Tennis umpires are reportedly discussing a boycott of Serena Williams’ matches after the female tennis player accused a chair umpire of sexism. Williams exploded on…
Tennis umpires are reportedly discussing a boycott of Serena Williams’ matches after the female tennis player accused a chair umpire of sexism.
Williams exploded on chair umpire Carlos Ramos during the finals match in the U. S. Open because he gave her multiple penalties throughout the match. Ramos gave Williams a warning for receiving coaching, a point penalty for smashing her racket and then another point penalty for verbal abuse. (RELATED: ‘Terrible Disservice To Women’s Rights’ — Here Are The Reactions To Serena Williams’ US Open Meltdown)
Now, other tennis umpires are banding together to support their colleague amidst a “lack of institutional support,” The Times UK reports .
One anonymous official told The Times that umpires frequently feel “not supported” by the U. S. Tennis Association and are considering boycotting Williams’ matches to get that point across.
The umpires are also reportedly planning to form a union to protect themselves against incidents like the Williams outburst, The Guardian reports.
“There is a widespread feeling that Carlos was hung out to dry for nearly 48 hours and that no one is standing up for officials,” one senior umpire said, speaking anonymously because umpire contracts prevent them from talking about specific matches.
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