Serena's Outburst

Serena Williams was ridiculed and chastised for her behavior towards the line judge at the 2009 US Open. It was the type of behavior that when taken out of context is completely unacceptable. Any player making the remarks, "I'm going to shove this [expletive] ball down your [expletive] throat", towards an official of any kind seems ridiculous and excessive. However, when you put it in the proper context of what she had to do to get to that platform and be on that stage, it becomes understandable. In a sport that since its beginning has been dominated by white people, Serena Williams found herself at the apex of the sport despite her skin color and background. And as she's minutes away from being rewarded for the years of hard work invested, she's suddenly playing 1 on 2. She no longer has to beat out the person across from her, but the person on the sideline as well. It's unfair, and when you put it in this context I think it's completely understandable why she reacted the way she did.