Serena’s Meltdown at the US Open

On September 14, 2009 at Arthur Ashe stadium in New York City, Serena Williams was charged a $15,000 fine for racket abuse and abusive language during her tennis match against tennis player Kim Clijsters. During the match, Serena lost her temper and yelled abusive language at the lines woman and the match was given to Kim. While the cameras couldn’t exactly hear what Serena said, the line’s woman claimed that it was a death threat while Serena completely denied any threat on the line woman’s life; the judges had to give the match to Kim because of Serena’s previous un-sportsmen’s like conduct in which she smashed her racket on the ground twice. The next day, Serena told the public the reason behind her behavior was she was exhausted from her matches earlier that day and she lost her temper but did not give an apology. It was not until later, on Serena’s website, that she gave a public apology for action at the match and to the lines men she supposedly assaulted.

While Serena did give an apology for her actions, some people still believe that she as an athlete and role model should not have acted the way she did in the first place. By the way she handled the situation, one would have to question if she really was a professional athlete. Even if she did lose her temper, the fact that she has a public image to maintain implies that she doesn’t care about career at all. Sure, as a competitive sports player she has to give it her all and its reasonable that stress would be the cause of her meltdown, it doesn’t prove that she is able to handle the pressure as an athlete. I mean that’s what being an athlete is about, playing competitive sports with a calm attitude. You can lose your cool as a rookie, but as a professional? It seems that maybe she didn’t choose the right career.