Snap

Snap. Snapping. Snapped! That's what Serena Williams did yesterday during her match against Kim Clijsters. She is an excellent tennis player, normally, and yesterday she had some brilliant moments. I called her a warrior. But when she was behind because of unforced errors, she lost her temper and smashed her racket on the ground. The camera kept showing her sister Venice in the audience. Venice had lost to Kim earlier in the tournament, and for tennis fans it was exquisite agony. Venice lost to a woman who had been retired for 2 years to have her baby. Now back, she is in great form. Venice and Serena, the African American Americans, who have ruled the courts at many a grand slam tennis match, were out done by a new mom and everyone is 'atwitter, so to speak.
But back to Venice. Every time the camera scanned her, she looked awkwardly uncomfortable. I think she knew what was coming. At every opportunity to pull ahead, Serena failed. Venus' shoulders slumped. Her face grew tense. Could she see the future? Did she feel the meltdown from Serena.
It started with that racket smashing. At first, Serena just twirled her racket, and it looked kind of cool. But then I think it dawned on her that she was getting a whopping, and crushed that damn racket for all it was worth against the court. How much do they spend on rackets at that professional level? All I could see were dollars flying out of the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Serena got a warning for that behavior. She was definitely on the loser track when she double faulted on a foot fault. She could have challenged the call. But she decided that going over and threatening the lineswoman was much better. She thought it was such a good idea, she started her serve, but in mid preparation, went over to her again. The people behind the lineswoman were riveted. We couldn't hear what was said, but it didn't look pretty. According to the paper, the f bombs were flying. At that point, Serena lost the match because the punishment for threatening a lineswoman is a point for the opponent. That was match point.
Clijsters stood on her side of the court with that look of "what's going on?" when Serena came over to her, whispered in her ear and shook her hand. That was the end of the match. It was such a winning let down.
In the paper this morning the interview afterward apparently didn't bare much fruit. Serena didn't take ownership of her threats or her attitude. She just wanted to move on.
An investigation will ensue.
Geez. How old is that woman? I used to see that kind of attitude with the kids in middle school. Snapping is a terrible thing.