Serena Williams went into the US Open final vowing to honour the victims of the September 11 attacks, but ended it in disgrace by refusing to apologise for an ugly tirade during her defeat to Samantha Stosur. The American star had lost the first set 6-2 to the Australian and faced a break point in the opening game of the second when she unleashed a huge forehand which she greeted it with a loud “c’mon”. But Stosur hadn’t even reached the ball and Greek umpire Eva Asderaki immediately penalised the three-time champion for “intentional hindrance”. The point — and the game — was awarded to Stosur. “Aren’t you the one who screwed me over last time?” Williams, who was eventually defeated 6-2, 6-3, bellowed at Asderaki, in an apparent reference to a similar incident in Doha in 2009. At her post-match news conference, the 29-year-old flatly refused to apologise for her outburst which came two years after she was also docked a penalty point in her semi-final loss to Kim Clijsters for abusing a lineswoman. That sanction came on match point and immediately condemned her to defeat. “I regret losing,” said Williams. “I don’t even remember what I said. It was just so intense out there. It’s the final and I guess I’ll see it on YouTube. I was just in the zone.” Williams’ rage had even continued at the changeover with her ongoing war of words with Asderaki picked up by courtside microphones. “Don’t even look at me,” she shouted up at Asderaki. “If I see you in the corridor don’t even walk past me… a code violation for expressing my opinion, we’re in America… you’re unattractive inside…” Williams admitted that she may have confused the chair umpires.
No apologies from Serena
