Tennis megastar Serena Williams writes a heartfelt personal letter in Tuesday’s Harper’s Bazaars where she addresses her reaction during last year’s US Open, discrimination against women in the workplace and championing women rights.
Serena had lost the finals 6-2, 6-4 to Japan’s Naomi Osaka but altercations with the umpire had mired the celebration for a then 20-year-old Naomi who won her first Slam title at the championship.
After the match, while Osaka accepted the trophy, boos rang around Arthur Ashe Stadium. Osaka wept.
Much was said about the incident by the press and on social media but this is the first time Serena has revealed how the events affected her going forward.
“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,” writes Serena, “My heart broke.”
According to her letter, the 23 times Glam Slam winner says she felt disturbed by the whole incident and had to see a therapist. She also came to a realisation that she owed Osaka an apology and decided to write her a letter, Williams reveals in the essay. Here is what she wrote to her:
“As I said on the court, I am so proud of you and I am truly sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. But I had no idea the media would pit us against each other. I would love the chance to live that moment over again. I am, was, and will always be happy for you and supportive of you. I would never, ever want the light to shine away from another female, specifically another black female athlete. I can’t wait for your future, and believe me I will always be watching as a big fan! I wish you only success today and in the future. Once again, I am so proud of you. All my love and your fan, Serena.”
When Serena received Naomi’s response, the 23-time major champion said tears rolled down her face.
“People can misunderstand anger for strength because they can’t differentiate between the two,” Osaka replies, according to Williams. “No one has stood up for themselves the way you have and you need to continue trailblazing.”
Williams goes on to write in the essay:
“It was in this moment that I realised the real reason the US Open was so hard for me to get over: It wasn’t because of the backlash I faced but rather because of what had happened to the young woman who deserved so much more in her special moment. I had felt that it was my fault and that I should have kept my mouth closed. But now, seeing her text putting everything in perspective, I realised she was right.”
Serena also explains the real reason she found the incident so tough to recover from was because it “exemplified how thousands of women in every area of the workforce are treated every day.”
“We are not allowed to have emotions, we are not allowed to be passionate,” the mother of one continues.
“We are told to sit down and be quiet, which frankly is just not something I’m okay with. It’s shameful that our society penalizes women just for being themselves.”
Serena also highlighted some of the injustices she has faced as a woman during her career, including incidences of body-shaming, body-shaming and unequal pay.
“As a teenager, I was booed by an entire stadium (I took the high road and even thanked those who didn’t want to see me win). I’ve been called every name in the book. I’ve been shamed because of my body shape. I’ve been paid unequally because of my sex. I’ve been penalized a game in the final of a major because I expressed my opinion or grunted too loudly. I’ve been blatantly cheated against to the point where the Hawk-Eye rules were introduced so that something like that would not happen again. And these are only the things that are seen by the public. In short, it’s never been easy. But then I think of the next girl who is going to come along who looks like me, and I hope, ‘Maybe, just maybe, my voice will help her.'”
Serena Williams also reveals that her But her 18-month daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr, inspires her to speak up and get her opinions heard, noting: “I won’t ever stop raising my voice against injustice.
“Ultimately, my daughter is the reason I use my voice, the reason I picked up a racket again,” Williams writes.
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