All came down to a small gesture her coach made with his hands. The umpire decided Serena was looking at him at the time and saw it, so interpreted it as coaching, which is against the rules.
Tennis does have a respect problem with umpires. I suspect part of that is poor decision making and the odd bit of grandstanding by those in chairs, but the number of - particularly senior and established - players we see having a pop at the official is unedifying.
The coach was interviewed after and, rather than denying it, said he was making the gesture because, just as players watching play every point, the coach coaches every point; he wasn't directing anything toward Serena and he hadn't appreciated she was looking.
So basically, he got spotted by the umpire, the umpire interpreted it as coaching (which he was entitled to do) and issued a proportionate penalty...then a second proportionate one when the player gave him earache.
I doubt Serena was actively cheating, but her coach gave the umpire a decision to make. Umpires sometimes make bad calls (see the disallowed goal last night at Wembley), but they can be understandable. This one was entirely avoidable by the coach not coaching with several million witnesses.
Notably, the coach in his interview added that Rafa's coach is often doing the same and nothing is ever given. Forgive me, but I've heard better defences.
Perfectly summed up.
Serena tried to turn it into a "black women & women generally are discriminated against" thing. It was not that at all. Proper diva stuff imo. It's a variation on the old "is it cos I is black?" thing.
Semi-related, but did you see the Sandy Toksvig hoohah, when she made it known to "gasps from the audience" that she only received 40% of the fee that Stephen Fry used to get for hosting QI?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45460322Given that Stephen is a zillion times more talented than Sandy, she can think herself lucky she gets that much. I'm all for equality & all that, but equality does not mean females must be paid the same as a male of greater ability or popularity, or, for that matter, vice-versa. It's bunkum of the highest order.
I think Sandy is very talanted and funny but I do agree with your general premise.
Fry is a bigger star and therefore should get a higher fee. Also Fry has been hosting for 13 years and has probably gotten numerous pay rises in that time frame, he possibly started on less than Sandy is one now. A lesser star should not come in and immediately be paid the same amount, she can ask for and get pay rises if the show continues to prosper.
Also she agreed to the fee, why didn't she just contact Fry and ask him how much he was paid, if she felt her talent was possibly not being compensated fairly?
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