Tennis Star Legend Serena Williams Responds To Tournament Director Raymond Moore's Comment
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| Tennis Star Legend Serena Williams Responds To Tournament Director Raymond Moore's Comment |
The tennis legend made that very clear when addressing one of the most sexist comments ever made in the history of sports, in which Indian Wells Tournament Director Raymond Moore suggested that female players should get on their knees and thank their male counterparts.
“If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were born because they have carried this sport,” Moore said. “They really have.”
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| Serena Williams |
"Obviously, I don’t think any woman should be down on their knees thanking anybody like that ... [If] I could tell you every day how many people say they don’t watch tennis unless they’re watching myself or my sister — I couldn’t even bring up that number," Williams said when asked about her thoughts on Moore's comments.
"...I don’t think that is a very accurate statement. I think there are a lot of women out there who … are very exciting to watch. I think there are a lot of men out there who are exciting to watch. I think it definitely goes both ways."
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| Serena And Raymond |
“I’m sorry, did Roger play in that final?” Williams asked, rhetorically. “Or Rafa, or any man, play in that final ...? I think not.”
Moore later issued an apology, but Serena Williams, who lost the tournament this weekend to opponent Victoria Azarenka, called Moore's comments a "disservice" to tennis legend Billie Jean King as well as "every woman on this planet that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman."
"We as women have come a long way. And we shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point," Williams said.
King also spoke out, tweeting that Moore was "wrong on so many levels."
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