The 2018 US Open witnessed a dramatic final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, with the former vying for a 24th Grand Slam title. A win would have put her as Margaret Court’s equal, the Australian who won the bulk of her titles before tennis entered the Open Era.
Unfortunately for Williams, the show was stolen by 20-year-old Osaka and chair umpire Carlos Ramos. Ramos awarded the 23-time Grand Slam champion a warning for taking coaching during the match, then a point penalty for racket abuse, followed finally by a game penalty for verbal abuse directed at him. The verbal abuse came about after Serena Williams called him a ‘thief’ following the point penalty.
All of this happened in the second set, pushing Osaka closer to victory. Ultimately, the Japanese prevailed 6-2, 6-4 to win the first Grand Slam of her career, and became the first-ever player from her country to win a Major.
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Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in an essay about the incident a year later, Serena Williams shared her disappointment, wondering if things would have been different if she were a man.
At the same time, the American tennis great did not allow the matter to put her down, boldly stating that the setback only turned her into an even stronger woman and mother.
"How can you take a game away from me in the final of a Grand Slam? Really, how can you take a game away from anyone at any stage of any tournament? I turn over, exhausted from lack of sleep, thoughts still spinning in my head. Why can’t I express my frustrations like everyone else?" Serena Williams wrote.
"If I were a man, would I be in this situation? What makes me so different? Is it because I’m a woman? I stop myself to avoid getting worked up. I tell myself, “You’ve been through so much, you’ve endured so much, time will allow me to heal, and soon this will be just another memory that made me the strong woman, athlete, and mother I am today,” she added.
The 2018 US Open marked Williams' return to Flushing Meadows as a mother, having given birth to her first daughter, Olympia, just the previous year.
"This debacle ruined something that should have been amazing and historic" - Serena Williams
Continuing in the essay, Serena Williams emphasized that even though she has had other setbacks in her career, what happened at the US Open in 2018 was unique in her mind. As for why, the American explained that it "ruined" what should have been a great and historic moment for her, as well as taking the spotlight away from the winner, Naomi Osaka.
"This was different. I was hurt—cut deeply. I tried to compare it to other setbacks I’d had in my life and career, and for some reason I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was about so much more than just me. I thought back to my first Grand Slam. It’s the one you remember best; it’s supposed to be the most special," Serena Williams wrote.
"This debacle ruined something that should have been amazing and historic. Not only was a game taken from me but a defining, triumphant moment was taken from another player, something she should remember as one of the happiest memories in her long and successful career. My heart broke," she added.
Serena Williams reached two more Slam finals, at the 2019 Wimbledon and US Open, but ended up losing in both. Finally, she retired in 2022, having never won her 24th Grand Slam title.
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