Editorial: Behaviour of US Open crowd - and Serena Williams - disappointing

Serena Williams, the 36-year-old veteran of 31 grand slam finals, reacted badly when she was warned about gestures from her coach which appeared to be tactical advice. Photo / AP

Tennis followers around the world witnessed some of the worst moments in sport yesterday and the worst offender was not Serena Williams, it was the crowd at the US Open championship in New York.

In their misplaced sympathy for Williams, they were oblivious to the fact they had just witnessed one of the greatest achievements in women's tennis. A 20-year-old from Japan, Naomi Osaka, playing in her first grand slam final, beat her hero and beat her well.

To do so she had to shut out of her mind the distractions Williams was creating in arguments with the umpire, which reached a climax when Osaka was awarded an extra game after William's third violation of the professional tour's code of behaviour.

Naomi Osaka, 20 of Japan, wipes away a tear, after beating her hero and beating her well in in her first grand slam final. Photo / AP

The award, late in the second set, left Osaka to serve out the match, which she managed to do despite the crowd pressure. But worse was to come from the crowd in the presentation ceremony. The booing was so bad that Williams appealed to the crowd to stop and to acknowledge Osaka's achievement.

It was indeed a fine performance. The 20-year-old, playing the champion she had admired since childhood, took the first set comfortably. The trouble started in the second game of the second set when Williams, still struggling, was warned by the umpire about gestures from her coach which appeared to be tactical advice.

Serena Williams slams her racket on the court during the women's final against Naomi Osaka. Photo / AP

Rather than accepting the warning, the 36-year-old veteran of 31 grand slam finals, reacted badly. Initially her game did not suffer, she channelled her anger into better play. But she continued to abuse the umpire and accumulate penalties set down in the rules of professional tennis.

Few in the crowd may have been able to hear her exchanges with the umpire but the telecast replayed her coach's gesture several times during the match, and Williams has been in trouble for abuse of court officials before. Yet the crowd were overwhelmingly on her side.

The reason may have been that this was supposed to be a "fairy tale" return for the most successful female player of the open era after having a baby. The US television coverage of the tournament has been eagerly promoting this narrative throughout the fortnight.

It follows a successful movie made of Williams' break from the game to have her baby and her determination to get back to the top. This would have been her first grand slam title since the birth of her daughter a year ago this month.

Japan's Naomi Osaka holds up the championship trophy after defeating Serena Williams. In their misplaced sympathy for Williams, the crowd at the US Open championship in New York were oblivious to the fact they had just witnessed one of the greatest achievements in women's tennis. Photo / AP

The commentators on ESPN yesterday were as disappointed as the crowd at the result yesterday. They said it took the gloss of Osaka's achievement. It may have done so in American eyes but to fair-minded viewers in other countries, it made her win all the more remarkable.

Sadly, the 20-year-old did not seem to realise this. Her comments and demeanour during and after the presentation of her prize, reflected regret at the way she had won it.

The only cause for regret was the behaviour of her opponent, which looked like gamesmanship until it was suitably punished. Naomi Osaka displayed the temperament of a champion, as she deservedly is.