US Open Final: Serena Williams Accuses Umpire Ramos Of 'Sexism'
Serena Williams has reacted to her fued with US Open final umpire Carlos Ramos by saying he would not have treated a man in the same way.
Serena allegedly branded Ramos a 'thief' during the final in a incredible match Flushing Meadows as she lost 6-2 6-4 to Naomi Osaka.
Serena refused to shake Umpire Ramos after the match having been given a game penalty for her outburst.
This came after Serena was accused of being coached from the sidelines.
She received a code violation and then smashed her racquet before having the game taken off her for the thief comment.
When asked if she would change anything from incident, Williams went on another rant, claiming men would not be treated how she was.
“I don't know,” she said.
“You definitely can't go back in time. I can't sit here and say I wouldn't say he's a thief, because I thought he took a game from me.
“But I've seen other men call other umpires several things. I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff.
“For me to say 'thief' and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief'.
“For me it blows my mind. But I'm going to continue to fight for women and to fight for us to have equal -- like Cornet should be able to take off her shirt without getting a fine. This is outrageous.
“I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that want to express themselves, and want tobe a strong woman.
“They're going to be allowed to do that because of today. Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it's going to work out for the next person.”
Asked why she thought the Umpire was a thief, Serena said: “Because he took a point from me,” she added.
“He alleged that I was cheating, and I wasn't cheating. Then I had a good conversation with him. I said, Listen, you know my character. You know me really well. Like you know that I don't even call for on-court coach. I don't even do that.
“He's like, You know what? I understand. I don't know if he said, You're right. But he understood. He's, like, Yeah, I get what you're saying.
“Then when I sat down, I said it again. I was, like, Just to be clear, I can understand what you saw because it may have looked -- just because I look at my box, it may have looked like I was getting coaching, but I'm telling you, that's not what I do. I said, I'd rather lose than have to cheat to win. I don't need to cheat to win. I've won enough. That's never been something I've ever done, you know.
“And he was cool. He was like, Oh, I get it. We had this great exchange. We were on the same page. We understood each other, and I felt that that was -- yeah.”
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