These days in the American Indian Wells is a tennis tournament, which is an unofficial the name of the «fifth stage of the Grand Slam». The prestige is added by a huge prize fund and the second largest tennis arena in the world (after the center court of New York's Flushing Meadows stadium). And it subtracts from the scandalous story of a boycott by the Williams sisters for obstruction, which they considered racist. some other stories of racism in tennis.
«They hummed like a noble lynch mob»
The first thing to say about the Indian Wells incident that has become so famous is that not everything about it is obvious. In 2001, social networks were not yet ubiquitous, and mobile phones, if they could record video, then in extremely primitive quality and with sound, with which it was absolutely impossible to make out anything. And in the TV broadcast, it will also not work to pick out the specific offensive words that Serena spoke about.Second, the incident had a rather rich background. It consisted in rumors that the father of Venus and Serena Williams at that time himself decided which of the sisters should win in their face-to-face meetings. So, at that tournament in Indian Wells, Russian tennis player Elena Dementieva, answering the question of who would win in the semifinal match — Venus or Serena, said: «I think Richard (their father) will decide.» And she remembered one of the sisters' previous meetings, calling it «funny».As a result, the semi-finals did not take place at all. Literally a few minutes before it began, Venus withdrew, citing inflammation of the tendon. Tournament director Charlie Pasarell said the same night, «I wish she'd come out and try to play.» And Venus at a press conference was asked in the forehead about the words of Dementieva. The elder Williams replied: «Everyone has the right to their opinion,» but added that the opinion is wrong. And Richard Williams, in response to a question from a Reuters correspondent about the removal of Venus, said: «From now on, I do not speak English.»
Well, during the final match between Serena Williams and Belgian Kim Clijsters, something happened that caused a long-term boycott of the family of famous tennis players of one of the largest tournaments in the world. When Venus and Richard took their places in the stands, the audience subjected them to a deafening obstruction. It only intensified when the father of tennis players shook his fist around. Fans continued to loudly resent during the match. Their dissatisfaction spread to Serena, who, nevertheless, managed to win a difficult victory in three sets and won the title.
Immediately after the match, none of the members of the Williams family began to comment on what had happened, let alone talk about the racist background of the cries. However, a week later, Richard's quotes appeared in USA Today, in which he complained that the audience called him the word with the letter «n», and one of them said: «It's a pity it's not the 70s, we would have skinned you alive «. Venus on the same day did not confirm or deny the words of her father, and Serena added that she did not read newspapers. The name Dementieva also appeared in publications again — the Russian woman was asked what she meant when she said that Richard Williams decides which of the sisters to win. «I was joking,» Elena answered.It is known that the police on that ill-fated day did not record racist cries in the stands. However, in her autobiography, published in 2009, Serena stated that she heard them: “What struck me most was that the obstruction came not from one sector, but from the entire stadium. This has never happened to me. I looked at the stands and saw the sea rich people — mostly white, elderly — who stood around and hooted frantically like a noble lynch mob. As if these people wanted to deal with me after the match. Several times I heard the word with the letter «n» and it's not that you expect, being on the court, a decent place, it seems. «
After that incident, Serena did not come to Indian Wells for 14 years. She returned to the tournament in this California town only in 2015. The Venus boycott lasted a year longer. Since the Indian Wells tournament was in the «Premier» category, it was possible to refuse to participate in it only in exchange for help in promoting these competitions. In such events, the Williams sisters have not been noticed in a decade and a half of the boycott. But the leadership of the Women's Professional Tour turned a blind eye to this, understanding the delicacy of the situation.
«Always ready to make love to Chinese women»
Despite the fact that the same Serena called tennis «white», racist scandals of this magnitude in this sport have probably never happened again. There are, of course, the memories of the representative of the indigenous population of Australia, Yvonne Goolagong, who said that after one of her first matches in the 60s, her opponent greeted her with the phrase «This is the first time I had the» pleasure «to play with a black woman.» And the famous American Arthur Ash, who became the first black winner of the Grand Slam tournament, said that he had been fighting racist manifestations all his life. But that was at a time when the echoes of segregation were very fresh.However, not as resonant as with the Williams sisters, but noticeable incidents occurred in our politically correct days. In one of them, the current first Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was involved in 2016. It happened in the second round match inconspicuous in the calendar, “Challenger” in the American city of Savannah. The opponent of the then very young Medvedev was a local tennis player Donald Young, and in one of the episodes of the first set, the Russian was dissatisfied with the decision of the woman referee on the tower. «I know you're friends, I'm sure of it,» he said, seemingly meaningless, as he sat down on a chair during the side switch.
However, the referee considered this remark offensive and called the supervisor to the court. After some time, she announced the disqualification of Medvedev for «unsportsmanlike behavior.» The Russian at that moment did not understand much, shaking hands with both the judge and the opponent on the way from the court, and then from the statement of the American Tennis Association he learned that his words were considered racist. The fact is that both Young and the referee were black. Later, Medvedev posted an apology on social networks, noting that he did not remember exactly his words, spoken in the heat of emotion. And later he added that he considers the incident an accident, and the disqualification is undeserved — but noted that all this was a lesson for him.
Fortunately, there were situations in tennis when careless emotional comments on a topic that was sore for some did not swell to the size of an elephant. At the 2001 US Open, Australian Lleyton Hewitt also hinted that the referee was favoring his black opponent James Blake «because they look alike,» but the tirade went without a hitch. Hewitt said that his words did not have a racist meaning, and Blake, after losing the match, did not pretend to be offended, noting that he did not hear anything offensive.
At the same tournament in Indian Wells, only in 2012, during the match between Frenchman Mikael Llodra and Latvian Ernest Gulbis, one of the spectators supported the representative of the Baltic country too actively. So active that Llodra, irritated by the cries of the cheerleader, threw the phrase «Chinese prostitute» at her address. In fact, this woman was of Korean descent, but the Frenchman was still fined $2,500. Later, Llodra apologized, albeit in a peculiar way: he declared that he adores Chinese women and is always ready to make love to them. French Championship 2008 between Russian Dinara Safina and Chinese Zheng Jie. The meeting was not easy, Safina was annoyed more than once because of her own mistakes or the successful blows of her opponent, but in the end the Russian woman still turned out to be stronger.
After the match, Dinara stopped for a traditional autograph session at the court, but when she saw a rather solid group of Zheng Jie's compatriots pulling booklets and felt-tip pens in her direction, she threw in their direction the phrase in English «I do not sign for the Chinese.» Apparently, emotions have not cooled down yet. However, as you know, the Chinese practically do not speak English. Probably, for this reason, no one began to complain about the Russian tennis player.