Serena's classy response to Wimbledon 'sexism' storm
Serena Williams has responded to claims she was a victim of sexism in a controversial move from Wimbledon organisers.
Some fans and tennis pundits were unhappy with the decision to reschedule the women’s final on Saturday after Kevin Anderson’s six-hour marathon with John Isner caused unexpected chaos.
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A record-breaking Friday at Wimbledon ended with the second men’s semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic being suspended because of an 11pm curfew imposed by local council.
After the six hour and 36 minute epic between Anderson and Isner, Nadal didn’t hit the first serve of his match against Djokovic until 8.09pm.
And to the surprise of no one, they didn’t come close to finishing after two hours and 54 minutes of play, meaning they had to come back on Saturday.
Organisers decided to finish the Nadal-Djokovic match first-up on Saturday, pushing the women’s final back.
That decision left many fuming that the men were being given preferential treatment.
If you are Serena Williams or Angelique Kerber, no way they want to have Rafa and Novak on at 1pm when it could go another couple of hours and delay them. They are in the final, they deserve to have a set start time
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 13, 2018
WTA insider Courtney Nguyen was especially furious about the the situation.
Unacceptable.
Absolutely unacceptable.
— Courtney Nguyen (@FortyDeuceTwits) July 13, 2018
It's coming home.
It being "every day sexism."
— 𝒟𝒶𝓋𝒾𝒹 𝒦𝒶𝓃𝑒 (@DKTNNS) July 13, 2018
SERENA WILLIAMS IS AIMING TO TIE THE ALL-TIME RECORD IN MAJOR TITLES JUST 4 EVENTS IN FROM HER RETURN FROM GIVING BIRTH & SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS & SHE’S TAKING ON THE LEGEND ANGELIQUE KERBER WHO BEAT HER IN A SLAM FINAL AND IT’S GONNA GET BUMPED BECAUSE BOYS
— Courtney Nguyen (@FortyDeuceTwits) July 13, 2018
i think they should play AFTER the woman final. Give the Women their due and give the boys more rest ….but i am NOT making the schedule.
— rennae stubbs (@rennaestubbs) July 13, 2018
It's dire when you gotta wait forever to play your SF in #Wimbledon.
But imagine playing one of the single biggest matches of the year in the tennis calendar and you don't know if you'll start at 2pm or at 4pm. That's awful for Williams and Kerber and awful for women's tennis.
— René Denfeld (@Renestance) July 13, 2018
However Serena has delivered a measured and logical response to those crying foul.
“I’m completely a supporter of women, and women’s sport obviously,” Williams said to metro.co.uk.
“Honestly, I just feel like it was a necessary evil.
“Not knowing how this match would go, two hours, three hours, I don’t think they could put the men’s semi-final behind the women because they have to come back the next day.
“If the tables were turned, hopefully they would have done the same with the women.
“If you look at it that way, it was probably really the only way to schedule it, yeah.”
Kerber agreed, saying officials had “made the right decision”.
with agencies