'Bonehead': Whoopi Goldberg slams Dominic Thiem in Serena Williams controversy
Whoopi Goldberg has launched a scathing attack on Dominic Thiem after the Austrian tennis said Serena Williams had a “bad personality”.
Thiem was left fuming on Sunday after his press conference was cut short to allow Serena to take over the main interview room at Roland Garros.
Thiem was discussing his third-round win over Pablo Cuevas with German language journalists when he was told he would need to leave the room.
The fourth seed was understandably unhappy, saying: "I don't really get it, seriously. What the hell? But it's a joke, really. What's the point of that, that I have to leave the room because she's coming?"
Video of the moment Thiem had to make way for Serena in the presser. He is furious! (Clip via TF) https://t.co/gt6yetWG2c
— Paps (@DatGoneIt77) June 1, 2019
But according to Goldberg and her fellow panellists on The View, Thiem should have given way to Serena because “don’t nobody know who you are.”
“You may be big in the tennis world but this a big deal that Serena lost this early,” Goldberg said.
“People want to know how she’s doing.
“Don’t blame her, stop being a bonehead.”
Fellow panellist Ana Navarro had a similar stance.
“They decided to move him to let ‘the Queen’ come in,” the political commentator said.
“Have a little self awareness here, Serena Williams is in a class of her own and maybe one day you’ll be the King of tennis, but right now we don’t know who you are.”
Lawyer Sunny Hostin said she was surprised Roger Federer defended Thiem over the ugly incident.
“He should know better, Serena is the Queen,” she said.
However fellow political commentator Tara Setmayer appeared to see some sense.
“I disagree with you guys. I like Serena Williams, she’s a phenomenal player, historic,” she said.
“But I also think how you lose says a lot about you. This isn’t the first time she’s been a bit of a diva when she’s lost.
“ If she was saying ‘I just want to get it over with’ … the other guy actually won his match.”
For a fascinatingly American take on Serena vs Thiem, a match still generating buzz at #RG19, here's the view from The View:pic.twitter.com/0SJASPUPLE
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 3, 2019
The views of the women didn’t go down very well in the tennis world.
Haha can you imagine if 4 dudes were talking the same way these 4 ladies were talking, but roles are were reversed? They would do jail time.
— Peter Polansky (@PPolansky) June 3, 2019
It’s a fascinatingly shit take... (apart from Tara in the mauve cardigan. Is that from Katies?) https://t.co/pZPSDreD3s
— Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) June 3, 2019
Could you imagine the same take if it was Roger going into Madison Keys press conference?
— Luke Di Pietro (@Dipietl) June 3, 2019
‘Doesn’t matter who it is’
It is understood that while Williams did not request for Thiem to be ousted, she was unwilling to wait for the Austrian to finish and the second interview room was also in use, leaving organisers in a difficult position.
The American was not in the best of moods having been beaten by Sofia Kenin in her earliest loss at a grand slam for five years.
Tournament director Guy Forget apologised to Thiem for the incident and, speaking to Eurosport on Sunday, the 25-year-old was in no mood to forgive Williams.
He said: "I wasn't angry or frustrated. Maybe for a couple of minutes or so. It is just the principle.
"It doesn't matter if it is me who sits in there. Even if a junior is in there, every player has to wait.
"It is a matter of course. It also shows a bad personality, in my opinion. I am 100 per cent sure (Roger) Federer or (Rafael) Nadal would never do something like that."
with AAP