Serena Williams Tells Chair Ump: 'I Don't Cheat To Win, I'd Rather Lose'
(CBS News/CBSLA) — Serena Williams argued with a chair umpire during the U.S. Open finals who gave her several penalties, telling him "I don't cheat to win, I'd rather lose." Williams lost the match 6-2-, 6-4 to 20-year-old Naomi Osaka, who won her first ever Grand Slam.
Williams tearfully demanded an apology from chair umpire Carlos Ramos when the penalty against Williams gave a game to Osaka.
Ramos gave Williams several code penalties: The first one was a warning for a coaching violation, the second warning was when she broke her racket, which gave a point to Osaka. Williams was given a third penalty for calling Ramos a "thief." That penalty put Osaka up 5-3, meaning she only needed one more game to win the match.
Williams told Ramos that she was not being coached, and she would never cheat. She demanded an apology, calling him a "thief" and a "liar."
"I have never cheated in my life," Williams said. "I have a daughter and I stand for what is right and I have never cheated."
Osaka, who has called Williams her idol, tearfully said upon winning that she knew the crowd was cheering for Williams and she was "sorry it had to end like this."
Williams comforted Osaka as the crowd booed her during the final announcement. She interrupted the speaker, saying, "I don't wanna be rude, but I don't want to interrupt, do questions. I just wanna tell you guys she played well, and this is her first Grand Slam," as she, too, appeared to become emotional amid the ensuing cheers from the audience.
Dictionary.com retweeted the video above with the following message: "Class is defined as informal. elegance, grace, or dignity. See also: Serena Williams after Naomi Osaka's Grand Slam win."
Many others came to Williams' defense Saturday, pointing out men are rarely penalized for much more egregious behavior.
