Serena Williams’ claims of sexism after her US Open final defeat by Naomi Osaka earlier this month have divided opinion on the women’s WTA Tour.
Japan’s Osaka won the September 8 final 6-2,6-4 after a match which saw Williams warned for coaching, penalized a point for smashing her racket and then docked a game for an outburst in which she called the umpire, Carlos Ramos, a «thief» and a «liar.»
The American, who told Ramos she «never cheated» and «would rather lose» than be coached, later accused the Portuguese of sexism, saying several male players had behaved and said much worse but not been punished as harshly.
Read: US Open umpire ‘thrown under the bus’ in Serena row
However, Halep came to the defense of Ramos, saying he had acted correctly.
«The rules are the rules,» Halep, this year’s French Open winner, told CNN Sport in an interview in Wuhan, China. «I don’t see any difference between the men’s rules and women’s rules, and I think the chair umpires are doing just their jobs.»
As for Ramos, Halep said: «I never had any problems with him, or with any umpire. I also got fines, when I had to. It’s normal.»
‘No difference’
Kvitova and French No. 1 Caroline Garcia also told CNN Sport they had not experienced any differential treatment.
«I don’t see the difference, to be honest,» said Kvitova, who was surprised someone as experienced as Williams had reacted so strongly to the coaching violation.
«Sometimes, when you get the violation, it is just a violation, and it is nothing, at the end of the day,» said the fifth-ranked Czech. «I got so many violations when I was a kid, I got a coaching violation as well, but it’s OK.
«You get it, and you can’t do anything with it, and sometimes it’s tough, but you can’t get interrupted by that.»
Garcia, the French No 1, agreed. «I think umpires treat women and men the same way, from my own experience. I think if a player got angry and reacted like she did in the final, they would get the same penalty, I am pretty sure.»
‘Serena has a point’
World No 2 Wozniacki said she understood where Williams, a long-time friend, was coming from.
