Tennis Umpires Consider Forming Union Following Serena Williams Incident
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 08: Serena Williams of the United States argues with referee Brian Earley during her Women’s Singles finals match against Naomi Osaka of Japan on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jaime Lawson/Getty Images for USTA)
While much of the media along with some of tennis' biggest names come to the aid of Serena Williams in the wake of her clash with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, tennis umpires are rallying around each other.
Top tennis umpires are considering forming a union because they believe Carlos Ramos was “hung out to dry” by the authorities during and after the U.S. Open controversy. Tennis umpires were also unhappy that it took 48 hours for the International Tennis Federation to defend Ramos. Several umpires are privately pushing for an officials’ union, an idea that has floated around on and off for years, as a matter of urgency. Other sports have unions for officials. Why shouldn't tennis? Tennis chair umpires aren't allowed to speak out after matches. This is why Carlos Ramos has remained silent in the wake of the Serena Williams incident.
