SERENA WILLIAMS.

Everybody seems to be apologizing these days. First, it was Congressman Joe Wilson for his strange outburst, while the President of the United States, Mr. Obama, was giving his address on Health Care reform to a joint session of Congress; then came Kanye West for his "rude" interruption of VMA ceremonial awards; and just two days or so ago, it was Serena Williams who was rendering an apology for a tiff she had with a lines-person on the court at the U.S. National Tennis Open in New York. It must be pointed out, however, that the first two were proper, but not Serena's.

She had been called for a line fault, which was controversial, not just to her, but to many people watching the game at that particular time. She raised an objection and complained to the Umpire, venting her anger to the call. It was not an outrage that she displayed; it was only pointing to the fact that she was being "picked on" for no good reason. It was actually something that every tennis player did, if the occasion warranted it. She was not over-reacting to the incident or anything of that nature. Yet, there was the expectation all around that she should apologize; and so she did; but why?

She was fined $10,000, and even more later on, for asking a lines-person to be fair, because that was the mental state the person should be in, when assisting in ensuring a clear judgment of a game. The incident could happen to anyone; and it could happen anywhere, that a lines-person or even an Umpire, was making the wrong calls for a player to be asking the question "why?" or "what for?" However, she was called on the carpet for dealing with a presumptuously unfair lines-person, who was running helter-skelter to prove her point that she was right in making a flimsy call.

Serena and her sister, Venus, have always been real ladies; they have conducted themselves well both on and off court. They have worked very hard to get them to where they are today. However, they also knew that they have had a lot of help along the way; first, from their immediate family, of a great Dad and a gracious Mom, sisters and cousins, who have supported and encouraged them to no end. Their loving parents have pushed them to gain success; and second, they were also grateful to the tennis world that opened the chance and offered the opportunity for them to play the game, which they played so well. They have become champions "a hundredfold, if not a thousandfold"; and the whole world was proud of them.

As for Serena, she has not got the slightest habit of throwing tantrums; her behavior is as graceful as that of her sister's. She is well behaved and extremely respectful to the public; and to her fans, she is just so adorable. She has represented The United States of America very well around the world. She is a beautiful African-American woman after all.

Yet, for a little misunderstanding on the court, in her own country, to be made to turn into a stain on her clean record is just unimaginably deplorable, to say the least. The media has blown a minor incident out of all proportion, and that is as unreasonable, just as it is unbearable. Tennis players of all kinds do the same without a smidgen of fault ever being enunciated against them; but she, being Serena, is left to bear the brunt of an altercation initiated by a prejudiced lines-person who is allowed to go scot-free. Incredible, is it not?

In view of that, The U.S.T.A. should come to her aid immediately, and completely exonerate her from such an unfortunate and stupid affray. She knows that in America it is normal to protest, particularly, against any kind of injustice, even if it happens on the tennis court.