The winner of 23 major singles titles blamed all and sundry after falling foul of the rules and losing to Naomi Osaka
The turmoil that enveloped Serena Williams and Carlos Ramos during the final of the 2018 US Open had little or nothing to do with racism or sexism as it was widely portrayed at the time and is lingeringly perceived.
However, from the player’s perspective it did have distant roots in prejudice and struggle, which exist beyond tennis. Also, it was made possible by an uneven battle of wills, the lauded and entitled champion bumping up against the inconvenience of authority, which is part of the culture of modern sport.
Related: Serena Williams’s US meltdown was handled badly all round, says McEnroe
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