Black Tennis Pros

Serena Williams during 2018 U.S. Open in disagreement with Chair Umpire Carlos Ramos after being accused of cheating.

(Associated Press) Almost a full 12 months later, with first-round play beginning Monday at Flushing Meadows, the ramifications of that 1-hour, 19-minute contest still reverberate, including this: Ramos will not officiate matches involving Serena Williams or her older sister, Venus, according to the Associated Press.

“We’ve decided that there are over 900 other matches and Carlos, for 2019, will not be in the chair for a Williams sisters match,” U.S. Tennis Association executive Stacey Allaster said in a telephone interview. “We want the attention of the competition to be on the athletes.”

Says Allaster: “I understand it’s polarizing, but ultimately, we have to look at how tennis competes and is relevant. ... Access is a key part of it; engagement with fans that want to hear from the players and coaches.”

Says Patrick Mouratoglou: “I have never understood why tennis is just about the only sport in which coaching during matches is not allowed.”  Mouratoglou, who acknowledged right after last year’s final that he was attempting to communicate with his player and also noted, correctly, that surreptitious coaching happens all the time and goes unpunished.   Full story here.