On September. 8, Serena Williams lost to Japanese tennis player, Naomi Osaka, in a heart racing match. Williams famously known as renowned tennis player, had people’s heart racing in this match for a different reason.

The Beginning of the Tension

Umpire, Carlos Ramos, first called out Williams for allegedly being coached during the match. In any Grand Slam tennis match there is no coaching allowed; this includes any audible or visible signals. Ramos gave Williams a warning because Patrick Mouratoglou, Williams coach, gave her hand signals during her match. Williams was immediately upset and approached Ramos.

“I don’t cheat to win,” Williams stated, “I’d rather lose.”

Williams denies any accusations of being coached during the match, while Mouratoglou admitted he was coaching but that she wasn’t looking.

“Her coach was in the wrong to begin with,” Cassandra Martinez, 10, stated, “but they made it into a much larger deal than necessary, Serena wasn’t even paying attention to him.”

An irritated Williams went back to her match but shortly after was given another violation, this time calling out sexism.

A Smashed Racket and Smashed Heart

While playing tough opponent, Osaka, Williams’s frustration got the best of her and smashed a tennis racket. Ramos immediately announced her automatic violation as well as a point penalty. Williams now fuming with frustration and anger was baffled by the point penalty. She once again approached the umpire, demanding for an apology for giving her an unnecessary point penalty.

“You stole a point from me,” Williams yelled, “you’re a thief too.”

Seconds after, Ramos announced a third violation and game penalty due to what he states is verbal abuse. Williams shocked and frustrated asked to talk with the referee. With tears in her eyes, she exclaimed to the judges that if she was a man she would have been treated fairly and not with such disrespect.

“Coming from a person who does play tennis, one simple word can change your entire game,” Angelene Leija, 12, stated “because the second your attitude changes, the way you hit changes.”

Williams expressed many signs of anger throughout the rest of the match. As Osaka began getting ahead, Williams began slowly breaking down. A match that was supposed to be filled with excitement and cheers turned into loud boos filled with aggravation and confusion.

Overreacting or Justified?

Through all of the commotion, Williams fell under pressured and lost to Osaka in the heart wrenching match. Unfortunately for Osaka, her victory was not talked nearly as much as the controversies about the arguments between the umpire and Williams. When Williams talked to the judges about what she believed was an unfair point penalty, the judges didn’t do anything. A hurt Williams, cried out how men have done worse things and have not been punished.

“The speech she gave after she talked to the judges was a good speech,” sophomore Victoria Lozano stated, “because women do get discriminated in almost every sport.”  

Discrimination that’s the word that causes such controversies in this match. People who agree that Williams overacted believe the umpire was just doing his job, others believe he took it too far. Whether Williams’s actions were justified or she was overreacting, there is an undeniable difference in how women have been treated compared to men in sports.