There is no denying her talent.Williams has won 13 grand slams and the game is unquestionably better when she is at her best. Even so, she continues to overshadow her dominant career with her poor approach to the game.....bleacherreport.
Tiger Woods has been heavily criticized for being too demonstrative during his play. Through all of his dominance, he was criticized for wearing his emotions on his sleeve. He routinely shouted foul language on the course and many people found it to be disrespectful to the game.
In the same light, Williams doesn't try to disguise how she's feeling on the court. She forces the crowd, audience at home and line judge to go through the ups and downs of her matches with her.
While some would argue that she brings exactly the kind of fire the tennis world needs, others believe that she is hurting the sport of tennis. The sport aims to be first class in terms of sportsmanship and the repeated antics involving Williams don't exactly adhere to a family friendly environment.
Above all else, Williams is a competitor. Just like Woods, her public perception has been tainted, but winning has been—and always will be—the main priority for her.
It's safe to call her the Tiger Woods of tennis. She came into this tournament a victim, having endured a horrible medical year and being pushed to her limits mentally and physically. Rather than redeem herself and carry out the Cinderella story that has been mapped out for her, she has chosen to increase her notoriety.
Williams wants to win, but it's impossible for her to justify her actions. If she were a worse player, people would call her a disgrace to tennis. She's one of the best women players to ever play the sport so she gets a pass from many.
Williams is the exact same way Tiger was before Thanksgiving in 2009. She couldn't be the least bit concerned with sportsmanship, her public image or how she represents herself on the court. Like Woods, she's a winner first and foremost. Everything else is secondary.
She had a great opportunity to prove that while she is emotional, she can still be a positive influence and a solid representative for the sport. She blew it and proved that losing with class isn't in her nature.
