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Ben Simmons blasts 'disrespectful' Serena Williams cartoon

Australian NBA superstar Ben Simmons has blasted the recent cartoon depiction of Serena Williams.

Simmons took to Twitter to vent his disappointment at the cartoon, offering an Australian perspective on the issue that sparked outrage around the world.

The cartoon depicts Serena’s confrontation with umpire Carlos Ramos during the US Open final, showing the tennis superstar destroying her racquet with a child’s dummy lying on the ground next to her.

Ben Simmons says he was disappointed with the controversial cartoon. Pic: Getty/Mark Knight
Ben Simmons says he was disappointed with the controversial cartoon. Pic: Getty/Mark Knight

The 22-year-old joined a chorus of high-profile figures to slam the Mark Knight cartoon after it was published in the Herald Sun newspaper.

“To disrespect Serena Williams, a 23 time Grand Slam Champion, in this light is truly disappointing,” Simmons tweeted.

“As an Australian, I am truly disappointed #morethananathlete.”

Many labelled the cartoon “racist” and “sexist”, accusing Knight of using derogatory imagery of African American people.

But Knight says it had nothing to do with race or gender.

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“I drew this cartoon Sunday night after seeing the US Open final, and seeing the world’s best tennis player have a tantrum and thought that was interesting,” he told the Herald Sun on Tuesday.

“It’s been picked up by social media in the US and my phone has just melted down.

“The world has just gone crazy.”

‘Repugnant on many levels’

The National Association of Black Journalists has condemned the cartoon for it’s ‘unnecessarily sambo-like’ depiction – a racist term for an African American.

“The racist cartoon of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka by Mark Knight of the Herald Sun is repugnant on many levels,” the NABJ said.

“The Sept. 10 cartoon not only exudes racist, sexist caricatures of both women, but Williams’ depiction is unnecessarily sambo-like.

“The art of editorial cartooning is a visual dialogue on the issues of the day, yet this cartoon grossly inaccurately depicts two women of colour at the US Open, one of the grandest stages of professional sports.”

Harry Potter author J.K Rowling was among a number of high-profile figures to slam the cartoon, with many also seeing problems with the way Osaka was depicted.

But there are also many in the camp who believe the cartoon isn’t racist, including 3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell.

“This shows an awful misunderstanding of Mark Knight and this country,” he said.

“I looked at that cartoon and it didn’t even cross my mind it was about race.

“It was a sports bully, a petulant child throwing a tantrum about losing.”

The cartoon was produced in response to Williams’ meltdown in the US Open final against Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

Williams was fined $24,000 by the US Tennis Association in the wake of her outburst.