The 23-times grand slam champion wins backing of tennis legend Billie Jean King after saying men are treated less harshly

Serena Williams has accused an umpire of sexism and treating her more harshly than men as she used a press conference to double down on her earlier on-court tirade at the official during her US Open final defeat to Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

Williams was cited by official Carlos Ramos for three code violations during her 6-2, 6-4 loss to the 20-year-old Osaka on Saturday: for getting coaching signals; for breaking her racket, which cost her a point; and for calling the chair umpire a thief, which cost her a game.

Serena Williams rails at umpire as superb Naomi Osaka wins US Open Read more

But despite the match penalties, she renewed her attack at a media conference later.

“I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things,” she said. “I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff. For me to say ‘thief’, and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief’.

“For me, it blows my mind. But I’m going to continue to fight for women.”

Earlier, as Williams pleaded her case on court with tournament referee Brian Earley, calling the penalties unfair, she said: “Because I’m a woman, you’re going to take this away from me?”

The two-times Australian Open champion and two-times US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka backed up Williams’ stance, writing on Twitter: “If it was men’s match, this wouldn’t happen like this. It just wouldn’t.”

victoria azarenka (@vika7) If it was men’s match, this wouldn’t happen like this.

It just wouldn’t

Billie Jean King, who won 12 grand slam singles titles and helped found the women’s tennis tour and pave the way for equal prize money in the sport, also commented via Twitter on what happened on Saturday.

“Several things went very wrong during the US Open women’s finals today,” King wrote. “Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn’t, and as a result, a player was penalized for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.”

In a second tweet, King said: “When a woman is emotional, she’s ‘hysterical’ and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s ‘outspoken’ & and there are no repercussions. Thank you @serenawilliams for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.”

Williams’ supporters could point to recent examples of how tennis has treated women differently to men.

Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) Same umpire accused Venus of cheating in 2016 gave her a coaching violation because of it.



So when I say there is racial bias, please stop denying the obvious.



This is disgusting. Serena knew exactly what was happening and fought for the truth. #USOpen

pic.twitter.com/nYt1z70rFl

Just before the US Open, the French tennis federation president said that the black catsuit worn this year by Williams at the French Open would not be allowed at that tournament in the future. During the US Open, a female player, Alizé Cornet, was incorrectly admonished by a chair umpire for changing her shirt during a match, which is allowed and which men do all the time. And the US Tennis Association created a new rule last week that allows for a 10-minute break in men’s matches when the heat and humidity are too harsh; previously, only women were given that chance for a delay.

“I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that want to express themselves, and want to be a strong woman. They’re going to be allowed to do that because of today,” Williams said. “Maybe it didn’t work out for me, but it’s going to work out for the next person.”

Williams has fallen foul of officials before, most notably when she launched a tirade for a penalty in the final against the Australian player Sam Stosur at Flushing Meadows seven years ago.