Serena gets reporter to apologise for questioning performance

Don’t dare question the performance of Serena Williams or you may well be slapped down.

So found out a reporter following the 22-time grand slam winner’s defeat of Lucie Safarova at the Australian Open.

The journalist put it to Williams that her performance was a bit ‘scrappy’ and contained 'a few more unforced errors, a few double faults’.

Serena bristled at the accusation.

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"I think that's a very negative thing to say. Are you serious?"

He replied that it was just his observation, but Serena’s response had him quaking in his boots.

"Well, you should have been out there," she responded. "That wasn't very kind. You should apologise. Do you want to apologise?"

And he did.

“I do. I’m sorry,” he said, chastened.

"Thank you very much," Williams said.

"That was a great performance. I played well. She's a former top-10 player. The last time we played together was in the finals of a Grand Slam.

“You know, it's not an easy match. She's a really good player. You have to go for more, which obviously makes a few more errors. So, yeah, I think it was overall a really good match, on both of our ends."