Serena 'Got What She Deserved'

Serena Williams' “shameful performance” at the US Open—hurling multiple F-bombs at a lineswoman and smashing her racket—thwarted her attempts for another victory, and rightly so, Mike Lupica writes in the New York Daily News. Williams felt the lineswoman shouldn’t penalize her for a foot fault because she’s Serena Williams, but, Lupica says, “Rules are rules, even for the biggest stars.” Even John McEnroe had the good sense to apologize after his infamous 1990 meltdown at the Australian Open.

Elsewhere:

• Bill Dwyre of The Age says Williams “should be fined heavily and suspended for a while,” but figures that tennis officials “will pretend this was all a Las Vegas card game and let it ride.”
• But the New Zealand Herald says Williams “ought to be commended” for accepting that she broke the rules and congratulating her opponent after her stunning loss: “Love her or loathe her, it is the very same champion qualities off the court which makes Serena Williams the 11-times grand slam champion she is on it.”
• Zachary Pierce of Fox Sports says Williams’ outburst “proves why rooting for her can occasionally be a real tough thing to do.” But even though Serena’s reputation is “a bipolar one,” she will “bounce back from this.” After all, “she’s America’s tennis star.”

(More Serena Williams stories.)