, too was the right call.
    Learn the rules of tennis before writing about it, because you look like a fool.
  12. Pam
    12. Posted by Pam Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

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    she's not sorry...so what...she does not have to be
  13. Garfield
    13. Posted by Garfield Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:31 pm EDT

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    Her attitude at the press conference afterwards is enough to tell us that she is not contrite or apologetic...more punishment should come
  14. Garfield
    14. Posted by Garfield Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:31 pm EDT

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    Her attitude at the press conference afterwards is enough to tell us that she is not contrite or apologetic...more punishment should come
  15. liliths
    15. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:32 pm EDT

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    Does Lance have any proof that Serena is on Steroids or is he just another pencil ick who's deathly afraid of a strong woman? Look at Clijsters, look at Kuznetsova. Many of the women are hitting the weights. Thats how black people are built, when we lift we bulk up, and you just can't handle a strong woman who could kick your 99 lb. you know what.
  16. liliths
    16. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

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    Does Lance have any proof that Serena is on Steroids or is he just another pencil ick who's deathly afraid of a strong woman? Look at Clijsters, look at Kuznetsova. Many of the women are hitting the weights. Thats how black people are built, when we lift we bulk up, and you just can't handle a strong woman who could kick your 99 lb. you know what.
  17. liliths
    17. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:36 pm EDT

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    Does Lance have any proof that Serena is on Steroids or is he just another pencil ick who's deathly afraid of a strong woman? Look at Clijsters, look at Kuznetsova. Many of the women are hitting the weights. Thats how black people are built, when we lift we bulk up, and you just can't handle a strong woman who could kick your 99 lb. you know what.
  18. liliths
    18. Posted by liliths Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:36 pm EDT

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    No Patrick, you're the idiot. You call obvious foot faults at the end, not that ticky tack garbage, where the ump is actively trying to influence the outcome. Just admit that you don;t like Serena, because if you were an athlete of any kind you know that you don't make that call at that point in any competition.
  19. The Baron
    19. Posted by The Baron Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:36 pm EDT

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    The Baron, sadly, is wondering how long it will take before the race card is played, and for the professional race hustlers to come crawling out of the woodwork to exacerbate the situation, while getting their ugly mugs into the newspapers. What happened to you, America? You are suffering in an ugly way. what can we do to help?
    Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
  20. AmoAmerica
    20. Posted by AmoAmerica Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    I remember the days of Connors and McEnroes; they were and probably still are the nastiest, mean mouthed, jerks around and they were held up as something "special". What is the big deal? if the line referee had a problem let a testimony be made public. I saw the video but couldn't hear all Serena said; is there an observer who was there and heard exactly what she said? Then print it. I keep looking at the line person and she looks like a smug little snitch to me. She might have had a grudge against Serena. I'm not a Serena fan, but this is sport and the refs have to know these "prima donnas" are going to be foul mouthed jerks most of the time. The game lost its gentlemen and ladies long ago.
  21. Curt
    21. Posted by Curt Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    Still no apology, just out of control ego that cannot come to terms with being very wrong. This was never about race, just a spoiled athlete who threatened a lines person with bodily injury, and then could not find the class to apologize. The audio and video is proof of what took place, perhaps the NYPD would like to review the tapes.
  22. brian
    22. Posted by brian Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:41 pm EDT

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    For those who think she should be fined more or punished more severely, maybe you have never played sports and had a bad call dictate the outcome. As for people who think she was so unfair to the line judge, let's rewind the clock and you tell me that was any worse than majority of John McEnroe's tirades and if you think it is worse then maybe you should not watch sports at all. You look at the Billy Martin's, soccer, hockey, and even some basketball player's response to a terrible call, I also suppose you think the lineman for the Cleveland Brown's was wrong for shoving the ref, I mean he only hit him in the eye, blinded him and ended his career but I guess that is ok too. I don't think what she did was any harsher that any other athlete at the top of their game being affected by bad judges, even Tiger Woods and he plays golf.
  23. Lance
    23. Posted by Lance Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    Steroid Serena fails gender test....... Cheater
  24. lakeqi
    24. Posted by lakeqi Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    So far The Baron is the only one talking about the race card. I've seen NUMEROUS references to Serena as an ape and a gorrila on the internet since this whole thing began. "Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio?" Shut up! Paul Simon loves black people and would be disgusted by your longing for the days when blacks actually had to take whatever was given them with a smile, or be lynched for their trouble. Those days are over, and you can cry in your beer til your hearts content.
  25. A Yahoo! User
    25. Posted by A Yahoo! User Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:45 pm EDT

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    "roid rage" nuff said

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