Abusive black cow Serena Williams Given Probation and Hefty Fine for Tirade, unlike white people she keeps her winnings.
Leroy N. Soetoro
Serena Williams, the top-ranked player in women�s tennis, will pay a
price for her threatening, profanity-laced tirade against a lineswoman
during the semifinals of this year�s United States Open. But though she
was fined a hefty $175,000 by the Grand Slam committee in a decision
announced Monday, it decided against suspending her from next year�s
Open or any other Grand Slam event.
Instead, the committee followed the recommendation of its administrator
and lead investigator, Bill Babcock, and adopted a middle path by
heavily fining Williams and placing her on two years� probation. If she
commits another major offense in the next two seasons at one of the four
Grand Slam tournaments, she will be automatically suspended from the
subsequent United States Open.
In addition, if she does not commit another major offense during the
next two years, she will have her fine reduced to $82,500.
Williams could not immediately be reached for comment. Her agent, Jill
Smoller, said she was on vacation outside the United States. Williams
can appeal within 10 days of the ruling, which was rendered Saturday.
But an appeal is unlikely because Williams could have been given a much
harsher penalty, including a suspension and the loss of her prize money
from the Open, where she lost in the singles semifinals to Kim Clijsters
and won the women�s doubles event with her sister Venus Williams.
Serena Williams lost her temper Sept. 12 while serving to stay in the
match against Clijsters. Trailing by 4-6, 5-6 and 15-30, she was called
for a foot fault after a second serve, which gave the point to Clijsters
and brought up match point.
Williams, upset at the timing of the foot-fault call, turned toward the
lineswoman who had made the call and, using profanity, threatened to
stuff a tennis ball down her throat.
Williams, who had received an official warning for smashing a racket
earlier in the match, was given a point penalty on court by the
tournament referee Brian Earley. With Williams facing match point, the
decision gave Clijsters the victory.
Williams, initially unapologetic and evasive, incrementally amplified
her apology over the next two days. She was fined the maximum $10,000
during the tournament but was permitted to play in the doubles final the
next day. That $10,000 fine will be deducted from the total announced
Monday.
The Grand Slam committee members did not immediately elaborate on the
rationale for their decision in their statement, but a tennis official
with knowledge of the case said the fact that the 28-year-old Williams
had not committed a similar infraction in her lengthy career was a
factor in opting for probation instead of suspension.
�We�re not talking about a John McEnroe type character here,� the
official said.
Williams had been fined for audible obscenities and racket abuse in her
career, but this was her first major offense. The Grand Slam committee
found her guilty of aggravated behavior, which, according to the Grand
Slam rule book, is �behavior that is flagrant and particularly injurious
to the success of a Grand Slam, or is singularly egregious.�
--
Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
Rangel's tax evasion.
