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Serena Williams Talks About Her $92k Fine.

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Playing her best at the most important events, Serena Williams re-established herself as the top player in women’s tennis in 2009 and was a landslide choice as Female Athlete of the Year by members of The Associated Press.

Williams received 66 of 158 votes cast by editors at U.S. newspapers that are members of the AP. No other candidate got more than 18 votes in the tally, which was announced Tuesday.

Clearly, Williams’ most infamous on-court episode — a tirade directed at a line judge after a foot-fault call near the end of her U.S. Open semifinal loss in September — didn’t hurt her standing in the eyes of the voters.

“People realize that I’m a great player, and one moment doesn’t define a person’s career,” Williams told the AP. “And I was right, for the most part: It wasn’t right the way I reacted — I never said it was — but I was right about the call.”

She also noted that the outburst, which resulted in a record fine and two-year probationary period at Grand Slam tournaments, “got a lot more people excited about tennis.”

The 28-year-old American tends to do that, thanks to her powerful, athletic play and her outgoing personality.

“We can attribute the strength and the growth of women’s tennis a great deal to her,” WTA chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster said in a telephone interview. “She is a superstar.”

Williams, who is based in Florida, also won the AP award in 2002, a seven-year gap that is the longest between AP Female Athlete of the Year honors since golf’s Patty Berg won in 1943 and 1955.

“I’m just happy and blessed to even be playing seven years later. All this is a bonus, really,” Williams said. “In 2002, I just was really dominant, and I think in 2009, I just brought that back. I kind of became that player again.”

Runner-up in the AP voting was Zenyatta, who capped a 14-0 career by becoming the first female horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Tennis’ Kim Clijsters finished third with 16 votes.

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By Serena Williams
Originally Released on GlobalGrind:

Hey Guys!

As the world seems to know or for those who don’t I want to speak about my recently dubbed “outburst” and how I feel.

I have recently been fined by the Grand Slam Committee of the ITF (International Tennis Federation) over 82 thousand dollars for getting mad and using the “F-bomb” at a line Judge.

To clear things up FIRST I was NOT fined 82 thousand dollars. I was fined 92 thousand dollars! I paid 10 thousand dollars on site immediately after the U. S. Open.  So for the record, I was fined $92,000 not $82,000! The biggest fine EVER in tennis.

Also for all those that don’t know, I felt incredibly bad, and miserable for losing my cool, and most importantly not representing the person I really am spiritually and the role model I want to be to my young fans.  I have been a very feisty player all my life, but when the time came for me to be calm and cool, I did not exercise a mild temper. How I regret not being a better role model and person to all of my fans. I apologized to my fans and even wrote a personal letter to the lines woman with my apologies. She understood as she often witnesses this as it is not uncommon in my sport, or any other sport. She was extremely supportive and said that she did not think any further actions should be taken against me.

A few years ago in a most important match being watched my millions; I was blatantly cheated and robbed of a US Open title by yet another official. I was again on the wrong side of not one or two, but several other bad calls. This incident however changed tennis. Because of what was incorrectly done to me, the whole sport of tennis adapted new technology for a player to challenge the calls lines persons make if the player feels they were wronged.  I was expected to take solace in the fact even though I lost the U.S Open title (a dream I’ve been working for since I was 2 years old).  At least others won’t be wronged in the future.  I am always happy for the next person. I always am.  I received apologies from the USTA, the Lines Official, and the Head of the US Open. However I don’t recall EVER receiving a note, a phone call, a letter even a text from anyone at the Grand Slam Committee ITF apologizing about the wrong and disastrous call one of THEIR officials made.

When I was a teenager I was booed by an entire packed stadium at Indian Wells. In my new book “On the line” I talk about how I remember crying on every changeover in the towel. Praying and wishing I could lose and the match would just be done with.  When the match was over I thanked the crowd those that cheered for me, and even those that did not. Looking back I am still amazed how I remained so calm and positive, and even managed to come out on top.

The fact is every professional athlete gets wronged in one way or another. And every athlete gets upset. We have been working, sacrificing, missing out on numerous things, things we will never get back or experience for the sake of our careers.  For the sake of that one moment in time where we have a chance to shine through.

Imagine for 20 years working day in, day out, sacrificing on countless things to get this job, that will make all your hard work and endless efforts worthwhile.  Try to imagine having that promotion in one moment being taken away from you because of a slight over sight, by someone overseeing your work.  20 years gone away. Time to start over, dust yourself off and try again. You work harder make positive changes. It happens again.

“Dust yourself off” you say. “Try again”

You do just that. You work even harder than before, spend longer hours. Then it happens yet again. Another slight oversight.

Well this is what happened to me, and to be honest I believe I reached my boiling point. After yet ANOTHER wrong call I began to wonder- Was I being “overlooked” or wrongly judged on purpose!??? Is this being done to keep me from achieving my best? Why does this keep happening at the same place?

Throughout my career I have remained calm. But I guess I finally reached my breaking point. A point I should have never allowed myself to get to.  Everything seemed to have surfaced. As you know, losing my cool cost me over 92 thousand dollars.  92 thousand dollars!  This is more than most people make in a year.  92 thousand dollars!  Answer this: Why is it another player who also lost HIS cool not to a line judge - like I did - but to the main officiating judge- using the same “f word” why was HE only fined 10 thousand dollars.  Was what I did 10 times worse than what he did?!

There is another HE who was fined less than half of what I was fined after someone in his camp actually physically ATTACKED an official!!!!

What about the famous HE who made arguing with officials “cool”. Cool for “MEN” I guess.
Is it because they are all HE’s and not a SHE like me?

It is indeed a massive difference. Being American I guess the 1st amendment, freedom of speech, does not apply to a SHE in this case?  In any event the Grand Slam Committee, ITF and its staff did not hesitate to call, send a note, text, nor write letters after this incident.  Ironic is it not?

I don’t mind being fined. If I did wrong I accept the repercussions. All I ask for is to be treated equal.

When I was fined the 92K, I asked to see if I could donate some of it to different schools, and programs I’m involved in.  My request was denied.  So, I decided to match the fine by raising money and donating an additional 92K to my 2nd school that I am opening up in Africa, as well as to schools that I am helping here in the United States.  I also want to educate women about what I learned from this whole experience. How we as women are still treated as less than equal.  I am going to turn this 92K into a positive!!!  And I have decided to call it Serena’s 92K mission!!! Go to Serenawilliams.com to learn more about my 92K mission.

Xxxx,
Serena Williams

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According to EgyptSaidSo.com, Serena Williams recent bikini/nude photoshoot in ESPN magazine may cause her to lose her title. Globally fans are raving about her photo shoot but the International Tennis Federation is embarassed. The ITA is contemplating stripping Serena of her 2010 Australian Open title, fining her  $500,000 and possibly even banning her.

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ESPN’s magazine is trying to give the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue a run for its money by featuring naked athletes on the cover and inside the pages of the upcoming “Body Issue.

Serena Williams is the first to show off in the magazine’s very first issue, on stands October 9

Serena Williams on Sunday repeatedly declined comment about an ongoing probe into her profanity-laced outburst at the US Open, but said she loved the game and would not give up her fighting spirit.

Williams has apologized and been fined $10,500 for threatening a line judge during her semifinal at Flushing Meadows, which cost her the match against eventual champion Kim Clijsters.

But the 11-time Grand Slam champion continues to be investigated by the Grand Slam Committee and could end up paying bigger fines or being suspended from future Grand Slam events.

“The moment happened. And I felt like I ended great, I ended up winning doubles” with sister Venus, Williams told reporters after her first round win at the China Open, her first tournament since the incident in New York.

“I thought like it was perfect and I felt like I was blessed to even have stayed in doubles that long and have the opportunity to come back and end on a positive note, so I was excited about that.”

When asked if she was concerned about future punishment, the 28-year-old again declined comment, but added: “It is what it is. I’m really excited to be a tennis player… I love fighting for every point, for everything.”

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Serena Williams faces an anxious wait to see if she is to be banned from future Grand Slam tournaments following her controversial outburst at the U.S. Open. Williams was levied with a $10,000 fine by the U.S. Open for unsportsmanlike conduct on Sunday for her foul-mouthed tirade at a line judge the night before, as she slumped to a semifinals defeat to Kim Clijsters. The fine was the maximum possible at this stage

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