Posted on: Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Controversy swirls at U.S. Open
Associated Press
NEW YORK — A Grand Slam tournament wouldn't be complete without controversy involving the Williams family, and the U.S. Open began yesterday amid a debate about whether the sisters enjoy an advantage because they're black.
That's the contention of Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova.
Serena Williams tends to doubt it.
"I have gone to a store and been treated differently because I was black once," she said. "Other than that, no."
Williams, the 1999 Open champion, overcame a slow start in her first-round match to beat Anca Barna, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. She joined four other former women's champions — Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario — in the second round.
Two-time champions Andre Agassi and Patrick Rafter advanced on the men's side, as did defending champ Marat Safin.
For Williams, the primary topic in her postmatch news conference wasn't a ragged performance that included 42 unforced errors, but rather a cover story about her and sister Venus in the latest issue of Time magazine. The article revisits the contention first made last spring by Hingis and Navratilova that being black is an advantage for the Williams family.
Hingis said the sisters get more endorsement deals because of their race. For the same reason, Navratilova said, people are reluctant to criticize the family's behavior.
Serena Williams responded: "I think in a sport that is a predominantly white sport, when people see new faces, like for instance golf with Tiger Woods, maybe if hockey were to have a superstar that was Spanish or maybe black, I think then maybe it would get a few more people to watch the sport. ...
"I get endorsements because I win, and I work hard. I go out there and have a good attitude and I smile."
Davenport came to the defense of the sisters.
"They're great girls," she said. "They've changed totally in the five or six years they've played on the tour. I have no problems with them. They've done amazing things for our sport."
