The 2009 US Open semifinals ended in an unexpected turn when defending champion Serena Williams lost her temper to a line judge. Williams was making her second serve at a 5-6, 15-30 in the second set, after making the first one a fault. When she hit her second serve, the line judge called it a foot fault, making it a double fault.
After hearing the decision, Williams went over and threatened the official shouting, “If I could, I would take this … ball and shove it down your … throat.”
Tournament referee Brian Earley, made a statement about the incident.
“She was called for a foot fault, and a point later, she said something to a line umpire, and it was reported to the chair, and that resulted in a point penalty,” Earley explained. “And it just happened that point penalty was match point. It was a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Williams congratulated Kim Clijsters who was awarded with the match point. Clijsters moves to the 2009 U.S. Open finals on Sunday where she will face No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki.
In the men’s singles division, Rafael Nadal defeated Fernando Gonzalez on an extended match on Saturday. The match between the two started on Thursday night but was suspended due to heavy rain that continued on by Friday.
Gonzales, who made 59 unforced errors in all, was asked about his performance. “I can’t tell you,” Gonzalez said, “because I don’t have the answer.”