09/12/2018

Rethinking the Rules

How the U.S. Tennis Association is trying to curb ruling inconsistencies

The U.S. Open closed on Saturday with a public outcry over strict officiating after tennis icon Serena Williams complained about double standards during her championship match against Naomi Osaka, which Osaka won.

It wasn’t the only such incident—several actions by umpires were  criticized during the tournament—but the Williams case was the one that captured the zeitgeist. The situation quickly broke down when chair umpire Carlos Ramos penalized Williams for receiving coaching during the match after her coach made hand gestures from the crowd, leading to heated objections from Williams and two more penalties from Ramos.

In the days since, several tennis organizations have said the officiating controversies at the U.S. Open are prompting questions about what changes may be needed.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.