I understand Serena’s reaction
Why? Because I see it everyday in youth sports – parents, coaches and fans losing their cool over a game. There’s just 
something about “competition” that CAN cause temporary insanity if we let it.
Serena definitely had a temporary moment of insanity. Yet, you and I should not “judge her actions” from the comfy confines of our living room couch. Instead, imagine yourself on the sidelines as a coach or parent at one of our children’s games. It’s a great game. The score is tight. The lead goes back and forth. Time is winding down. All of a sudden a random whistle is blown. A rarely enforced rule has been called – it cost your child’s team a chance at the championship. Now how do you view Serena’s response?
Things happen in sport and in life. Lines get crossed or as Malcolm Gladwell calls it, “windows get broken.” What’s truly important is what happens next. Does the “window get repaired”?
The USTA definitely made the right call. They needed to step up immediately in order to fix the broken window. In doing so, the officials at the US Open protected the honor of the game. No star is bigger than the game.
To her credit, Serena also fixed the broken window. It may have taken over 24 hours for her “emotional snow globe” to calm down, she did apologize for her actions.
One of my biggest coaching regrets is not defaulting one of my top players in the middle of an on-court tantrum. Her actions were neither in line with the program’s, nor what the stood for. So I was preaching one thing and my actions didn’t back it up. Sometimes the non-action speaks louder and has more impact than an intervention. As coaches, we need to remember that no player is bigger than the team or the game and the dangers of leaving broken windows unrepaired can be costly in the long run.
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About Serena and her outburst of poor spotsmanship. HMMMM, unfortunately both of the
William’s sisters have been targets of racist officiating over the years. This is not to condone
her behavior, she is a role model for many young players and that behavior does not represent
her, her family or the game of tennis well. It was good to see the apology from such a great
champion of the game. Serena is more difficult for people to embrace than Venus.
In my opinion, because she is a cocky african american woman who is not going to take nothing off of
nobody. Most of the time her lack of humility is not something I appreciate but it is good to see a
young black female role model who is confident and proud. Poor show followed up with expression of regret shows maturity.
It’s not the outburst of Serina Williams that was out of line it was the content. If you are upset about a call and feel over the top at that moment, The outburdt should at least be within the confines of the game you are playing. Serina’s outburst had no reference to tennis but was clearly a physical threat to the official. I sensed that there was more going on then what we saw. Clearly she was upset but with whom or what? The call at that moment seemed to trigger what seemed to be pent up frustrations. We in sports have had this happen at one time or another to ourselves. I coach baseball and I can tell you that there are many things that can build up at any one moment to cause me to have an outburst. Unfortunately, usually the outburst is directed at the last person or persons to have added to my compounded frustration. I try to keep it within the game and the moment but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. I have “NEVER” swore at anyone during an outburst and I would immediately apologize if I did. I can safely say that I either have great teams (which I do) or I am pretty calm as I “RARLEY” have an outburst. Serena Williams is one of the best tennis players to ever step on the court and we were all very suprised at her display. I am sure there other circumstances at work here. Good Luck Serina and apology accepted. Coach Jerry “Z”