On Saturday as Serena Williams battled Naomi Osaka in the U.S. Open Women’s Final, she received a coaching violation over a thumbs up gesture from her coach.
That didn’t go over necessarily well, as Williams took it personally that the chair umpire would hint that she was somehow cheating in any way.
In response, Williams told him, “I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.”
Here’s a video clip of the entire exchange, which Williams handled with her usual grace and class.
“I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.”
Serena lets the chair umpire know what’s up after receiving a coaching violation.pic.twitter.com/OORGD5Lhui
— SB Nation (@SBNation) September 8, 2018
Not surprisingly, many who were in attendance applauded her for this.
Given the flawless track record of Williams on the court, it’s hard to imagine how the chair umpire thought she was getting coached due to a simple thumbs up gesture.