Serena has long been criticized for not acknowledging the talent of the opponents who defeat her.

Last night she set new standards of disgusting egocentricity, with pathetic, classless, disgraceful behavior during a post-match interview. She is pathetic and the epitome of unsportsman-like conduct. She owes Justine (who decisively and deftly, not luckily, crushed her) a public apology. Serena is an embarrassment to us as Americans.

Why are the commentators...especially Tracy Austin, not discussing the Serena press conference?

As I've posted before, Tracy Austin is the biggest Williams sisters apologist on TV. She will rarely, if ever, criticize Serena or Venus for a bad shot, much less for their lack of humility off the court after a defeat. As for the others, I can only wonder. Let's see how Venus handles the outcome of her current match, win or lose.

are you watching this pathetic woman's match b/n venus and jankovic? please toss a coin and determine the winner, so that I can watch federer v/s roddick.

Do you have coverage on USA past 10 Pm Central Time? We are on Dish Network and our TV guide shows the coverage going to Law and order at 10 Pm.

Yeah that was not a very clean match. Both had thier chances to end it earlier but couldn't keep any consistency. I am not a Venus (Williams sisters fan for that matter) so my only hope is that Henin takes it to her in the semis. They haven't played in almost 4 years and Justine was not the player then she is now. You can bet that Tracy and crew will be playing up the fact that Henin is like 1-7 against Venus. I don't think that matters the way Justine is playing these days. I hope she wins decisively so there is no Serena type quotes at the end. Venus is usually a bit more humble in that respect.

Speaking of pathetic in that match. What's with the short shorts that obviously bug Venus? She and Nadal should get together and have a wedgie match. Put on real tennis attire for once will you Venus. I don't like to sit through 2 hours of your shrieking and picking your butt because your already too short shorts are riding up on you. Ugh , just one more reason to not be a fan. Too bad your actions get in the way of your tennis for us viewers. All hail Justine!

I'm in ET zone waching the match on UHD, but I've work tomorrow.

I think "upstate" has a really nasty attitude, as revealed in this and other posts to this site. What, exactly, are Venus Williams' "actions" that have detracted from tennis? In all her post-match comments she has seemed humble and gracious. If you didn't like Serena's post-match comments, fine -- but Serena is a different person!

As for Venus' choice of clothes, if it bothers you so much, "upstate," DON'T WATCH. Is someone forcing you to "sit through 2 hours" of tennis? This is entertainment. If you're not entertained, change the channel!!!

Yes, Serena did behave like a spoiled child in her interview. But the "all hail Justine" comment is over the top. Henin also has behaved in an ungracious and dismissive manner a number of times after her matches. Can't the press let the athletes shower before their interviews? Give them a chance to cool off and regain control? Serena's behavior at that press conference was just what the press and other voyeurs were hoping for.

Llola,

Why do you feel the need to apologize for Serena? Why in the world should her post-match interview be scheduled any differently than other players? She needs to shower first to cool off and regain control? She seemed completely in control of her comments to me (as childlike as they were). I think it is completely fair to be critical of her press conference performance, just like it would to be critical of Justine or Shahar if they behaved in kind.

To OpenFan:

I think all players should be given the courtesy of some time to regain their composure. Unless the goal of these interviews isn't to gain insight into the match, but, rather, to collect film clips of athletes behaving badly.

I suppose we simply disagree on the need for time to regain composure. Other players do not seem to have a problem answering very simple questions immediately after their matches. In fact, it seems to me that one of the marks of a successful athlete is that they tend NOT to lose composure, even in defeat. After all, focus is what make these players outstanding, right?

I will say again that I do not think Serena lacked composure. She knew what she was doing and came across as a child. I do not think another hour would have changed her behavior. If anything, it would probably make it likely that she would skip it altogether.

My daughter termed it correctly - Serena has a sense of entitlement - she should win because she is Serena.

I guess that's why she's been so successful these last few years. What is her ranking?

GIVE ME A BREAK. I have been watching Serena and Venus for years, they have nearly always been respectful of their opponents, win or lose. How come all of a sudden when she loses to someone that I believe she should blast off of the court people become so annoyed? I have seen Roddick and many others be just as rude, maybe not about their opponents, in interviews and no none says anything about them. Every competitor wants to win and why can't they become upset at the press questions and their own feelings about being beat. They're human. Also, if you want to talk about sportsmanship, why does everyone seem to forget Henin's pretty crappy record of sportsmanship. The French Open when she raised her hand to hold off the serve, and then deny it, the Austrailian Open when she quit on Amalie, and her attitude on many other occasions that I can remember. If I was Serena, I wouldn't be so gracious as saying "oh I barely remember that incident, it has long been forgotten." I think those incidences show Henin's true character, and why I will never watch a match with her in it unless it is against one of the William's sister or she is getting beaten like Sharapova. I expect Henin to win tomorrow, and I will not watch one second of the match unless I hear that she has lost.

Serena is my least favorite of all tennis players. She comes to matches out of shape, at least 15 pounds overweight, then wonders why she loses to inferior players.

The measure of a great player is what he or she actually does, not what she is capable of doing. Both Williams sisters have superior skills to any other active player, but they often lose. Maybe it's the American version of the Kournikova syndrome. They are making so much money on glamor products (why any woman would buy them I have absolutely no idea), that it seems too much for them to give 100 percent to their tennis game.

I remember the young Williams sisters saying that noone can beat them, they can only beat themselves by not playing their best. I guess they were right after all.

It is strongly believed in the African-American Community that most of white Americans cannot stand the Williams sisters because they are African American and came into an almost white sport and won so many times.

While I agree that at times their public responses to their losses (ie excuses are not that great) I think they are truly talented in their sport and when I see people almost evil with glee when they loose, it makes me sick and gives me an indication that so many persons in the country are still very prejudice towards African-Americans that make strides in the predominately white controlled-white dominated sports.

Ronin1

Ronin1, if it makes you feel any better, ESPN.com recently paired Serena with that very white male Jimmy Connors and called them both "world-class sore losers." No mention of Venus, though, and that's as it should be...she's been a gracious loser - and winner - all along. Serena can be so fantastic to watch and root for on court but would endear herself more to everyone overall if she just lightened up and stopped wearing that defensive, sorry chip on her shoulder when she loses. No kidding, black or white, that stuff just doesn't make ANYONE look good!

I don't know how you can put either sister in the Kournikova category as someone who never won on tour that I know of and yet got incredible press coverage just because of her looks. A couple of years ago, Serena and Venus were in almost EVERY grand slam final against eachother. Granted they were never very good matches, but they were able to get through the whole field to face off against eachother. I would prefer to put them in the Tiger Woods category that if they don't win for a while, suddenly they are way over rated and everyone says "see they aren't that good." They each won a grand slam very convincingly this year.

I seem to remember Mohommed Ali saying "I am the greatest." What is wrong with being confident in yourself and for a long time backing it up and still coming back to win a major this year? NOTHING. What is wrong with someone having a life outside of sports and preparing for their future? NOTHING.

LOL. NAIL< HAMMER = HEAD

Serena is too fat, and ugly. Venus is spending energy trying to make her dead wieght sister 'shine'. And together they are out-classed by many of todays REAL tennis stars. They might as well do tennis matches with Anna Pornicova, or even the newly minted lowering tennis's white darf, Maria Shloppypova.

Why do the announcers not only not criticize Serena for her classless & unsportsmanlike behavior regarding opponents-they go out of their way to kiss her butt??"shes so wonderful-poor Serenas injured-blah-blah". Tracy Austin is the worst!!Theyre 'access whores" who give her a free pass-regardless of what she says or does! Also its pc gone extreme as they are afraid to be considered "racist" if they dare to criticize her!!Hey "announcers"-youre paid to call it like it is-so wake up & grow a "pair"!!