Serena Williams - Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Let's be honest, it wasn't a clear enough foot fault for the line judge to make that call at such a crucial point in the match. But Serena's reaction was unacceptable. I was courtside after waiting at the Billie Jean National Tennis Center through nearly eight hours of rain to see the women play out their semifinals. The match was tight, although Serena had already beat herself long before she started swearing. She smashed her racquet at the end of the first set in understandable frustration, she was getting outplayed, fair and square. Clijsters had the pressure on, she was playing a cleaner match. It happens to anyone who plays a sport -- some days you don't play your best and your opponent is better.

Many of us can relate on some level to Serena's reaction, but on a stage of that caliber, with so many watching, athletes are setting the tone for much more than their own match. Kids, in particular, emulate what they see their favorite athletes do (which Serena acknowledges in an apology on her website). There is a time in competition, especially individual sports, that it is less about training and fitness, and more about focus and attitude. When the latter fails you, all the hours in the gym can't save you.

Fast-forward to the second foot fault of the match, the call that's been heard around the world. The stadium immediately buzzed, "Was that a foot fault?!" Those listening on US Open radio earpieces heard John McEnroe confirm our questions, it was not a clear foot fault, and it might not have been a fault at all. For those who don't watch tennis outside of the slam finals, let me tell you, foot faults are rarely called, but they have been rife at this year's US Open.


Perhaps Serena should have taken a half step back when serving, since she knew she was prone to getting called for foot faults in the tournament. Instead of putting her focus into holding her serve and taking a step back, she came unhinged. She got a really bad call at a bad time, not the first time it has happened to her in a tournament. But for all the people who look up to her and her game, her reaction was disgusting. Who knew an entire stadium could get uncomfortable? Well, it did.

Sure, she's not the first person to go nuts on the tennis court. In fact, the Daily Mail has a nice roundup of tennis tirades. However, Serena made it very personal, and you could clearly read her lips from behind the changeover chairs (where I was sitting). It wasn't pretty. At first I was excited to see her meltdown, but about five seconds into it was just confusing and absolutely out of line. I've seen a lot of tennis, I've never seen a player booed the way Serena was. Those around me who had cheered for her the loudest also booed the loudest.

Most of us will never be on center court and know what that pressure is like, but that's not the point. Fitness is not just about lifting weights and solo runs, for many of us, it's also about playing sports. Sportsmanship should be an inherent part of professional and amateur sports alike, and anyone on the pro level who cannot conduct themselves should be punished.

Serena said in a following statement that it was her "passion" that was responsible for her reaction. But from the sidelines, it seemed as though she already had felt defeated in the match, even though she could have served her way out of two break points. She came unglued. The linesperson should be questioned and potentially fired for making a dubious call, which could not be challenged, at such a juncture in the match. But just like hitters and pitchers adjust their game depending on the strike zone on any given night, Serena should have adjusted her positioning knowing that she was being called for foot faults.

Sports is about making the small adjustments in the heat of competition to beat your opponent, and make sure you're not beating yourself. The call was terrible, but it was not the foot fault that ended the match. Serena made that call by herself.