Serena was struggling in that game. Even if it wasn't a foot fault, that could hardly affect the outcome of the game. Clisters was sooo much better and stronger last night. Sad thing for Serena, she said things that she's going to regret. Her words will haunt her.
Give me a break! A linesman calls a foot fault at a critical time in a semifinal match that causes a double-fault. Serena explodes like a volcano on the linesman and says some very regretful things. The linesman runs to the umpire. They confer. The umpire awards a point to Clijsters. This happens at match point. But it's "just the media sensationalizing it for ratings"? Nonsense. This is as controversial as it gets and the media has nothing to do with it.
Do you even play tennis. Foot faults are almost never called, and are only called sometimes against the most habitual foot faulters. I've been watching tennis for over 30 years and I have never seen a foot fault called during a key point in a match until last night.
I'd agree with you if the issue is that it's just never called despite it happening. But the more important question is how often does a foot fault HAPPEN in that scenario? If it never happens, and thus is never called, then I don't see a problem with calling it when it happens. If it happens all the time, but is never called, then I agree that it probably shouldn't have been called.
He would have called her an idiot; not threaten to shove a tennis ball down her throat. Foot fault or no, Williams was losing that math last night and showed absolutely no class by depriving Clijsters the payoff of the win she deserved.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EmJi_oc7t10&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EmJi_oc7t10&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Uh, no.
Yes, John could be a brat and whine like a little b****. But I still didn't hear him threatening someone with physical harm.
clearly you don't follow tennis all year. Serena will get the worst effect of her actions when tour begin next year outside US.
wow. i have played a lot and seen a lot of tennis and I have never seen anything like that outburst from Serena last night, and there is not one reason to defend her actions. first of all, she foot faulted. her quick footwork put her left foot right on the line and the call was made accurately. there is no grey area of interpretation for this rule. perhaps the officials were told to keep an eye out for foot faults this year, just like when NBA refs were told to watch hand-checks and traveling calls with more scrutiny last season. second of all, Serena acted like a complete fool not only with her warning of "shoving a f***king ball down someone's throat" and then approaching the officials and asking the line judge in question "Are you scared 'cause I said I was going to hit you.? I'm sorry but there's a lot of people who have said worse... I didn't say I was going to kill you..." (paraphrased) well Serena, news flash: If you shove a tennis ball down someone's throat, they might have trouble breathing and you might just kill that person. thirdly, and I'm sorry to suggest this, but what I witnessed only leads me to think that Serena sure looked like she was in a fit of roid rage last night...
The headlines about Serena losing the match due to a "controversial call", as if it was unfair, was the media's fault. All the lineswoman did was follow the rules, and Clijsters victory shouldn't be deemed anything less because of the manner in which she received the final point. If you step over the line, or on the line, it's a fault. If you physically threaten anyone on the court, you get docked a point. Serena is a men amongst girls and was expecting everything to go her way; you can't be a sore loser and use one call as a scapegoat. The best player advanced. If you could point out all the instances where a foot fault occurred during a key point and wasn't called, then your argument has some validity. The only controversial aspect of this was the barbarian manner in which Serena threatened the lineswoman, not the verdict.
wow that ab injury to nadal is really hurting him. It's one thing for Del Potro to hold his service games but those puffball serves Nadal is putting into play is killing him on his service games. I was giving Delpo a good chance to win this match but the injury is really taking nadal out of his game.
Agreed, I don't see Nadal struggling at all if his abs are close to 100%. Hopefully he can turn it around, DP doesn't stand a chance against Federer in the final.
The WTA should send a message to current and future players and fans; and ban SW from the tour for a year. Last night's behavior (including her post-match interview) was unprofessional, and frankly, an embarassment for the sport and any interest SW represents.
THey just showed the supposed foot fault from the front angle. They had to zoom in but it definitely didn't look like a 100% foot fault. It was very close. MIght need to start putting hawk-eye into players shoes now
You still don't get it. The match would be extremely controversial no matter what the headlines said. In fact, it was IMMEDIATELY controversial. The replay BY ITSELF is a spectacle. Did "the media" alter the tape to make it more "sensational"? Did "the media" make Serena go off the deep end and threaten the umpire? Not one single person has disputed whether the best player advanced. That is not even relevant to the discussion. For you to blame the media for the controversy is silly.
At least NBA refs are smart enough to not call brush fouls on game winners. Unless it's an intentional foul, NBA refs will not call it. I don't think stepping 1 inch on the line will give her significant advantage on that serve... anyone who says otherwise is an idiot.
