Serena Williams: ‘I’m Here Fighting for Women’s Rights’

Tennis star Serena Williams made headlines this weekend when she angrily shouted down tennis umpire Carlos Ramos, who accused her of illegally receiving coaching during the US Open.

“I have never cheated in my life!” Williams told Ramos. “You owe me an apology:”

"You owe me an apology!"

Serena was fired up with the official in the final set of the US Open final. pic.twitter.com/r6RSbrirnV

— ESPN (@espn) September 8, 2018

After the match, Williams said that her strong reaction was part of her fight for “women’s rights” and “women’s equality:”

Serena Williams says she is sticking up for women's rights in press conference after Controversial & Heated Ump Exchange in Loss at US Open to Naomi Osaka

"I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality."@6abc#serena #USOpen #serenawilliams pic.twitter.com/Fqz0G4jiQM

— Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) September 9, 2018

Unfortunately for Williams and her fight for “women’s rights,” the tennis star’s coach, Patrick Mouratouglo, admitted that he was in fact giving Williams coaching. Meaning, that Ramos was entirely correct for penalizing Williams.

“I’m honest, I was coaching,” Mouratoglou said after the game. “I don’t think she looked at me, so that’s why she didn’t even think I was.”

Whether Williams heard her coach or not, is immaterial. All that matters is that Mouratoglou was coaching. It would seem very odd indeed, if the umpire noticed Mouratoglou coaching and Williams did not.

On Sunday, it was announced that Williams received a total of $17,000 in fines. Including “$10,000 for ‘verbal abuse’ of chair umpire Carlos Ramos, $4,000 for being warned for coaching, and $3,000 for breaking her racket.”

Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn