The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) wants equal treatment for all tennis players in light of the events at the US Open women's final Saturday involving Serena Williams.
"The WTA believes that there should be no difference in the standards of tolerance provided to the emotions expressed by men vs. women and is committed to working with the sport to ensure that all players are treated the same. We do not believe that this was done last night," WTA CEO Steve Simon said in a statement released Sunday.
Simon also addressed the need for coaching to be allowed in the sport after Williams was given three code violations by chair umpire Carlos Ramos in her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka.
"The WTA supports coaching through its on-court coaching rule, but further review is needed," Simon added in the statement. "[Saturday's] match showcased one of tennis' new stars as well as one of the greatest players of the game. We look forward to more thrilling matches between these great athletes and hope that what we all witnessed never happens again."
Coaching isn't allowed during any matches in the men's game but the women's tour permits it except during Grand Slam tournaments. Williams received her first violation on Saturday for receiving coaching.
Chair umpire Carlos Ramos ruled that Williams' coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, was coaching her from the stands. Williams objected, saying she was not being coached and had not cheated.
Serena Williams throws her racket to the ground in frustration in the women's singles finals match against Naomi Osaka of Japan (not pictured) during the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York City, September 8, 2018. /VCG Photo
Williams received fines totaling 17,000 US dollars for the three code violations.
The tournament referee's office assessed her a 3,000-US-dollar fine for breaking her racket, 4,000 US dollars for being warned about receiving coaching from the stands and 10,000 US dollars for what was called "verbal abuse" of Ramos.
The fine will be deducted from her 1.85-million-US-dollar runner-up earnings.
The tennis world was divided regarding the issue.
Billie Jean supported Serena Williams for calling out the different treatment received by female and male tennis players in a series of tweets.
Tennis great Billie Jean King wrote on Twitter: "When a woman is emotional, she's "hysterical" and she's penalized for it. When a man does the same, he's "outspoken" and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same."
The 74-year-old American is the founder of the WTA and the Women's Sports Foundation. The USTA National Tennis Center in New York City was named after her since 2006.
Later on her Twitter account, she published an article under the title "Serena is still treated differently than male athletes."
Yet Australian Margaret Court, whose tally of Grand Slam singles titles is being chased by Williams, had little sympathy for the 36-year-old American former world number one.
"We always had to go by the rules," Court, who dominated tennis during the 1960s and early 1970s, said according to a report in The Australian.
"It's sad for the sport when a player tries to become bigger than the rules.
"Because the young player outplayed her in the first set, I think pressure got her more than anything."