Soaps.com - MESSAGE BOARDS

Please note...I'm really sleepy. LOL!

Personally, I believe parents should use this as a teachable moment and say to their children

"Honey, Serena is having a "meltdown" due to all the hard work it takes to stay on top of her profession. The way she behaved today is wrong. Try to hold your composure at all times or the media and society will crucify you! People only remember the bad things you do and easily forget the good. No matter how many charities you support or how much good you display in this world, if you make a mistake it can destroy your image. Good night dear."

I played tennis in high school and have watched pro tennis since I graduated from college in 1983 and as a long-time tennis fan I just want to say that there have been many pro players who have lost their tempers and been assessed fines by the ATA. Such well-known players as JOHN McENROE, JIMMY CONNORS, IVAN LENDL,BORIS BECKER, and yes even the GREAT BORG himself have all been warned and/or fined. There was even an international player back in the day that had the nickname of NASTY because of his reputation. Like any professional sports tennis has a governing body and players are to abide by the rules and regulations that are set in place for everyone's protection. Might I also add that the linesmen, ball boys/girls, and chair umpire are all VOLUNTEERS and do this because they all love the game and they are NOT getting paid for their time on court. For the most part the pro men are the one's who get hefty fines. Serena Williams is an outstanding player who normally does very well under pressure. In the first set she had a warning from the chair for a "code violation" when she slammed her racket against the court and it went into the net.(she lost this set). When the second "code violation" occurred after the incorrect foot fault call resulting in a double fault & loss of a crucial point Serena could have asked for an over rule from the chair umpire but in the heat of the moment she chose another alternative and that was to become verbally abusive by using profanity and by threatening the linesman. Many professional sports such as basketball, baseball, and football also have rules in place to protect not only the players but the officials as well. If you get in the face or argue with a basketball official in an NBA game the first time you will get a warning(TECHNICAL) and the second time you will get an EJECTION, sometimes followed by a FINE. The governing body has the right to assess the individual altercation or code/rule violation and assess whatever else they deem neccessary. In some cases a further fine, or even days or weeks suspension. I have seen this in both football and baseball as well. Sometimes the coaches and owners will get fines. Don't feel bad for these athletes they KNOW the rules, they train very hard for their very competitive jobs and they reap hundreds of thousands and many get MILLIONS for their talents. For Serena to be fined TEN THOUSAND dollars is not an excessive amount for an athlete of her calibur. Serena is a GREAT tennis player who in the heat of an intense competion lost her temper twice(the first time a warning was issued and the second time it cost her the match, unfortunately), when she used profanity and threatened the line judge the chair umpire made the CORRECT & ONLY call that they could. Serena was NOT made an example of because she is a woman or even a woman of color. Serena was given the warning and the point deduction because she lost her temper and violated the code of conduct(the rules of the AMERICAN TENNIS ASSOCIATION). Serena was allowed to play in the finals doubles match with her sister which was the correct call as per the guidelines, and she & her sister won like many expected them to do so. Serena Williams is an amazingly gifted athlete and highly competitive and she lost her temper, made a mistake, and has sense apoligized and has moved on. I'm sure she has already put this past her and is looking for a short break or is preparing for the next GRAND SLAM event. This U.S. OPEN was very unusual this year because not only did the woman who won had been retired to have a child but came back out of retirement and I believe was unseeded but the man who WON was also unseeded and beat BOTH the NUMBER ONE & TWO players in the world. It was some of the BEST tennis I have seen in many, many years of watching.

I agree Cliq.

Serena is not the first or the last to behave this way and I'm glad she appologized.

It is nice hearing about these upsets. For a change the underdog wins...*clap clap clap*

There have been many that have shown very poor sportsmanship....for example the Rangers coach last year during the playoffs squirted water at a heckling fan and then tossed the water bottle and a hockey stick in their direction.

A Manchester United Player chared the stands and aimeda karate kick and a few punchs over the hoardings of a Crystal palace fan in the front row.

A former baseball player spit in an umpires face....the two later made up.....

Etc. etc.

I hope Serena sees her actions as a wake up call to go seek some help....Anger Mgmt....no game is really worth loosing all that you worked for all these years to be taken away.

Glad her and her sister won the doubles.....not like I ever doubted.

Serena has always thrown tantrums, and there are some times where it does seem the call was wrong, but this time was a shame.

I cringe when she starts whining and stomping her feet!

Remember the Serena vs Jennifer Capriati days? now that was some good drama..and both of them always went off.

My thing is the fines...they give away so much freaking money...10 G's is pocket change

OMG, Snizzle...I am crying laughing over here...how does one become traumatized over a nipple? Did it sprout a head and start speaking in tongues or something? ROTFLMBO...oh my goodness...traumatized? Now---I can understand post traumatic stress disorder from something...how can I say this....TRAUMATIC, you know something really horrible like war, abuse, etc, etc...but not a nipple? Good grief! You know how many close calls growing up I had to endure watching Dynasty, The Love Boat, and the Dukes of Hazzard...LOLOL...you don't see me paying somebody $200/hr to lay on their couch or $20/day for a bag of ripple! Geez Louise!

OK--back to this joker Hewitt---are you serious? He is a piece of work from what you're telling me, I've got to check him out. Hmmmm...I wonder if he called Kim after her match with Serena...wouldn't you have loved to be a fly on the wall for that call?