She will inevitably be condemned by many as a tennis brat, but Serena Williams ought to be commended for the sporting manner in which she handled her dramatic US Open exit.
Under the sport's guidelines, which clearly state two code violations results in a point penalty against offenders, Williams broke the rules.
Then she accepted she had.
No ifs. No buts. No cursory whys.
Unlike the great superbrat himself John McEnroe, who happened to be in the commentary box at Flushing Meadows and was expressing his dismay that Williams had even been foot-faulted in the first place.
"You can't call that. I don't see it at all," McEnroe said.
No, when Serena Williams was effectively told her US Open title defence was over, she calmly walked to the other side of the net to congratulate her stunned opponent.
Williams' first thoughts - when most others probably would have chosen to berate officials - were about Clijsters, and the American very sportingly shook the Belgian's hand and sincerely wished her good luck in the final.
"I'm not the beggar like, 'please, please, let me have another chance because it was the rules, and I play by the rules." Williams said.
"If I get hit, I say I got hit. I play by the rules. That's what it was."
Maybe Williams shouldn't have gone nuts at the linesperson for foot-faulting her, but she at least acknowledged it was the heat of the moment and said she hoped to learn from her mistakes.
Not too many people would have the composure not to react in such a manner given the timing, the pressure and the stakes of the occasion.
Even less people would be thinking so instinctively of their opponent in a moment of such exasperation, anguish and despair and then, less than half an hour later, face the world's tennis media and not complain of being hard done by.
Love her or loathe her, it is the very same champion qualities off the court which makes Serena Williams the 11-times grand slam champion she is on it.
- AAP
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