Serena Fined

Serena Williams was fined $2,000 by the US Open on Monday for berating the chair umpire during the final.

Tournament referee Brian Earley issued his ruling a day after Williams was cited by chair umpire Eva Asderaki for a code violation for verbal abuse during a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Sam Stosur in the women’s singles championship match at Flushing Meadows.

A statement issued by the U.S. Tennis Association said the fine ”is consistent with similar offenses at Grand Slam events.”

Williams earned $1.4 million at the US Open: $900,000 for finishing as the runner-up, plus a $500,000 bonus for having come in first place in the US Open Series standings, which take into account results at hard-court tuneup tournaments.

The USTA also said Grand Slam committee director Bill Babcock conducted his own review and determined ”Williams’ conduct, while verbally abusive, does not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct.”

That means Williams does not face further disciplinary action – which could have included a fine and suspension from a Grand Slam tournament – under the ”probationary period” she was put under after yelling at and threatening a line judge after a foot-fault call at the end of her loss to Kim Clijsters in the 2009 US Open semifinals.

US Open out to get Serena???!!

Serena Williams was….

Down a set and facing a break point in the first game of the second, the 13-time major champion hit a forehand and shouted, ”Come on!” as Samantha Stosur reached down for a backhand. Chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled that Williams hindered Stosur’s ability to complete the point and awarded it to Stosur — putting her ahead 1-0 in that set…

Williams went over to talk to Asderaki, saying, ”I’m not giving her that game.”

Williams also said: ”I promise you, that’s not cool. That’s totally not cool.”

Some fans began booing, delaying the start of the next game as both players waited for the commotion to subside.

Tournament director Brian Earley said Asderaki’s ruling was proper.

But Williams had trouble putting the whole episode behind her.

During the changeover two games later, Williams continued to talk to Asderaki, saying, ”You’re out of control. … You’re a hater, and you’re just unattractive inside. … And I never complain. Wow.”…..

Williams also told the official: ”Really, don’t even look at me.”

When Stosur wrapped up the match with a forehand winner, Williams refused the customary post-match handshake with the chair umpire.

”I hit a winner, but I guess it didn’t count,” Williams said during the trophy presentation. ”It wouldn’t have mattered in the end. Sam played really well.”

This sort of thing has happened before at the US Open to Williams, who won the tournament in 1999, 2002 and 2008.

In the 2009 semifinals against Kim Clijsters, Williams was called for a foot-fault that set her off on a profanity-laced outburst at a line judge. Williams lost a point there, and because it came on match point, Clijsters won. That led to an immediate $10,000 fine from the U.S. Tennis Association and later a record $82,500 fine from the Grand Slam administrator, who also put Williams on a ”probationary period” at Grand Slam tournaments in 2010 and 2011.

A poor call during Williams’ 2004 U.S. Open quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati was cited as a main reason for the introduction of replay technology in tennis.

US Open

 

WOMEN TO WATCH

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

The Daily’s odds: 15-1

Why she’ll win:

She made it to the Open final in 2009 against Clijsters. With the Belgian out of the tournament because of an injury, there’s nothing stopping Wozniacki from winning as the No. 1 seed.

Why she won’t:

She has been upset in her first match in two of her past three tournaments, and the press will continue to focus on her relationship with golfer Rory McIlroy. That’s one distraction too many.

VERA ZVONAREVA

The Daily’s odds:

13-1

Why she’ll win:

The second-best woman in the world was the runner-up in last year’s Wimbledon and US Open. With her maturity and improved consistency, she’ll finally put herself over the top.

Why she won’t:

The ghosts of 2009, in which she had a tearful breakdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium during a match may come back to haunt her.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

The Daily’s odds:

4-1

Why she’ll win:

She continues an impressive year — she has made it to four tournament finals and has won two titles, including the recent Western & Southern Open — by breezing through the competition for her second US Open trophy.

Why she won’t:

Serena Williams will stop her, should they meet. Sharapova has lost her past six matches against her, including a quarterfinal match in Stanford.

PETRA KVITOVA

The Daily’s odds:

20-1

Why she’ll win:

She will prove her Wimbledon victory over Sharapova wasn’t just a fluke and surprise the field with another amazing run.

Why she won’t:

Wimbledon really wasa fluke and she bows out in the early rounds.

SERENA WILLIAMS

The Daily’s odds:

6-1

Why she’ll win:

She will put together an incredible run fueled by her anger toward her low seeding and by love from the New York crowd. It’s the perfect comeback story.

Why she won’t:

Her injured toe that shut her down at the Western & Southern Open will flare up again, or she will be exhausted from a heavy schedule

 

MENS TO WATCH

CLICK HERE

 

Serena Advances

 

WIMBLEDON, England

Defending champion Serena Williams recovered from a poor start to defeat Simona Halep 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 Thursday and move into the third round of Wimbledon, staying on course for a fifth title…..After dropping the first set, Williams regained her renowned intensity and powerful shot-making to dominate the rest of the way on Court 2. The winner of 13 Grand Slam singles titles is still searching for her form after a yearlong absence because of injuries and health issues.

There were no tears this time from Williams, who sobbed with relief on Monday after winning her opening match on Centre Court against Aravane Rezai.

”I’m just happy to be playing and hopefully I’ll get better as the tournament goes on,” Williams said. ”It was a little windy out there and I just was a little tight so I just got to relax and enjoy myself more.”

From 4-2 in the second set, the seventh-seeded American won eight out of the last nine games to re-establish her supremacy on the grass at the All England Club, pumping a clenched fist and shouting ”Come on!” after smacking key winners.

It was the fourth consecutive three-setter Williams has played since returning last week at the Eastbourne grass-court tournament. She had been out for nearly a year after two foot operations and blood clots in her lungs.

Serena & Tears of Joy

WIMBLEDON, England (AP)

Returning to Grand Slam tennis after a year away with health problems, Serena Williams opened her Wimbledon title defense Tuesday by beating Aravane Rezai in three sets — then burst into tears on Centre Court…After serving her 13th ace to close a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory, Williams buried her face in her towel and sobbed from her courtside chair. She was still crying as she left the court, overcome with emotion after enduring a long layoff that included two foot operations and treatment for blood clots in her lungs.

”I usually don’t cry … but it’s just been so hard,” the four-time Wimbledon champion said. ”I never dreamt I would be here right now. And then to win. I just wanted to win at least one match here.”

Meanwhile, the sequel to the longest match in tennis history proved to be a quick, one-sided affair this time.

John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 7-6 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (6) in just over two hours – a far cry from their 11-hour, 5-minute marathon over three days last year that Isner finally won 70-68 in the fifth set.

 

Wiilliams Sisters back at Wimbledon

The women’s draw has taken on a completely different look since the sudden return of the Williams sisters. Serena won one match at Eastbourne, Venus two. Both looked threatening, although Serena, inevitably, appeared to lack match play more than her sister, who has been out of the game only six months compared with 12.….But it would be impossible to rule either or both being involved at the sharp end of the tournament. With all due respect to their rivals, Serena and Venus when playing near their best are better than anyone else on grass — and maybe on other surfaces, too.

But it is all about proving it. Serena is wary of making predictions and just talks about being happy to play again. Venus, bolder, says she is here to win. As she has done so five times, she can’t be ruled out….“Obviously no one wants to play them,” says Caroline Wozniacki, the world No. 1 who is trying to get past the problem of never having won a Grand Slam….Maria Sharapova added, “Absolutely, it’s good for the game to have them back. They’ve been champions here many years. They’re obviously the ones to beat on grass.”

 

The Truth about American Tennis

FACTS OF FUTILITY

American tennis is at one of its lowest points in years. A look at some of the facts and figures:

Last US man to win a major — Andy Roddick, 2003 US Open

Last US woman to win a major — Serena Williams, 2010 Wimbledon

Last US woman other than a Williams sister to win a major — Jennifer Capriati, 2002 U.S. Open

Highest-ranked US man under 23 years old — Donald Young, No. 123

Highest-ranked US woman under 23 years old — Christina McHale, No. 74

 

 

a lil mo’ Serena 4 ya

Serena Talks…Venus wins….Wimbeldon for Williams Sisters?

 

Article

 

Man Charged with stalking Serena Williams

To read the article about Serena Williams  Stalker click here

Serena Speaks!!

Serena Williams told USA Today that she’s ”at the end of (her) rope” after several physical setbacks that have kept her off the court since July.

”It’s just been a tough year,” the 29-year-old said at her Bel Air home in an interview published in Wednesday’s edition.

Shortly after her fourth Wimbledon title, Williams cut her foot on some broken glass at a restaurant — resulting in a pair of surgeries….”I definitely have not been happy,” she told the newspaper. ”Especially when I had that second surgery (on my foot), I was definitely depressed. I cried all the time. I was miserable to be around.”

Then last month, she suffered a pulmonary embolism and was hospitalized to remove a grapefruit-sized hemotoma from her stomach.

During her time away, Williams has fallen to No. 11 in the rankings.

”What’s going to make me happy is going on the court and holding up trophies, singles and doubles,” she said.

She has not set a timetable for her return to tennis but said it could come as early as this summer.

”I don’t know what’s realistic,” Williams said. ”I really don’t know. I haven’t put a date on it yet.”

Serena cuts foot

 

Serena Williams needs surgery on her right foot after cutting it on a broken glass at a restaurant….The#1 women’s player in the world   was injured last week and will miss three tournaments leading to the U.S. Open, the WTA Tour said Saturday…..Williams won her fourth Wimbledon crown and 13th major title this July. The Rogers Cup in Montreal begins Aug. 16, and the U.S. Open starts Aug. 30.

After winning the Australian Open at the end of January, Williams was sidelined through April because of an injured left knee. She lost in the French Open quarterfinals in June before capturing Wimbledon….she should be okay for the upcoming US Open.