[Blind Gossip] Serena Williams will be seeded at Wimbledon despite a low world ranking after taking substantial time off for maternity leave and an injury. This is causing a major uproar!
As a general rule in tennis, the top 32 ranked players get seeded in a tournament. If you are not in the top 32, you may still compete, but you are unseeded.
Well, the last tournament that Williams won was the Australian Open more than 18 months ago. Serena William’s world rank is now 183. Last month, the French Open declined to give her any seeding. However, Wimbledon just decided to change their own rules… and give Williams a 25 seed for Wimbledon!
With the exception of Williams, all of the rest of the women are seeded in line with their World Tennis Association ranking.
The female tennis player who got bumped out of the top 32 for Wimbledon for Williams has voiced her strong disapproval. Another dissenter is a famous MALE tennis player.
When he heard that she was seeded at 25 for the tournament (even though her official singles rank is 183), he went on a little rant. He was saying that if women want the kind of money and publicity that the men get in tennis, they need to stop asking for exceptions. “If a man is physically unable to play for a year and a half for ANY reason, his rank drops and he has to work his way back up the ladder. That’s how it works. That’s how it should work for the women, too. No exceptions.” Then he went on about John Daly and the cart.
The latter comment was likely about golfer John Daly asking for an exception to use a cart in the Senior U.S. Open tournament because he was injured. He was denied and dropped out of the tournament.
Should exceptions be made for Serena Williams? For John Daly? Or should all athletes complete on a level playing field?
Similar: Affair Creates Loser
Male Tennis Player:
[Optional] If Serena’s friend Meghan Markle attends Wimbledon… and Serena winds up playing a British player… for whom should Markle root?
nomasf says
If you look at the history at Wimbledon (and only Wimbledon), it’s the only Grand Slam tournament to grant exceptions to former champions regarding seeding. It has happened a few times before, including male players. It’s their prerogative to not go by straight rankings.
I’d rather see legend Serena any day than the player ranked below her. She will not be around that much longer. Let’s enjoy the G.O.A.T.
Athene says
There should be no exceptions. If the rules say that if you miss “this much time” your rank will go down, then that should apply to everyone, male or female. Although a pregnancy is not the same as an injury, you still take time off for both. Not to mention that you don’t choose to get injured.
avalonlee says
Women should be punished for having a baby? No. That is ridiculous. In every other career you are guaranteed time off without punity. This isn’t an “injury!” I just think there should be clear and consistent protection for women in all sports.
Maritiagirl says
I’m the first person to get up in arms about an issue when I think women are being treated unfairly, but I have to side with the opinions of the tennis players here. Rules are rules…if you are out for any amount of time you get seeded accordingly…whether it be because you chose to take time off for personal reasons, or illness. This isn’t a typical job that you can just slide back into after maternity leave…it’s competition sport, and you have to keep that in mind first and foremost.
Sun in Libra says
I have no time for whiny men complaining about female exemptions. When you’re body sheds it’s uterine lining every month, cramps, has hormone fluctuations, then carries a child to term, recovers from birth, nurses said baby while maintaining a career…then we can talk about blanket gender policies. Females are superwomen. We do what men do and MORE. Go Serena
Surfergirl says
Um, if you want the human race to continue, you can’t consider pregnancy “like any other injury” or a “choice she made”. It’s not- it’s how we exisist. So yes, the most dominant player in women’s tennis get a “pass” because she had a baby.
JustaGuess123 says
Women make a choice to have a baby knowing it is a trade off. If another woman chooses to forgo having a child for her career why should she be penalized? She needs to earn who way back and not be given a gift.
avalonlee says
So, the trade off if I have a baby is I have to give up my career? What year is this again?
jbj2016 says
I think they made a judgment call based on her long and glorious history with the tournament. That said as someone who has attended Wimbledon, it would have been a treat to be able to see her play on one of the outer courts.
bec215d says
If women had always been in charge of the business of tennis, the rules would have been different from Day 1 – there would’ve been an exception process for pregnancy/birth time off separate from injury time off/voluntary leave of absence. So the question isn’t whether it’s fair for pregnant players to have an exception – because it’s not an exception… it’s a predictable life event that can and should be accounted for in the rules.
mrs_right says
Equality = the same. Men and women are different and always have been. No legislation or programming can change that. If a man and a woman are doing the same job, with the same level of experience and applying the same degree of effort, then of course they should be paid the same wages. If you’re playing a sport and there are rules… why would anyone think the rules should not apply to the participants? Equal, but make an exception? Nope.
Mills007 says
No no no no…. it is not equal to start with! men can produce seed to make them like forever, women have only so many years, so for REAL equality someone should then fix this so called ” equal thing” you are trying to point out and make it so that man can have the baby and maybe to with the complications she had,…. LoL hmmmm see the point??
That man talking about her should try giving birth the same way she had to….
Never will i get it that woman are being * at for having a kid…
xtinaakua says
I think a woman should re-enter on the San drank where she left when being pregnant.
yoreggie says
Male Tennis Player: Andy Murray
Murray has been injured was the past year and is unseeded. Media reported his anger at Serena being seeded and not him.
Claracool says
This is never Andy Murray. Not his style at all. He is very positive about female tennis.
aaaElle says
McEnroe
aaamurds says
Federer
Yes I think it’s right that exceptions are made for women who have a baby, it’s 2018 guys! It would be unfair to make her play at a disadvantage just because she’s been on maternity leave
yo1774 says
I doubt it, he said he considers Serena the best tennis player ever (male or female).
Seeding Serena avoids great expectations tennis matches (Serena-Sharapova, Serena-Muguruza) too soon. If Serena was able to reach 4th round at RG (French Open), her worst surface and clearly out of form, she could do the same or better at Wimbledon
itstarapagain says
Not Fed. His wife had 2 sets of identical twins and he talks about her with great respect. How tough it was for her etc then did it again.
Del Potro, the Bulgarian guy, Cilic all seem like possibilities. Can’t say why. Oh Kyrzios maybe. He’s got a volatile personality which is getting in the way of his enormous talent.
Prettysure says
I ran the senior LPGA and learned the ropes there. Spots are reserved for “great” players based on legacy and they are called exemptions. Why? They attract fans & audiences, and they have earned it as great athletes. No one ever said it would all be fair but at least we provide spots for reasons that make sense (subjectively). They are better athletes than any of us will be so relax and enjoy watching them!
droopyorchid says
The female who got bumped is Dominika Cibulkova
Male tennis player I’ll guess Novak Djokovich
Meghan will be in the royal enclosure so will clap for everyone!
sabrina325 says
John McEnroe?
lovefifteen says
Probably John Isner. Definitely not Federer or Nadal. They’re way too smart to say anything like this even if they think it inside.
jnerc95 says
I thought Isner too! Especially after he defended Sandgren with his offensive tweet about Serena. I can’t see Murray saying this either, he seems very progressive when it comes to women’s issues.
yo1774 says
Nadal maybe, but i doubt Federer thinks anything like this given that he considers Serena the best tennis player (male or female) ever (and he said it publicly).
I think male players should worry more about their circuit and less about women. Once the veterans retire (and it won’t be long till that) they had an inmense void to fill. Some players like Zverev seem to have the game and the charisma to do it but we’ll see what happens after Federer, Nadal and company retire
pawpaw says
Don’t know who the male is but the rules should not be changed for anybody. He makes a good point-women want to be equal So we should not ask for exceptions. Just my opinion
ashleyb234 says
Women want to be respected like how men are.. her choosing to start a family doesn’t have anything to do with equality. If that were the case then whenever a male tennis player gets a woman pregnant he should sit out, you know to make things equal
amagod121 says
Male Tennis Player: John Macanrude
As for Serena’s ranking, that’s a tough one. Being pregnant and giving birth is not an injury, it’s taking time out to create a life. Has to be done or humankind would end. So I think an exception should be made for the pregnancy but not her injury or John Daly’s.
And Markle should root for Serena, her friend, of course! 🙂
wfreshie says
not john McEnroe..he defended Serena….did you know she had blood clots and almost died?? it was not a typical birth
Baileygirl says
No idea on the male tennis player, but if a man is out for any reason for 18 months and has to work thimself up the ladder again then female tennis players should receive the same treatment. If you want to be equal, be equal. Try being a nurse who is out for 18 months from injury and see if they can be hired for a clinical position. Yeah, many jobs are like that and apparently athletics are in the mix.
Meghan should cheer for her friend.
Nataliexyz says
You know when you become pregnant, your life is going to drastically change. Stop asking for privileges.
Cuddlebutt says
I agree. After my first child (I worked until labor started and I had to call and cancel my shift-and it wasn’t desk work or light duty) I went right back to work 2 weeks later. Necessity demanded it as there was no maternity clause in my insurance and my particular position had no paid sick leave.
CamilleLeon says
Male Tennis Player: John McEnroe
Optional: Meghan should root for Serena since they are friends. Nationality wouldn’t play a part.
elizabeth456 says
I’d like to see an exception in place that applies universally to all the women in the sport who produce a human. I didn’t have kids partly because it’s very difficult to succeed professionally as a mom; I’d like to see our society be more accommodating to moms, even if it costs me some money. (And I lean conservative.) We need to encourage and support career women in their child-bearing years; our country would hugely benefit if we didn’t punish women (half our resources) for reproducing.
dermot says
John McEnroe?
hairsofthedog says
He seems to be the first one to come to mind for people (myself included), but he actually publicly called for Serena to be seeded.
wfreshie says
not Jon …he did actually defend her and said maternity leave should not be held against the mom
itstarapagain says
I’m a massive tennis fan and strongly believe that women should not be penalized for having a family. To the * complaining about pay parity, I know many women who would be happy to allow men the opportunity to carry and deliver the child instead
It’s just a situation that was
unimaginable 30 years ago. Health, fitness and sports medicine have allowed players like Serena to have careers well into their 30s. Women used to retire in order to have families. No more.
More_Cowbell says
Level the playing field. Make male players sit out any time they get someone pregnant.
radmom says
I love this!
reen57 says
I just got iced tea coming out of my nose when I read this.
Thanks!
Good point though. I agree.
PollyMetropolitan says
Ha ha! That is a perfect solution!
Mia444 says
i love you, Cowbell.
jnerc95 says
Idk who the male player is since I can’t imagine the big four saying this, but I get that sexist vibe from John Isner a bit, so maybe it’s him. Also, Wimbledon seeds players differently from their ranks all the time. Federer often gets seeded higher than his rank as well because he is the king of grass.
Using an example of male players getting no exceptions is kind of dumb, because male players can’t get pregnant, so they would never be in this situation. Serena has earned this seed imo.
rayodeplata says
Dunno about the male player, but I can understand Dominika Cibulkova’s anger. Serena shouldn’t be seeded.
DenverJayhawk says
no special exceptions…I would be pissed if I were a player.
Markle should cheer for the British player. Whether she does or not is another story.
dadiegirl says
All I’m going to say is, this is holding pregnancy against a woman. This will NEVER be a man’s “injury”. There should be an exception I think.
Mills007 says
THANK YOU!!!! this is the comment i am missing, it is so true no man can ever have this “injury” happen to him so i realy think she can have this exception caus it is a job and only women can have health trouble after having a child…
it is sad that they want to put her down this way, i saw her docu and i get it, if she had a normal birth she maight have taken less time off but it was bloody traumatic! so yes EXCEPTION!! for sure!
TheSalmon says
Totally agree. Excellent players who draw crowds often get ranking exemptions in other sports. Nobody who has watched 5 minutes of tennis in the last 2 decades would legitimately doubt Serena’s supremacy and talent (not to mention her ability to overcome prejudice and hatred every step of the way). When will we ever stop punishing women for becoming mothers and still wanting to have a career? (Spoiler alert: not yet, anyway.) Pregnancy and childbirth is not an “injury.”
babdoll1005 says
AMEN !!! ??
PGreen says
This.
hbb2699 says
Still doesn’t give them the right to ask for the rules to be changed for them. She knew the rules when she decided to have a baby. It was a CHOICE on her part.
TessUup says
Men choose to have babies too. How does it impact their careers? Oh, it doesn’t. So how can rules apply to only half the professionals for the same choice?
babdoll1005 says
AMEN bis!!! ??
Bunniest says
Absolutely. There are laws protecting women workers from retaliation while off on maternity leave. Why should this be any different?
I just hope after all the BS she comes back and kicks a*!!!
nylahou says
I agree. You’re growing and bringing a life into this world — why is there a penalty for that? If women stopped doing this, there would be economic and social ramifications. If men are so upset by this, then I hope these same men are pushing for equal pay.
TonySheridan says
Absolutely right about the exception being a good idea! It isn’t an injury, and it is specific to women. she isn’t playing against men, so it is no harm to them. And realistically, the ones that really want her to get a decent seed are the broadcasters and advertisers. Can you blame them? I want to see Serena play center court.
cashatho7890 says
I don’t understand this statement
monkeyman420 says
She chose to get pregnant. The rules shouldn’t be changed just because of that. The rule also applies to all other women who also get pregnant.
Just because she’s a bigger draw she gets to bump up in the spots and someone more deserving gets bumped. It’s certainly not fair.
It’s not a “penalty” You’ve removed yourself from the sport and in doing so the sport kept going. It’s for you to rejoin and re rank. Amazing that women think they should be catered to in this way.
firefly nights says
THANK YOU !
jonty30 says
Rules should never be changed to please anybody. If she still has the ability to play at the top, she would be capable of getting there on her own. She knew the rules when she decided to have a child.
ashleyb234 says
So she should be punished for deciding to start a family?….
Mauna Loa says
Ashley, not punished, but athletes who are injured do not get any breaks and must wait to compete when competitive, so why would they make any other exception? If you’re an athlete, you know that pregnancy changes your body and requires training afterwards, but it can be done without special accommodations. For example, Jessica Ennis-Hill, a heptathlete, won gold at the IAAF World Championships in 2015, just nine months after returning to training following the birth of her son Reggie.
CeaElle says
My reply is for ashleyb234: She should not be punished, nor should she receive PREFERENTIAL treatment. We will NEVER be equal, until we hold OURSELVES to the same standard, PERIOD.